Video:Prenatal Yoga Warrior II Pose

SHARE ON                

Transcript:Prenatal Yoga Warrior II Pose

Hi, I'm Debra Flashenberg from the Prenatal Yoga Center and I am here for About.com Parenting.

Benefits of Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal yoga can be extremely beneficial for the expectant mother since it focuses on building strength, confidence, and stamina while addressing many of the common aches and pains of pregnancy. Victoria will be demonstrating many of those postures.

This pose is called virabadrasana II, warrior II pose.

Move Into Warrior II

Starting with your feet hip distance apart your spine is long, start opening your feet at least as long as one of your own legs - maybe even a little bit longer. Than turn your right toes in and your left toes out. Extend your arms long inhale and as you exhale bend your front leg. Roll the front inner thigh of your leg and your knee to reach to the pinky side of your foot. Allow your tailbone to drop and engage your back kneecap.

Draw that thigh muscle up. Feel a sense of opening up your chest and collarbone all the way up to your fingertips. And allow your breath to reach all the way down to your legs down to your baby. Take a deep inhale and as you exhale straighten your front leg, keep your arms out or drop them by your side if you need a little break.

Switch Sides in Warrior II

Then turn your front toes in and turn your back toes out. Again, lengthen your arms, inhale and allow the exhale to bend to the front leg. Tailbone drops. You can even think of a long kangaroo tail to help anchor the pelvis down and continue to spiral your inner thigh back. So the inner knee is reaching for the pinky side of the foot. Reach your arms long and think of drawing your belly towards your back leg and back arm helping to broaden the chest and open the hips.

Come Out of Warrior II

Take a nice inhale and as you exhale straighten your front leg, turn your toes to face forward, hands to your hips and gently walk your feet back under your hips.

Prenatal Benefits of Warrior II

This pose is so beneficial during pregnancy because it really gives that sense of warrior strength and confidence, strengthening the body, building a sense of endurance, and making sure that your mind can really focus on the breaths. As you start to feel the sensation of the pose, you can remind yourself that you can get yourself through it, moving from breath to breath.

Thanks for watching. For more information visit us on the Web at parenting.about.com.