Vinyala

Pose sheet

Reverse Warrior

Viparīta Vīrabhadrāsanaविपरीत वीरभद्रासन

Keep your Warrior II stance and bend sideways with your front arm reaching overhead.

Open this pose in the 3D body

Steps

Support

Both feet grounded; back hand rests lightly on the leg.

Enter

  1. From Warrior II, keep hips open and knee over your ankle.
  2. Straighten your back leg and keep both feet grounded.
  3. Inhale, lengthen your torso; turn your front palm upward.
  4. Exhale and lower your back hand onto your back thigh.
  5. Bend toward your back leg; reach your front arm overhead.

Hold

  1. Keep your front knee bent and your back leg straight.
  2. Point your front knee toward the little-toe side of your foot.
  3. Lengthen both sides of your torso while holding the side bend.
  4. Keep your back hand light without pressing on your knee.

Exit

  1. Exhale and return to Warrior II.
  2. Repeat with your other leg forward.
Breathing
Inhale to lengthen; exhale into the side bend.
Gaze
Toward your raised hand; alternatively, straight ahead.
Duration
Up to five breaths per side.

Adapt

Adaptations

  • Level gazeLook straight ahead.
  • Smaller side bendRaise your back hand; reduce the side bend.
  • ChairSit in Warrior II on a sturdy chair; bend sideways.
  • Vertical armReach your front arm straight toward the ceiling.

Variations

  • Gentle spinal extension.
  • Reach your back hand behind toward your front thigh.
  • Lower arm reaching toward your front knee.

Signals of effort

  • Bent front knee supporting part of your weight.
  • Side bend with one arm raised.
  • Neck rotation or extension when looking upward.