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  • Home
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How to do Warrior 2 – foot placement & more tips

September 8, 2020 //  by Di Hickman//  18 Comments

Yoga poses come in lots of varieties: standing, seated, kneeling, inverted, twists, lying. Perhaps the most common standing pose in yoga is Warrior 2. So, let’s look at how to do warrior 2 pose. Plus, common mistakes and how to fix them. Including, warrior 2 foot placement and more!

Step by step tutorial warrior 2 pose & alignment tips

Sometimes, I think instead of reading, we need to see, feel and do. It’s what my mentors call somatic experiencing. We can only learn so much from listening, and watching. We need to embody and experience. So, check out the video below.

You can view the video on YouTube. Maybe add it to a playlist? Above all, remember to to subscribe to my channel. New videos are uploaded every Tuesday and Friday. However, for exclusive longer format videos sign up for my Patreon community. Patrons also get early access to all my videos, along with other benefits.

How to do warrior 2 pose

Warrior 2 is a pose that can often become sloppy if not embracing the spirit of the pose. And the clue is in the name, WARRIOR. When you think of a warrior what words come to mind? Maybe it’s strong, steadfast, determined, or focused. Warrior 2 is about being in the present.

warrior 2

From standing longways in the middle of your mat, take the feet wide. Turn the right foot to the right, so that the toes point towards the short edge of your mat. Turn the left foot slightly towards the right foot. Bend the right knee, bringing the knee in line with the ankle. The chest remains facing the long edge of the mat with the shoulders above the pelvis. Sweep the arms to the short edge of the mat, bringing them parallel to the floor. Turn the head to the right and look over the right fingertips.

Warrior 2 alignment tips

So, above is the traditional set of alignment cues. It’s a one size fits all mentality. Remember above I said yoga is somatic? Stop thinking about the pose with your head. Rather than imagining how it looks, ask yourself “how does it feel?”. This tell us so much more about the pose in our own bodies.

Knee Pain In Warrior 2?

Typically, I approach poses from the ground up. But Of all the alignment cues in warrior 2, the bent knee is the most critical. The most common error in warrior 2 is allowing the front knee to collapse inwards. While it might not seem like a huge deal, it is. Why? When our knees are bent and weight bearing, they are at their least stable. Allowing the knee to roll inwards could lead to knee instability, pain and injury.

warrior 2 alignment of knee

The knee NEEDS to remain directly over the ankle. Perhaps, pushing more towards the middle-little toe edge of the foot. This bent leg is in external rotation so the glutes and outer thigh on that leg need to be firing. And, they can’t do that if the knees is collapsing. Think about the front knee FIRST. Read on to find out tips to help.

Hip position

Looking at the how to do warrior 2 the traditional way, the cue tells us the hips should be “square” to the long edge of the mat. However, I say let them be UN-square! Just be. This desire to be “square” in a body made of curvatures is crazy.

warrior 2 back hips position

One thing I would caution against for the hips, is pushing the femur forward in the hip socket. This can cause stress on the labrum, the ‘bumper’ around the hip joint. Feeling front of the rear hip, there should be a soft crease in the back hip joint. We can also achieve this by allowing the back foot toes to turn towards the front front slightly.

Warrior 2 Foot Placement

Many people are taught that in warrior 2 foot placement, the front heel and the arch of the back foot should align. That’s a great cue, for some people. However, again this is a blanket statement. If, as explained above, the knee rolls in we may be more prudent to allow more lateral width between the foot. Allowing the back leg to move more towards the long edge of the mat.

warrior 2 alignment foot position shown with a strap on the floor.
warrior 2 alignment foot placement

One other tip regarding feet is similar to taking the feet wider, but taking the feet longer. In “traditional alignment” the thigh of the bent leg should be parallel to the floor. Personally, I prefer parallel-ish. Again, play with foot position. Experience the pose with the feet wider, and longer.

