Being one of the foundation postures in many types of yoga, Warrior III is a shape that we are all very familiar with and practice regularly. However, it is also a posture that we often take for granted and don’t “work on.”
It’s a shame because a Warrior III with a lot of strength is great for hip flexibility, concentration, and spinal flexibility.
Here are some tips to strengthen your Warrior III posture.
The hip drop
While it may look cool to have one hip outward, in Warrior III, you should not do this.
You may need to “The Hip Drop” if you find that your raised leg’s hip is higher than your standing hip. This is a common misalignment but could cause pain in your hip and lower back as your body is being twisted without support.
It cannot be easy to maintain your pelvis parallel to the floor when you are focused on preserving flight mode.
The Hip Drop is the easy way to fix it:
Kick through the heel and ensure that all toes point at the ground. Internally rotating your hip is achieved by doing this. This also increases the strength of your entire leg.
Drop your hips. Imagine balancing a cup full of water on your lower back. If you have a sloping back, the cup will fall all over your mat.
Turtles, Cobras and Lovers
Warrior III has a backbend. I said it. It’s a shocker, I know. But it’s true! The Stick Pose is a common mistake made by many yogis when they are in Warrior III. These are two different poses.
The stick is a single line. From toe to finger, it’s one. In Warrior III, you want to have your heart higher than your hips, in the shape of a Baby Cobra.
If you want the heart-opening benefits of a strong Warrior III posture, adjust your upper body.
Draw your navel towards your spine. This will help support your back and encourage your balance.
Let your shoulder blades meet behind your back like lovers. This will open your chest into a cobra-shaped shape and help you lift your chest higher than your hips.
You can encourage a long spine by moving your shoulders away.
A Longing Eye
Every yoga pose requires your gaze or drishti. It helps balance and encourages focus in Warrior III. You can also direct your posture by directing your gaze. Your body will follow your gaze.
Some yogis look up at the sky and get a stiff neck. Others stare down and see their chest fall forward. Still, others lose their balance by looking around the room. How can you fix this?
Focus your attention on something straight ahead of you. It will stop you from lowering your chest too low and prevent you from getting a sore neck by looking up at the ceiling.
Fix your gaze. Your neighbor isn’t that interesting. It is not for others to see your practice but only for yourself. Do not change the pinpoint you are staring at. This dust speck will be the most fascinating thing on Earth for five breaths at least!
Try your “Longing Gaze.” Keep your eyes fixed, and press your chin against your chest to open up your neck. Your neck should feel happy and open, and your gaze should be strong and uplifted.
All of us get out of alignment from time to time, and we need to go back to our foundations to make some adjustments. We all need to be aware that our practices are different each day, and we must listen to our bodies.
These tips will help you create a stronger Warrior III. They also prevent those annoying body aches that occur when our alignment is not perfect.
