Article By: Megan Stremick
Pose:
Warrior 1
Being the perfect, well rounded moms that we all are it’s part of our inherent makeup that we always strive to act in peaceful, non violent ways with everyone we encounter. This includes the times that we are confronted with a rude clerk at the store counter or that pushy woman at the department store, and yes, even when our children are acting like wild animals. It was hard for me to keep a straight face as I wrote that but let’s pretend for a moment that’s all true. No matter how calm we may try to stay in a particular situation, whether by taking deep breaths and finding our chi, or gritting our teeth and praying to everything holy to help keep us from exploding, we can be assured that there is a peaceful warrior that resides in us all. Warrior 1 is one of three warrior poses in yoga, all giving strength to the arms, back, chest, and thighs. So strike a pose, it’s time to be mommy warriors of peace and strength.
Warrior 1 Benefits:
- Promotes flexibility in the back of the legs
- Strengthens the thighs
- Opens up and stretches the chest and lungs
- Strengthens the arms and shoulders
- Promotes flexibility in the hips and groin
Warrior 1 How To:
- Begin standing in Mountain pose at the back of your mat.
- Take a long stride forward with your right foot.
- Set your back heel down so that your back toes are now angles to the front left corner of your mat.
- Inhale and reach your arms up, palms facing each other, fingertips to the sky, biceps next to the ears and shoulders relaxed down.
- Exhale and bend your front knee so that it sits above your ankle. Look down to make sure that you can see your front big toe and the knee is in line with the second toe (this alignment protects the knee and the hips).
- The spine is straight with your torso above your hips.
- Pull the right hip back and the left hip forward—this is a small movement.
- Keep the back leg straight and strong by reaching down through the outer arch of the back foot.
- If you’re comfortable with your balance and you do not have any issue in your neck, look up between your hands.
- Hold for five deep breaths or as long as you can while breathing in through the nose and out through the nose
- Repeat on the left side.
Warrior 1 Caution:
If your neck bothers you at all in this position just look straight ahead instead of looking up between your hands.
Those with high blood pressure, severe back pain, and any heart problems should not do this pose.
If your shoulders bother you with your arms raised, lower them down by your side.
Any tips for us or which poses we should post in the future? Let us know on Facebook or on Twitter!
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