WARRIOR III POSE
Warrior iii converts the potential energy stored in warrior i into movement, projecting the body forward into a balance on the front leg. The main story of the pose is the rotation of the pelvis toward and flexion of the torso over the standing leg. Note how this stretches the back of the standing leg differently than in a pose that has the pelvis facing forward, such as Ardha Chandrasana.
The back story in Warrior III is the balancing act. As with all balancing poses, become aware of your center of gravity and use it to your advantage. Bend the standing leg and/or lower the lifted leg to descend the center of gravity and make the pose more stable. Remember that stability in all of the standing postures, whether balancing on one leg or standing on both, originates from the large muscles of the pelvic core—the psoas and the gluteals. A small movement of the femur at the hip translates into a large movement of the foot, causing you to waver. This is the physics of a lever arm. Similarly, a small movement of the lower trunk translates into a large movement of the shoulders and arms. Once the legs and arms begin to move, it becomes difficult to regain balance. Conversely, stabilizing the pelvis and hip joint prevents the trunk and extremities from wavering.
Another advantage to engaging these core muscles of the pelvis, aside from conferring biomechanical stability, is stimulation of the sensory and motor nerves in the region of the pelvis. Increased activity in these nerves illuminates the first and second chakras. The soundtrack for this balancing act is the breath.
BASIC JOINT POSITIONS
Begin by using a wall or chair for support and balance. Bend the standing leg and keep the pelvis aligned over the ankle. Raise the torso directly up by contracting the quadriceps to straighten the knee, like a hydraulic lift. Firmly engage the raised-leg buttocks and lower back muscles as well as the quadriceps to straighten the knee and lift the leg. Bend the standing leg to lower the center of gravity if you lose your balance. Gradually work toward practicing the pose away from the wall.
STEP 1 Flex the torso over the standing leg by engaging the psoas and pectineus. Remember that the sartorius and rectus femoris muscles cross the hip and can be used to synergize the main hip flexors. You will activate the rectus femoris when you contract the quadriceps to straighten the knee. If the kneecap rolls inward, externally rotate the thigh to contract the sartorius muscle.
STEP 2 Look at the interconnections among the back, hip, and knee extensors in this pose. The quadriceps, synergized by the tensor fascia lata, extend the raised knee. The gluteus maximus, synergized by the adductor magnus, extends the raised hip and tilts the pelvis backwards. Engage the gluteus maximus and adductor magnus by contracting the buttocks and drawing the back foot toward the midline. Activating the gluteus maximus also externally rotates the leg, an undesirable effect in the final pose. Counter this by engaging the tensor fascia lata and gluteus medius muscles to internally rotate the hip. A cue for this is to visualize pressing the outside of the raised foot against an imaginary wall to create an abduction force and access the secondary action of internal rotation. This returns the leg to neutral, with the kneecap facing down. Arch the back to engage the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum muscles and lift the trunk.
STEP 3 A central character in the balancing act of Warrior III is the quadriceps of the standing leg. Use it to lift the trunk by straightening the knee. The kneecap should face directly forward. If it turns to face the outside, then press the ball of the foot into the floor and turn the thigh inward. This activates the peronei on the side of the lower leg and the tensor fascia lata and gluteus medius of the standing-leg hip.
STEP 4 Note the interrelations among the erector spinae, trapezius, and deltoids. Observe how these muscles can be used in combination to lift the chest and raise the arms while drawing the shoulders away from the neck. Straighten the elbows to engage the triceps. Press the mounds of the index fingers together to engage the pronators teres and quadratus. Balance this pronation of the forearms with a supination force, using the extensor pollicis longus and abductor pollicis to draw the thumbs back and away from the mounds of the index fingers. Combine this movement of the forearms with external rotation of the shoulders by engaging the infraspinatus and teres minor muscles of the rotator cuff. This culminates in a double helical force up and down the arms and through the elbows.
SUMMARY All of these actions combine to create an intense stretch in the muscles at the back of the standing leg and hip—the gastrocnemius/soleus complex, the hamstrings, and the gluteus maximus. Remember that activating the antagonist muscle groups (the quadriceps and psoas and their synergists) creates reciprocal inhibition of the muscles that are lengthening in this pose, protecting them and allowing them to relax into the stretch.
