Virabhadrasana II / Warrior II
Virabhadra = the name of a fierce warrior, named after a hindu god who incarnated as a human
Start in Tadasana/mountain pose. Inhale to either jump to spread the legs or step your right foot forward and left foot back. Your feet are 4 to 4 1/2 to 5 feet apart (it depends on your height). Keep your right foot at a 90 degree angle and left foot at 45. Bend your right knee until your right femur is parallel to the floor and your shinbone is perpendicular to the floor (only if it works for your body and your knee: If you try this variation and you experience knee pain or discomfort in your hips, you can raise your pelvis without keeping the thigh bone parallel to the floor). Keep your right toes lifted to activate the arch of the foot and anchor the outer edge of your left foot. Keep your legs engaged and externally rotate your front thigh and internally rotate your back thigh (You need to use your TFL and quadriceps for the rotation).
Extend your arms to the sides as if two persons are pulling them in the opposite direction. Keep them in one line with your shoulders. Expand through the chest and pay attention to your scapulas. Retract your shoulder blades by bringing them close to each other towards the spine and engage your serratus anterior.
Use your posterior and lateral deltoids to keep your arms straight to the sides and keep them engaged. The last piece is to lengthen your spine by using your erector spinae and maintain the length while you are holding the pose for 5 to 10 breaths.
A few extra tips:
1. In case you have a shoulder injury or pain, you can bring your hands together in front of your heart or you can hold on to the opposite elbows behind your back.
2. You need to keep your knee above the ankle facing your second and third toe. Avoid it from turning in or out. You can practice it against the wall by having a block between your knee and the wall. Try to press into the block with the knee by engaging your quadriceps, sartorius and TFL. If your front knee or quadriceps become tired feel free to straighten your leg for a breath or 2 and then get back into the pose.
