Chair Yoga Moves For The Whole Body: Seated Warrior 2

There are so many wonderful chair yoga moves that engage the whole body. Warrior 2 pose in standing strengthens the thighs and arms, stretches the shoulders and chest, and opens the hip. It can help to build stamina. It is part of the three Warrior poses performed in yoga asanas and the Sanskrit name is Virabhadrasana II. Let’s take a look at a seated version of the Warrior 2 Pose.

We can modify this in the chair and still get the same benefits. If you are looking for a quick video tutorial of this pose, scroll down to the bottom of the post. We can get chest opening, hip opening, and core engagement as we stabilize through the supporting foot.We can use this as a strengthening pose by holding the posture for a few breaths.

Actively bringing the shoulder blades together can help strengthen the muscles in the upper back as we expand the chest.  We can also add it to a flow and move with the breath. We get a full body exercise here. I love these types of exercises because they can help get more muscles involved if we are short on time or motivation. A little bit can really go a long way when it comes to yoga. Adding in some chair yoga moves like this one can be very beneficial to the brain as well!

Moving your body, getting the oxygen flowing, and moving some stuck energy can all help our mood. That may help increase our motivation to do other things. If you are unable to perform all of the components of this pose, just do what you can. If you are breathing and moving with mindfulness, you are doing yoga. We can visualize our bodies doing the movements as well. There is such power in visualization.

There are other versions of seated Warrior 2 that we can explore at another time. I think this version is more accessible to those who may be sitting in chairs with armrests. Remember to never force or strain and always do what is right for you. Stop immediately if you have pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness.

Warrior 2

How Do We Practice This Chair Yoga Pose?

Follow the detailed cues to help practice this modified version of the chair yoga pose Warrior 2. Then, keep reading for some tips on how to modify it, as well as how to incorporate it into your daily exercise practice.

Begin seated with a long spine with the palms facing forward, feet flat on the ground and hip distance apart

Lengthen from the base of the spine to the top of the head

Ground down through the left foot to stabilize and engage the core

Inhale to lift the right knee up and out to the side-Exhale as you place the foot on the ground- If you are able to, externally rotate the hip so the foot is facing to the right (Optional)

Inhale to lift the arms parallel to the floor

Exhale as you rotate the palms down and turn your head to gaze over your right fingertips

Take 2-3 breaths here as desired

Feel the hip opening, the core engaging, the chest opening, and the muscles in the shoulders contracting

On an exhale, return the head to center, release the arms to the sides, and return the right foot back to center

Repeat on the other side

Need To Modify It?

Eliminate the external rotation of the hip (as seen in the photo) and keep the toes facing forward

Lower the arms as needed or bend the elbows and place the hands on the shoulders to lessen the strain in the muscles and joints.

Only lift the arms as high as is comfortable to maintain good spinal alignment.

Take out the rotation on the neck by eliminating the gaze over the fingertips.

Keep the hands at the heart center and still gaze over the shoulder toward the rotated hip.

If you are in a chair with arms, simply move the thigh out to the side as much as is comfortable.

How Can We Use This Chair Yoga Pose?

• Hold the pose for 2-3 breaths on each side
• Hold the pose and raise and lower the arms-inhale to lift and exhale to lower
• Move right to left for a few repetitions
• Use it in a flow and move from one pose to another as seen here in this video

Just like with the standing version we can modify this to meet our needs. Remember that there is power in visualization. Do the best you can and visualize your body doing the movement.  Check out this article I found if you are interested in learning more about visualization techniques. Or this is a cute story about a dog who is definitely using his power of visualization.

You can take a look at this quick video demonstration of this Warrior 2 pose here. Remember to always do what is right for you today: Warrior 2

Want More Chair Yoga Moves?

I invite you to read Is Chair Yoga Right for You? if you are new to chair yoga.

You may be interested in these other poses:

Low Lunge

Chair Pose

You may be interested in Breathing For Better Mobility or Chair Yoga For Cardio

Check out the 7 Day Chair Yoga Challenge for a gentle way to start incorporating movement into your day.

Visit The Peaceful Chair Etsy Shop for health and wellness related printables.

Take a look at The Peaceful Chair YouTube Channel for more videos.

Finally, I invite you to sign up for the Monthly Email Newsletter to stay up to date on the latest blog posts.

Namaste!

Disclaimer: The Peaceful Chair and thepeacefulchair.com strongly recommends that you consult with your healthcare provider before starting this or any exercise program.The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not to be used in place of medical advice or information from your healthcare provider. Neither The Peaceful Chair, the peacefulchair.com, nor any of its contributors shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of the information contained in any links, videos, or any content on this website.