Shoulders & Torso

Sometimes, if you’re dealing with a shoulder injury, it can be painful to lengthen the arms out parallel to the floor. Instead, maybe place the hands on hips. Just like warrior 1, it’s acceptable to have different arm variations to the traditional alignment cues.

warrior 2 alignment arms
warrior 2 showing torso leaning too far forward vs shoulders stacked over hips

The biggest cue here is that the shoulders should be aligned over the pelvis. Instead of leaning forward. This will distribute the weight more evenly in the hips, and legs. Ensure that the front leg remains bent.

Head & Neck position

All cues on “how to do warrior 2” tell us that the gaze should be over the fingertips of the front arm. Unfortunately, many of us have neck and shoulder issues that make this uncomfortable.

warrior 2 head position varation

Allow the head to be wherever feels comfortable. Your neck may be happier with the nose in line with the sternum. It’s still warrior 2! Don’t force the rotation of the neck.

Frankly, I could go on forever about the little tweaks to make this pose the embodiment of a warrior. If you found this tutorial useful, please consider sharing. Perhaps, sharing the video on social media, or pinning this post on Pinterest. If you have suggestions for tutorials on other poses, leave me a comment! For more in-depth tutorials, workshops and classes join in on Patreon for exclusive content

Questions

  • What is your biggest a-ha moment about this pose?
  • Are there any other poses you’d like me to do a tutorial for?
  • How do you embody the spirit of a Warrior in this pose?
Previous Post: «10 minute standing yoga sequence 10 Min Standing Yoga Sequence – wrist free class
Next Post: Boat pose sequence – 20 minute core yoga workout boat pose sequence»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marjie Mare

    September 11, 2020 at 6:34 pm

    I am trying to master that pose, I am almost there.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 18, 2020 at 3:03 pm

      Awesome! Did any of the tips help?

      Reply
  2. Aaliziyah

    September 11, 2020 at 5:56 am

    These poses are really great! Thank you so much for sharing them!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 18, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      You are so welcome!

      Reply
  3. Kristine Nicole Alessandra

    September 11, 2020 at 5:29 am

    Thank you for these tips on how to do the Warrior 2 pose properly. I tried that once but I guess I was doing it wrong. Now I know how to do it. Thanks a lot!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 18, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      Great to hear it helped!

      Reply
  4. BushraZ Blogs

    September 10, 2020 at 8:48 pm

    I haven’t tried yoga yet… I’ll try this pose. Can you post some do’s and don’ts of plank??

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 18, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      Sure putting it on my list!

      Reply
  5. Jules

    September 10, 2020 at 6:02 am

    Awesome guide! this is one of my fave yoga poses. It always makes me feel powerful!

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 18, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      It should make you feel powerful, you’re getting ready for battle!

      Reply
  6. Lyosha

    September 10, 2020 at 1:39 am

    very useful information. Warrior 2 is my favorite pose, I do it daily (numerous times)

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 18, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      That’s great! I admit I prefer warrior 1 myself. lol

      Reply
  7. Kat

    September 9, 2020 at 5:10 am

    This is super helpful, every time I do Warrior 2 I feel like I’m doing something wrong.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 18, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      Awesome, what tip did you find most useful?

      Reply
  8. Viano

    September 9, 2020 at 2:48 am

    I’m not really surprised by the way you do what you do with so much ease. I mean 20years experience is no joke.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 18, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      I did my first yoga class at 13, but I’ve never been consistent with my practice until 10 years ago.

      Reply
  9. FaB News

    September 9, 2020 at 12:35 am

    I have never practiced yoga before. But reading your post seems very interesting to me. I will have to try some of the above movements.

    Reply
    • Di Hickman

      September 18, 2020 at 3:00 pm

      Awesome, please do!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Di. A yoga teacher with over 20 years experience in the health and wellness industry. My mission is to give you information so you can be fitter, healthier, stress-free and happier (no, seriously).

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