Viparita virabhadrasana
Omgekeerde Krijger Houding | Humble Warrior Pose

Stretches shoulders, side, chest & hips
Strengthens legs & ankles
Contra-indications:
-
GETTING INTO THE POSE
From tadasana take a big step back with the left foot and turn the toes to the long side of the mat. The heels are in line with each other.
Legs are active, pull the kneecaps up.
Open the hips and chest to the long side of the mat.
Tilt the sitting bones towards the mat to make space in the lower back and feel the abdominal muscles activating.
Inhale: Extend the arms and bring them in a straight line at shoulder height with the palms facing down, shoulders away from the ears.
Exhale: bend the front knee until it is above the ankle. If the knee goes over the ankle, make the step a little bigger, if the knee is too far back, make your step a little smaller. Ultimately, the goal is to bring the thigh parallel to the mat.
Inhale: Turn the right hand up towards the ceiling. The left hand comes to rest down on the left leg, the right hand comes upwards, slightly over the head.
Keep the knee straight above the ankle, in line with the second toe.
Back leg is straight and both feet fully in the mat.
Open the chest.
Gaze towards the right hand.
BREATH
Inhale: Make length between the back heel and the sitting bones, the sitting bones and the shoulders, and between the left and right hands.
Exhale: Use the length you created to get deeper into the pose.
- Or -
Breathe to the chest or belly.
GETTING OUT OF THE POSE
Lower the arms and step back into tadasana.
Repeat on the other side.
PREPARATORY POSES
Virabhadrasana II | Warrior II pose
Utthita Trikonasana | triangle pose
Standing side stretch
SUBSEQUENT POSES
Parsvakonasana | Gestrekte hoek houding
Baddha virabhadrasana | Bound warrior pose
REPLACEMENT POSES
Virabhadrasana II | Warrior II pose