
Yoga Focus on Warrior 2
Welcome to a Yoga Focus on Warrior 2. In this blog post you will find some tips for this posture. Warrior 2 can be a bit tricky for some folks, particularly in the hip area. One thing that can really help is getting to know your own personal biomechanical structure. It’s beneficial to look at the way our hips have developed over our lifetime because it allows you to start to see YOUR Warrior 2. Let’s make this pose work for your unique body, rather than have your unique body try to move into a shape that you have some pre-conceived idea of.
Where will I often encounter Warrior 2?
You are likely to encounter this Pokémon while wandering in tall grass, it is weak to…. wait… wrong blog post…😏 — You are likely to encounter this POSE alongside lots of Vinyasa Flow Yoga classes, Hatha Yoga classes, and even Chair Yoga classes. Warrior 2 (see image above) is often prefaced by Warrior 1 and followed by Bent Leg Triangle (see the image below) since these poses transition quite easily into one another.

Use That Front Legs Hammy!
In Warrior 2 or Bent Leg Triangle we can find great benefit in pressing down and pulling slightly back using our front leg. This is going to activate the hamstring muscle, helping to strengthen your mental connection to that area but also the muscle itself.
Now Get your Back Leg involved!
Because we want to evenly distribute our efforts in this posture, we also are going to want to engage our back leg in a more dynamic way. One way of doing this is to try pressing down with your back legs heel while simultaneously pulling slightly forwards with the front pad/toes of that same foot. It almost feels like corkscrewing the back foot/leg into the ground.
Try It Right Now!
- Stand at the top of your yoga mat. Mountain Pose.
- Step back with your right foot, then allow that foot to wiggle back a bit further to elongate your stance.
- Lunge into the left leg until your knee is roughly overtop of your left heel. If this isn’t possible, allow some variance in your lunging depth!
- Reach your arms apart, the right one reaches back and the left one reaches forward.
- Now try some variation in the positioning of your back foot. Try turning the toes slightly forward instead of pointing them sideways. Try allowing your right hip to move a bit more forward as well. (this will end up looking similar to the individual pictured on the top most image on the left) Does this allow for more controlled opening in your hips? does it create less tension in your front knee? These might be amazing changes for your Warrior 2!
- When you’ve arrived at your most natural expression of this posture, stay in it for 10 breaths.
- We will move on to Bent Leg Triangle next.
- While staying in the same leg and hip position, move your left arm down so that your forearm connects to your left inner thigh. (2nd image in the article). As you do this lean your torso slightly forward to match the angle of your back leg.
- Press your inner thigh into the back of your forearm to create some core/groin activation.
- Breathe here for 10 cycles of breath.
- Move back into Warrior 2 with your upper body.
- Lower your hands onto your hips.
- Heel/toe your right foot closer to the front of your yoga mat.
- Step forwards into a standing position. Mountain Pose.
MORE FROM MATTHEW CARTER
Thanks for tuning in for this Yoga Focus on Warrior 2, hopefully you find it helpful during your future classes. If you would like to know more about Matthew Carter’s yoga offerings visit the links below:
Matthew Carter Yoga & Fitness
Founded in 2020 by Matthew Carter.
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