How to Do the Warrior II Pose in Yoga

Co-authored by Michiko Takatani

Last Updated: February 20, 2023

Warrior II Pose, or Virabhadrasana II, is a powerful but simple pose. It's great for leg and core strength and it's suitable for people at all levels. Concentrate on your stability and breathing, and you will feel the power coursing through you as you do this pose.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Performing Warrior II Pose

1
Get in the starting position. A good starting position for many yoga poses is the Mountain Pose. Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Try to spread the weight evenly across your feet, and breathe steadily.
- If you are having trouble balancing, move your feet slightly apart.
- You can stand on a yoga mat if you have one.
- To do a mountain pose, stand straight and put your feet together. Place your weight evenly on both feet.
- Inhale, straighten your back, raise your shoulders lightly, and exhale to rotate your shoulders back and down.
- Stand with the image of a straight line from the top of the head to the heels. Hold this posture for about five breaths.
The first step to move into the Warrior II Pose is to step or jump your feet out. Your legs should be wide apart and your feet facing forward. Your feet should be more than shoulder width apart, but ensure you are comfortable and in control.
3
Turn your left foot out by 90 degrees. Next you should swivel your left foot out so it is at a 90 degree angle and your toes are pointing away from your body. Turn your right foot in slightly to help you keep stability and balance.
- To perform the pose on the other side, just switch legs. In other words, swivel your right foot out to a right angle, rather than your left foot.
4
Raise your arms. Keeping your balance, raise your arms out to the sides. Your arms should be straight and pointing out to either side of you, with your palms facing the ground. Try to ensure that your arms are in line with your shoulders.
- Turn your head and look towards your left hand. Focus on the tips of your fingers as you stretch out your arms and extend out through your hands.
- Look towards the hand on the same side of your body where your foot is placed at the 90-degree angle.
5
Exhale and bend your left knee. Your thigh should be parallel to the floor and your knee should be above the ankle. Press into your feet, and let your hips sink down towards the floor. Lengthen the spine by gently lifting the crown of your head. Relax your shoulders and push your chest out a little.^{[1]
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- Maintain the position, breathing steadily for around 5 seconds.
After holding the position for a few seconds, straighten your legs. To perform the pose on the opposite side simply repeat the steps, but turn your right foot out to 90 degrees, bend your right knee, and look towards your right hand.

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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Identifying Benefits and Variations

Warrior II is a great pose for strengthening your legs, as well as opening up your chest and hips. You can incorporate it into any routine to help you to develop your balance. Warrior II can also help you to improve your circulation and breathing. You will feel your body being energised when you practice the pose.^{[2]
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There is one very simple variation to Warrior II that you might like to try. To perform this variation simply put your hands on your hips, rather than extending them out either side of you. You may find you have to work your core slightly harder to keep your balance in with this variation.
3
Move into Reverse Warrior II. Once you have mastered Warrior II, you can try Reverse Warrior II. This is a slightly more advanced move that is recommended for those at an intermediate level rather than beginners. To start, get yourself into Warrior II, with your right foot at a right angle and your right knee bent. Then bring your left hand down to your left leg, leaning backwards slightly.
- Inhale as you move your right arm up, and extend the fingers on your right hand so that they are pointing towards the ceiling.
- Keep your right knee bent and your legs strong as you sink into the pose.
- Breathe steadily and hold the pose for a few seconds.
- Bring your arms back so they are parallel to the floor to move back into Warrior II.^{[3]
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