What is Warrior 3 in yoga? A guide to Virabhadrasana III
Warrior 3 - also known as Virabhadrasana 3 - is one of those yoga poses you might see on Instagram before you even start practising yoga. It's a classic posture that may look straightforward, but there's so much more to it.
However, it's a beginner-friendly yoga posture everyone can try, no matter where you are in your journey. There are many things we can do as a studio to make this posture accessible to everyone.
In the latest of our posture focus blog series, we're going into a battle against bad vibes as the warriors we are. Read on for everything you need to know about Warrior 3.
What is Warrior 3 pose in yoga?
Warrior 3 is a standing balance posture where you keep one foot on the ground and extend your other leg behind you, lengthening your upper body forwards so your body aims to become parallel with the ground.
What's the story behind Warrior 3?
Warrior 3 is named after a warrior named Virabhadra, who symbolises strength and resilience and was created by Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.
Practising Warrior 3: A step-by-step tutorial to embody this yoga pose
Follow these steps to get into Warrior III balancing pose.
- Start in tadasana, also known as mountain pose - stand up straight, ground yourself and regulate your breathing, we want to maintain this alignment as we enter into the balance;
- Find your drishti - a focal point you can fix on to help you balance
- Bring your hands to rest in a prayer position (anjali mudra) at your heart centre, squeeze your palm together to activate your back muscles & to keep your chest wide;
- Shift your weight onto your right foot - this will be your standing leg, you can either choose to keep this leg straight or with a micro bend in the knee;
- Lift your left leg directly in front of you & straighten it out, thinking about toning the thigh & calf, then begin to slowly sweep it back behind you;
- As the leg goes back you need to hinge from your hips & lengthen your upper body & spine forward to try to maintain a straight line from your head to your left heel, which is now extended out behind you;
- Over time as you feel more balanced & confident try to bring your body & back leg parallel to the ground;
- Keep your back leg engaged and flex your back foot so your toes are pointing downward like you are trying to push through a wall behind you;
- Focus, inhale and exhale. Keep your gaze on your focus point which should now be slightly ahead of your mat on the floor. Try to hold the pose for several breaths.
Physical and mental Warrior 3 benefits
Not only does it look impressive, Warrior 3 actually offers you so many benefits both physically and mentally.
- Strengthens your core: Warrior 3 yoga pose engages your deep core muscles, helping you to build strength in your abdomen and lower back;
- Boosts your balance: practising balancing poses like this helps you improve your balance by strengthening your ankles & activating your leg and stabilising hip muscles;
- Improves your posture: did you know practising Warrior 3 regularly encourages proper spinal alignment, which improves your posture?
- Develops your concentration: you can't help but calm your mind and focus in this posture, creating a mindful moment you can tap into at other times once it becomes a habit;
- Builds your confidence: when you practise this pose often, you'll feel a fantastic sense of accomplishment and inner confidence.
Unleash your inner warrior with Virabhadrasana III in our Ribble Valley studio
Ready to unleash your inner warrior and find inner balance?
Vanessa Flow Yoga offers a range of yoga classes, many of which incorporate Warrior 3 into your practice to help you find strength, balance, and calm.
Treat yourself to a 21-Day Intro Pass to explore all of the empowering and nurturing classes we have on offer here and start your yoga journey in the luxurious and calming environment of our Clitheroe yoga studio.
