This posture takes Warrior 2 a step further with a backward bend to stretch your shoulders and back. It is a great movement for desk workers who spend much of their day with their arms at their sides, and for athletes who want to improve shoulder mobility and speed upper-body recovery.
TARGET AREAS
• shoulders • upper back • hips
BENEFITS
• Stretches shoulders and improves upper-body mobility • Reduces risk of rotator cuff injury • Strengthens upper back and neck • Builds lower-body endurance
1 Stand in a wide-legged stance with your feet 4 to 5ft (1.25–1.5m) apart, and toes turned slightly in. Extend your arms outward, parallel to the floor with your palms facing down. Turn right foot out, nearly perpendicular to the left. Square hips forward, keeping torso over hips.
2 Sink into Warrior 2 by bending your right knee until it is over your ankle. Squeeze legs toward one another to engage inner thighs. If you cannot maintain a neutral spine, bring feet closer together. If your knee moves past your ankle, widen your stance.
3 Maintaining tension in your legs, reach your right arm up toward the ceiling with palm facing backward. Bend backward and rest your left hand lightly on the back leg. Hold the posture, inhaling to lengthen your body, and exhaling to increase the bend and go deeper. Repeat on the other side.
YOU SHOULD FEEL
• Stretch in side of body, shoulder, and groin
YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
• Relaxation of tension in legs and core; actively engage core and lift sternum
PRO TIP
Pretend you’re pulling your upper arm out of the socket to reach it as high as possible. Then lean back.
NOT THERE YET?
