Why are my hands on my hips?
Warrior 3 (virabhadrasana 3) can be a hard, but also satisfying pose once you get the hang of it. In an ideal scenario, the legs are straight, the back is flat, and the hips are level. Trying to keep the hips level is what makes this pose particularly difficult because it requires strength in parts of the body that are often weak and/or tight: the muscles at the outside of the hip and the hamstrings and gluteus of your standing leg. To compensate, we chose the easy option and roll the opposite hip up! If you find it tricky to level your hips, try levelling your shoulders instead. As shoulders and hips are connected through the spine, shifting the focus can help (even if the back foot drops down a bit).
More about the Warrior poses
The Warrior Poses are named after the great hero warrior Virabhadra from Hindu mythology.
Vira = Hero, Bhadra = Auspicious
They are active postures that require strength, steadiness, and determination. Even though the story of Virabhadra is ancient, the Warrior asanas as done today seem to be relatively modern, developed by T. Krishnamacharya in the 1930s.
There are three main Yoga Warrior Poses:
Warrior 1 — Facing forwards, the front knee is bent, back leg is straight with the whole foot on the floor, arms extended overhead, the gaze is upwards.
Warrior 2 — In a sideways alignment, the front knee is bent, back leg straight, arms extended out to the sides at shoulder hight, the gaze is beyond the front hand..
Warrior 3 — Balancing on one straight leg, create a T shape by tilting forwards and lifting the back leg. Hips are level, arms reach forward, and the gaze is down.
In your yoga class, you may also have come across Peaceful Warrior and Humble Warrior, all of which are demonstrated in this video.
How you can modify Warrior 3
Sometimes it can be useful to adapt Warrior 3, for example when feeling a bit unsteady or to focus on the finer details of the pose. Try out these variations:
Different hand position
Warrior 3 becomes easier when placing the hands in prayer position at the sternum or by taking the hands back instead of reaching forwards.
Hands against a wall
Stand facing a wall. As you lean forward place your palms on the wall at shoulder level or slightly higher, with the arms straight.
Foot against a wall
Stand facing away from a wall in such a way that, as you lift your foot, you can place the sole of your foot on the wall in line with your hips.
Schoulder against a wall
Position yourself sideways to the wall, shoulder just touching the surface. Lift the leg furthest away from the wall. This variation makes balancing easier.
Using a chair or table
Stand facing a chair and place your hands on the back of the chair or the edge of the table.
Three ways to make Warrior 3 more difficult
Stand on a brick, which challenges your sense of balance even more.
Hold weights in your hands or put a weight round the ankle of the lifted leg.
Close your eyes while your are in the pose.
Keep practicing Warrior 3 because its a great pose to strengthen your legs, ankles, hips, glutei, core, and back. In addition, your standing leg gets a good stretch and you refine your sense of balance. The pose might boost your confidence and leave you feeling strong and uplifted.
“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” (Bob Marley)
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