Benefits:
- Physical: Strengthens legs and abs
- Emotional: Focus
- Rx for: Anxiety, stress, insomnia
Begin standing tall with your feet together and arms by your sides. Separate your feet 4 to 4.5 feet apart, keeping them parallel. Inhale and lift your arms up overhead, shoulder-width apart, palms facing each other.
Exhale and turn your left foot and leg 90 degrees out to the left. Now turn your right foot in, toward the left, until it’s at a 45-degree angle. Rotate your hips and torso so they’re facing the same direction as your left leg
Take a deep breath. As you exhale, bend your left knee so your left thigh and left shin form a right angle. Less than 90 degrees is okay; only bend your knee as far as you can while keeping the outer edges of your back foot pressing flat into the floor. Don’t collapse in your back ankle; try to pull up through your right arch (the entire foot stays on the ground) to protect that right knee joint. To align your spine, think about drawing your ribs in toward your body, pressing your tailbone toward the floor and elongating the back of your neck.
Hold for 3 to 10 slow, deep breaths.
Hint: Straighten the back leg and press the baby toe of the back foot into the floor to stabilize the pose.
Learn Warrior II
• Increases stamina and relieves backaches
• Rx for: Weariness, feeling overwhelmed
Learn Warrior III
• Tones abs, legs; relieves arthritic pain
• Rx for: Bad posture, weak knees
