Reverse Warrior

Viparita Virabhadrasana

vip-ah-REE-tah veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-ah-nah

A graceful standing pose that stretches the side body and opens the chest while maintaining the strong leg foundation of Warrior II. Reverse Warrior adds a beautiful lateral arch that lengthens the intercostal muscles and creates space between the ribs for deeper breathing. It builds the fluidity and expressiveness that make standing sequences feel like a dance.

How to do Reverse Warrior

1. From Warrior II with the right foot forward, flip your front palm so it faces the ceiling. Keep the front knee deeply bent at 90 degrees and the back leg strong.
2. On an inhale, reach your right arm up and back overhead, creating a long arc from the right hip through the fingertips. Let the back hand slide lightly down the back leg for support.
3. Lean back gently from the upper back, not the lower back. Keep the front knee tracking over the ankle and avoid letting it collapse inward.
4. Open through the chest and keep both sides of the waist as long as possible. Avoid crunching into the lower back by engaging the core and lengthening the tailbone down.
5. Gaze up at your raised hand or keep the gaze neutral if the neck is sensitive. Hold for five to eight breaths, feeling the expansive side stretch, then return to Warrior II and repeat on the other side.

Benefits of Reverse Warrior

• Stretches the intercostal muscles and side body
• Opens the chest, shoulders, and hip flexors
• Strengthens the quadriceps and gluteal muscles
• Improves lateral spinal flexibility
• Builds grace and fluidity in standing sequences

Muscles Engaged

Modifications & Variations

• Keep the top arm at shoulder height instead of reaching overhead for less intensity
• Reduce the depth of the front knee bend if the legs tire quickly
• Rest the back hand on the thigh instead of sliding it down the shin

Cautions

• Avoid deep backbending with spinal injuries or disc problems
• Use caution with neck problems; keep the gaze forward
• Those with shoulder injuries should keep the top arm lower