The Distinguished Hero's Pose- Warrior 3

Gail Frassetta RYT 500 in Virabhadrasana 3 (Click on photo to learn about Gail!)

Virabhadrasana CWarrior 3Veer-bha-drah-shah-nah
Virabhadra (वीरभद्र) = Distinguished hero, also considered to be the fierce aspect of Shiva
Asana (आसन) = Pose, Posture, Seat
Virabhadrasana (वीरभद्रासन)

Boat pose in its simplest description brings the practitioner into a one legged balance with the rest of the body resembling a superhero flying. The shape is simple, but the strength, flexibility and balance required to hold the pose make this an fun and generally accessible intermediate posture. 
In B.K.S. Iyengar’s “Light on Yoga”  he shows a preparation and only one version where he  enters the pose from warrior one. He calls Warrior 3 an intensified version of warrior 1. The variation shown in “light on Yoga”, has the arms fully reaching forward. This version is the most advanced version of the pose as the full reach of the arms creates an incredible amount of leverage which significantly increases the work of the muscles of the back and back of the shoulders. Students with shoulders or low back injuries, or those who have not yet developed the back strength necessary for the full version will benefit greatly from modifications to the shape and reach of the arms so as to lessen the tension in the back. 
Energetically this pose works deeply into the core, hips and pelvic floor stimulating the root chakra (muladhara) sacral chakra (swadisthana) and navel chakra (manipura). When we feel grounded from the waistline on down we can find more freedom and float from the waistline on up. 

Left: Blocks under hands for support               Right: Hands at the heart in prayer, less leverage
How to do Virabhadrasana

1. Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Feel the feet firmly connected to the floor as you stand tall. Shift the weight onto one foot. 
   
2. Keep the torso in a straight line as you anteriorly tilt the pelvis (hip) over the femur (thigh) until the belly is facing the floor and the opposite leg is also parallel to the floor. Reach long from the crown of the head out through the sole of the lifted foot. 
   
3. Lift the chest a bit higher as you squeeze the belly in, and work to level off the hips so that both hip points face the earth. 
   
4. Legs are ideally straight. The bottom knee may need to bend to take the pressure off of the hamstrings. 
   
5. The arms may take different variations including;
   
   1. Straight out in front of you with the hands the same height as the shoulders.
      
   2. Arms out to the sides like an airplane.
      
   3. Hands to the heart in Anjali Mudra (prayer position).
      
   4. Hands on the wall for support. 
      
   5. Hands on blocks for support.
      
6. Remain in the hold for 20-60 seconds. 
   
7. Release the pose and switch sides. 
   
   

Benefits

• Improves balance and posture
• Strengthens the back, core muscles, hip flexors and quads. If the lifted foot is in plantarflexion (pointed) the calf will also be strengthened. 
• If the lifted foot is in dorsiflexion (flexed) when the legs are extended the calves will also be stretched while the front of the shin (especially, tibialis anterior) will be strengthened. 
• Improves concentration

Common pitfalls and contraindications

• Students may tend to lift the outer hip of the lifted side. It will take work to level off the hips and get both hip points to face the ground. 
• If you have spinal injuries or spinal sensitivities, easier modifications, such as putting the hands on a block or pressing the foot of the lifted leg into a wall, may be needed
• Students with unregulated high blood pressure should practice caution with this posture. 

Preparatory poses and exercises
Adho Mukha Svanasana- Downward Facing Dog
Virabhadrasana 1- Warrior 1
Utkatasana- Chair Pose
Counter PosesSoft forward folds
Any easy twist to release the spine and abdominals.

ReferencesIyengar, B.K.S. (1966) Light on Yoga, Yoga Dipiki. (3rd Edition) NY, United States of America. Schocken Books Inc.
www.wikapedia.org

About Chris Loebsack

• ​Chris Loebsack, 500 E.R.Y.T,  fell in love with yoga in 1995 and began teaching in 2003. Chris uses the power of yoga to create a space for students that cultivates trust, playfulness and Divine connection with themselves and with community. Living by her mantra, Clarity, Integrity and Love, she draws upon her partner yoga practice to share the healing power of touch and safe intimacy. A passion for discovering subtlety in movement has lead Chris to deepen her education with the Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers® kinesiology program. Her playful yet focused classes are filled with user friendly gems of applied anatomy leaving students with a greater understanding of how to find comfort and space in their bodies and smiles beaming across their faces. She encourages teachers to set a higher standard of excellence through knowledge and has become a valuable mentor to many upcoming yoga educators. 
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