viparita (reverse) + vira (hero) + bhadra (friend) + asana (pose)
One of our favourite Warriors, Reverse (or Exalted or Proud) Warrior is a fabulous hip- & heart-opening side bend that we express through the lunge position. Yoga has a lot of forward bends and backbends, but a side bend is less common, & the intercostal muscles (those between your ribs) are hard to get to, but they need your love & attention too. Remember to lift before you lean: rather than worrying about how far back you can bend, focus on lifting your chest & spreading your collarbones. Set your intention on keeping your raised arm plugged into the shoulder socket while your other hand lowers to rest on the back of the thigh of your straight leg. A drishti point (the fingers of your raised hand, for example) will help you maintain balance. There are several variations to this pose that usually focus on the position of your hands & arms; you can make a bind with your back arm so that it hugs your waist or you can grip your wrists above & behind your head to create a deeper stretch. To make this pose less challenging, you can shorten your stance or come down on bended knee. Remember to warm up beforehand with a Warrior sequence, Extended Side Angle Pose, Reverse Triangle Pose, & Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose, & then let your muscles relax afterward with the same poses. Remember: side bends are not a "natural" bend in our day-to-day world: we tend to bend forward to pick things up & pivot at the waist if necessary. So! - Exalted Warrior that you are, remember that this is more of a side bend & less of a back bend. Reach for the stars & exult in your most excellent effort! Benefits:
stretches the hamstrings, groins, quads, gluteus, chest, rib cage, abdominal area, intercostal muscles, neck, arms, & psoas muscles
expands range of motion of the upper body
strengthens the knees, hips, & ankles
tones the leg muscles
improves hip flexibility
improves spinal mobility
brings stability & balance to both sides of the spine
alleviates digestion problems, & is instrumental in controlling diabetes, & IBD
expands the chest cavity
reduces stress & tension
improves overall stability, focus, & balance.
Remember: keep your shoulders relaxed & away from your ears! Like all of the Warrior poses, build this from the ground up by "finding your feet" first, with your weight spread evenly through their 4 corners. Like Warrior 1, remember to keep your hips squared in front of you. Props: you can straddle a chair sideways so that your front bent leg is parallel to the leg of the chair. Modify or avoid Reverse Warrior Pose if you:
have sustained any neck, shoulder, arm, chest, rib cage, leg, hip, knee, ankle, spine, or lower back injuries
have any disc-related issues like cervical spondylitis, slip disc, disc bulge, & herniated disc
have severely weak joints or generally experience body weakness
lack of Body-Breath Awareness
are pregnant, be extremely mindful when leaving the pose: keep your gaze down or in front for stability.
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