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Benefits * strengthens back, leg, shoulder, and arm muscles
* stretches hamstrings and outer thighs
* expands the chest, lungs and shoulders
* improves memory and concentration (dharama)
* improves core awareness, posture, balance and coordination
* tones and invigorates the whole body.
* improves builds core strength in the torso, abdomen, spine and pelvic floor
* quiets the mind, calms the nervous system and reduces anxiety
* stimulates abdominal organs and digestion
Contraindications/ Cautions * high blood pressure
* recent or chronic foot, ankle, knee, leg, or hip problems
* recent or chronic lower back injuries
* if you are pregnant, support the pose with the hands on a chair or some other support
Step by Step Virabhadrasana III
(veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna)
Virabhadra = the name of the warrior who is an incarnation of Shiva
1 Stand in Tadasana. With an exhalation, step your left foot back 2 feet while keeping your body weight forward on the right foot. Keep the right toes facing forward. Feel your right toes spread and discover an even grounding through the sole of your right foot. Place your hands on the hips to align your hips and shoulders perpendicular to the front of the mat.
2 Contract inner core muscles by drawing in the navel and waist. Sustain a feeling that you are containing the lower organs with a circular band of muscle. Then, inhale and lift your left foot as you lean your torso forward feeling a hinging motion at the hips. Send your gaze straight down as you flexed forward from the hips finding a new focal point. As your torso and left leg move into a parallel position with the floor, lengthen both legs without locking into the knees.
3 The left hip may lift higher than the right. Keep the left hip level with the right hip feeling a shift into correct postural alignment. Visualize more length moving into the left leg and spine. Continue the rooting into the right foot and contracting into the core muscles.
4 To increase the effect of the balance, release your hands from the hips and stretch the arms directly out to the sides expanding your chest.
5 Breathe slowly and stay for 5 to 10 breaths. To exit, inhale as you lift your chest and place your left foot back into Tadasana. Exhale as you lower the arms. Take a few breaths and then repeat on the left side for the same length of time.
Modifications/Cautions
* For beginners: If you find your balance is not steady, place one hand on a wall.
* If coming forward to parallel with the floor is too vigorous, hinge forward only part way while keeping the upper body and lifted leg in one energetic line.
* For more challenge, extend the arms forward with the arms in line with head and neck. Hands can remain, open shoulder width apart, or the fingers can interlace with index fingers pointing forward (Shiva mudra).
* This pose can also transition directly out of Virabhadrasana I by slowing leaning forward onto the front foot and gradually lifting back leg into the balance. Extra coordination and greater awareness to hip alignment is required.
