Yoga Anatomy

Notes

As in warrior I (page 96), the action of flexion in the front hip and knee is eccentric in rela-
tionship to the pull of gravity. Unlike warrior I, however, the abductors of the front leg are
working concentrically to abduct the hip—because the foot is on the ground, this action
is proximal and has the effect of rotating the pelvis open to the side.
In the back leg, simultaneous hip extension and abduction are challenging—the articula-
tion of the pelvis and sacrum at the SI joint can take some of the pressure of these actions
away from the ligaments and capsule of the hip joint.
Like warrior I, a wide variety of opinions exists about how much external rotation is
needed in the back hip joint. The amount of rotation depends on a variety of factors and
should arise from the action of the foot
and whole leg, rather than being an
isolated hip joint action.
The more mobility there is in the SI
joint and hip joint of the front leg, the
less spinal rotation is needed to turn the
chest to face the side.
If the chest is not clearly facing
sideways, the spreading of the arms
can put pressure on the brachial plexus
(the web of nerves that extend into the
arm), which travels from the side of the
cervical spine under the clavicle and
under the pectoralis minor. Keeping the
arms in line with the sides of the torso
helps to prevent this compression, which
can result in sensations of numbness or
tingling in the arms.

Breathing

In all the warrior poses the lower body needs to be both articulate and strong to allow the
breath to move freely. In virabhadrasana II there may be more ease in the movement of
the breath because there is less twist in the pelvis and spine than in virabhadrasana I. For
some people this leg position is less effortful, which creates more ease in the breath as well.

E5267/Kaminoff/fig6.23/417651/alw/pulled-r3

Vastus lateralis Gracilis

Vastus

medialis

Semitendinosus

Adductor longus

Virabhadrasana II with longer stance.

Virabhadrasana II (continued)