Benefits of Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose) and How to Do it By Dr. Himani Bisht
By Dr. Himani Bisht +2 more
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By Dr. Himani Bisht +2 more
Table of Contents
In the current situation, every individual aspires to stay healthy by overcoming physiological and psychological challenges. Yoga has become a popular intervention for the same for all age groups. It has been regarded as a union of mind and soul that brings balance and promote healing of the body. The traditional practice of yoga includes stretching and holding the pose (asanas) for a few seconds along with focusing on breathing. These asanas tone the body and give the mental power for further exercise. One such usual form of yoga asana is Virabhadrasana which provides stamina and balance to the body.1,2, 3
Virabhadrasana is also known as the warrior pose. The term Virabhadrasana is composed of three words: Vira which means courageous, warrior or vigorous; Badra means auspicious or good, while asana refers to posture. Warrior pose is a standing yoga that provides strength to the shoulders, arms, thighs, and muscles of the back. 4
Did you know?
Depending on the alignment of the body virabhadrasana is categorised into three types1 namely, Virabhadrasana I, Virabhadrasana II, and Virabhadrasana III.
Virabhadrasana I: The knee of the front limb is directly above the ankle of the front limb and the back limb is kept straight with arms straight towards the sky.
Virabhadrasana II: Place the front limb toes in the right direction with the front heel with the back foot arch. Slowly bend the knee over the ankle. Expand the right-hand front and left-hand backside. The hips are placed down and the head up to lengthen the spine.
Virabhadrasana III: All of the body weight on one leg; back limb raised parallel to the ground; arms, head, trunk, hip and raised back limb in a straight line parallel to the ground.
Based on my experience, I highly recommend incorporating Virabhadrasana into your daily routine. Not just for desk jobs, it is proven highly beneficial for athletes involved in gymnastics, archery and shooting. The warrior poses, Virabhadrasana serve to help you achieve equilibrium. Additionally, yoga helps retain the core strength and alignment needed for gymnastics, archery, and shooting.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, MD
Virabhadrasana should be performed with proper techniques in the presence of a yoga trainer to avoid discomfort and pressure. Some of the preparatory poses for virabhadrasana are Gomukhasana (cow face yoga), Adho Mukha Savasana (Downward dog pose), Virasana (Hero pose), Trikonasana (Triangle pose), Padottanasana (Wide stance forward pose), Supta virasana (Front opening pose), Vrksasana (Tree pose), Supta Baddha konasana (Butterfly pose), Supta padangusthasana (Reclining head to big toe pose).4
Virabhadrasana I
The steps to practice Virabhadrasana I are:
I read research suggesting the practice of Virabhadrasana may be an excellent weapon against hypothyroidism. Regularly practising this warrior pose may provide several benefits for hypothyroid patients, such as reducing anxiety and inspiring confidence and willpower.
Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS
It is interesting to know that Virabhadrasana is named after Virabhadra, a fierce warrior in Hindu mythology. Virabhadra is lord Shiva’s incarnation. The stories of Virabhadra and lord Shiva are found in the Upanishads and add great value to the meaning of life.4
Virabhadrasana is one of the few asanas that can be performed with partners. It is important to have two partners of similar height and a thick pole to perform it as a partner’s asana. The pole will hold by your partner above the head, and you should try to hold it with your raised hands until your arms are extended, and you feel that your trunk and your legs are hanging. 4
Virabhadrasana exhibit several health benefits:
Bukowski et al., 2007 conducted a study on humans and was approved by the review board of Richard Stockton college of new jersey, USA. The yoga session consists of 14 asanas including virabhadrasana performed for 5 min for six weeks. The result suggested an improvement in the strength and flexibility of the patients suffering from osteoarthritis when compared to the patients in the no-exercise group. The patients with no exercise demonstrated no changes or decreases in pain and function. Therefore, Virabhadrasana may benefit patients suffering from osteoarthiritis.3
Virabhadrasana may also help people having musculoskeletal problems. A weak hamstring can cause repeated injuries or strain in the hamstring and may stiffen the lower back. Virabhadrasana III may help in strengthening the back, calves, hamstrings, and shoulders along with toning abdominal muscles, which may help in dealing with musculoskeletal-related problems. Virabhadrasana I may help patients with Chondromalacia patellae (a condition that leads to softening or breakdown of cartilage under the kneecap) by strengthening the muscles forming the quadriceps (vastus medialis).1
Virabhadrasana may exert pressure on the abdominal muscles which gives more energy to raise the rib and may help singers. This pressure may also expand the superior and largest muscle in the chest wall (pectoralis major and pectoralis minor which are located below the pectoralis major). This expansion is experienced when arms are raised towards the sky or out sideways allowing a new breath that may help new singers to sing long phrases without collapsing their breath.5
A study evaluated the changes in the physiological responses of the human body while performing virabhadrasana. These physiological responses include heart rate, oxygen uptake and blood pressure. A significant rise may observe in the physiological response of the individuals performing Virabhadrasana. This study suggested that virabhadrasana may be beneficial to patients suffering from low blood pressure.6
However, more research is required to prove these claims.
Yoga practice may help develop the mind and body; however, it is still not an alternative to modern medicine. You must not rely on yoga alone to treat any condition. Please consult a qualified doctor who will be able to assess your condition correctly and advise accordingly. Moreover, it is necessary to practice and learn yoga under the supervision of a trained yoga teacher to avoid any injuries.
Virabhadrasana should be performed in presence of a trained yoga practitioner. Some of the contraindications related to Virabhadrasana are4
Yoga offers various benefits in strengthening and functioning the body as an alternative to standard exercises. Virabhadrasana and its types can be considered by clinicians as an effective modality for improving mental and emotional health and decreasing exhaustion and stress levels.
Virabhadrasana is made of three words: Vira which means warrior; Badra means auspicious or good, while asana refers to posture. Therefore, this asana is also known as the warrior pose.4
Virabhadrasana may help in strengthening the arms, shoulders, and thighs. It may also help in relieving sciatica and maintaining the balance of the body. It may also help singers by opening the chest and enabling them to sing long phrases in one breath.3,4,5
People suffering from spinal-related disorders, heart disease, increased blood pressure, knees problem like arthritis and cervical issues should avoid the warrior pose. 4
Virabhadrasana can be performed by a pregnant lady only if she is a regular yoga practitioner.4
warrior pose is categorised into three types namely, Virabhadrasana I or warrior pose I, Virabhadrasana II or warrior pose II, and Virabhadrasana III or warrior pose III. 1
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