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Warrior 2 looks like a lunge with the arms out and behaves differently from Warrior 1 in one important respect: the hips open to the side rather than facing forward. The commonest error follows from forgetting that. People lean the torso out over the front leg, as though reaching, when the torso should stay stacked upright between the two feet.
What it is
From a wide stance you raise both arms to shoulder height, turn the front foot to point out to the side and keep the back foot facing forward or slightly in. Then you bend the front knee toward a right angle, stacking it over the ankle, sink the hips down, and gaze over the front hand.
The torso stays vertical. The arms reach out strongly in opposite directions and the shoulders stay over the hips. Leaning toward the front leg is what happens when people treat the front arm as something to reach with, and it takes the pose out of the legs.
The front knee tracks over the ankle and points toward the middle toes. As the legs fatigue the knee tends to drift inward, which is both a loss of the pose and hard on the joint.
Sinking the hips is the work. It is a strength and endurance pose for the legs, with the hips and chest opening as a consequence of the wide stance rather than as a separate effort.
How to practise it
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Begin in standing
Start standing tall, feet grounded and weight even, arms relaxed by your sides.
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Step feet wide apart
Step the feet wide apart, keeping the legs straight and arms relaxed.
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Extend arms wide
Raise both arms out to the sides to shoulder height, palms down, feet still facing forward.
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Bend and reach out
Turn the left foot to point out to the side and keep the right foot facing forward or slightly in. Bend the left knee towards a right angle, stacking it over the ankle, and sink the hips down. Reach strongly through both arms, turn the head to gaze over the left hand, and keep the torso upright.
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Extend arms wide
Straighten the left leg and turn the feet back to face forward, keeping both arms extended out to the sides at shoulder height.
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Bend and reach out
Turn the right foot to point out to the side and keep the left foot facing forward or slightly in. Bend the right knee towards a right angle, stacking it over the ankle, and sink the hips down. Reach strongly through both arms, turn the head to gaze over the right hand, and keep the torso upright.
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Straighten the front leg
Straighten the right leg and turn the feet back to face forward, returning to a wide stance.
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Finish in standing
Step the feet together and return to a tall, even standing position.
How long and how often
Several steady breaths on each side, straightening the leg and turning the feet forward between sides. Practise both sides evenly.
Shorten the stance if the knee or hips complain, which is the app instruction and the usual fix.
Keep the arms at shoulder height rather than letting them drift down as the pose goes on, or lower them entirely if the shoulders are what gives out first.
What usually goes wrong
Leaning the torso over the front leg. The torso stays upright between the feet. Leaning out is the most common fault and the app names it directly.
The front knee collapsing inward. It should point toward the middle toes. Inward drift is common as the legs tire and is hard on the knee.
A stance too wide to hold. Shorten it if the hips or knee complain. A sustainable stance with good alignment beats a dramatic one.
Letting the arms sag. They stay at shoulder height, reaching actively in both directions. A drooping back arm is a sign the pose has become an endurance test.
Who should take care
Practise safely. Keep the front knee over the ankle and pointing towards the middle toes, not collapsing in. Shorten the stance if the knee or hips complain, and keep the torso upright rather than leaning over the front leg. See our full Health & Safety Disclaimer.
Both sides, from a wide reset
PanchPrana straightens the leg and squares the feet between sides, so the second side starts from the same place as the first. Warrior 2 is one of the 66 techniques that are free to practise in full, with no account needed.
Common questions
Should I lean toward my front leg?
No. Keep the torso upright with the shoulders over the hips. Leaning out is the most common error in this pose.
Where should the front knee point?
Over the ankle and toward the middle toes. Watch for it collapsing inward as the legs tire.
Where should I look?
Over the front hand. A steady gaze there helps hold the whole shape together.
How wide should my stance be?
Wide enough to bend the front knee toward a right angle with the knee stacked over the ankle. Shorten it if the hips or knee complain.
How is it different from Warrior 1?
Warrior 1 faces the hips forward with the arms overhead. Warrior 2 opens the hips to the side with the arms out at shoulder height and the gaze over the front hand.
