Echoes Of Warrior 2 (No 30)

This Sun Salute is called Echoes Of Warrior 2 because the pose is repeated many times in the sequence. The frequent enteries into Warrior 2 cause this Sun Salutation to really strengthens the quadriceps muscles.

A practitioner can focus on one pose repeating it many times in a Sun Salute. A pose can also be repeated to fill small voids that occur in a sequence so that poses blend better from one to another.

The hamstrings are stretched well from flowing into Triangle pose. The side of the body also gets stretched well because of Triangle and Extended Side Angle.

Most of the poses blend really well in this sequence because you stay on the side of the body. Triangle pose flows well with the lunge and so does Extended Side Angle. Both are demonstrated in this sequence.

Instructions

Stand in Tadasana.

Place the palms together.

Lengthen energy through the top of the head.

Try to have weight evenly balanced over the surface of the feet and toes.

Inhale into a backbend.

Exhale into a forward bend.

You may want to hold the first time you enter so that the lower back and legs open up.

Inhale and step the right leg back.

Overstretching the back leg sometimes spoils the breath.

Dropping the knee prevents this but it does not look as good.

Exhale into Downward Dog.

Don't allow the belly to crush. Make space below the navel by stretching the sacrum up and the navel forward. This will pull a little more on the hamstrings.

Inhale forward into Plank Pose

Pull the navel in and strengthen the arms. Doing either of these things too much results in an interference in the breath.

Exhale into Eight Limb Pose.

Begin this motion by bringing the knees down and raising the sacrum up.

Inhale into Cobra pose.

Open the legs for a deeper backbend.

Make the energy long from the toes all the way up through the chin.

If you delay the exhalation a little you save some of the breath and don't feel out of breath so quick. This is hard however as the transition into Cobra pose often causes the inhalation to be short thus affecting the next breath. This is the Karma of breathing the last affects the next.

Exhale back to Downward Dog Pose

Inhale release out of Downward Dog then flow back exhaling to One Leg Downward Dog.

Sometimes it's nice to do this a little rather than come all the way forward. It causes less strain in the wrists and allows you to catch up with your breath.

Inhale step the left leg forward.

This is a really hard inhalation which is why many practitioners do it with an exhalation. If you delay the inhalation you will find a deeper breath.

Exhale into Triangle pose
turn the right leg sideways and allow the body to follow.

Stretch the right arm up and place the left arm down. It is nice to place the left hand on the leg of foot but it does not provide the same support as on the mat reducing the energy flow up the right arm.

Inhale and raise the upper body into Warrior 2.

Exhale back into Triangle pose.

Repeat this flow a number of times.

Listen attentively to your body and when the hamstrings feel opened or the quadriceps feel fatigued begin to flow onto the next posture.

Try to prevent the right hip form turning slightly forward. The groin muscles called the adductor muscles pull it inwards if they are not flexible.

Exhale into Extended Side Angle.

Beginners!

The elbow can simple be placed on the left upper leg if it's too hard to touch the mat.

This pose seems to crush the left side of the body. I sometimes prefer the version by Krishnamacharya where the knee was hyper extended and the left hand was placed on the foot. The the Iyengar version shown. There both cool.

Inhale into Warrior 2.

Begin to flow in and out of these 2 poses. This will be even more challenging on the quadriceps.

I prefer this method of challenging the quadriceps muscles. rather than moving into a pose and holding it. I don't mind holding it after a lot of flow but it feels unhealthy to hold muscle contractions for long periods of time. Imagine a chimney that is blocked. Where does the smoke go? Pumping the muscles allows the by products or toxic remains to be pumped and moved out of the muscles.

From Extended Side Angle drop the right arm down and inhale into a lunge.

Exhale and step forward to the standing forward bend.

Inhale and stretch the arms up.

Exhale into Tadasanawith the hands in prayer position.

Do the same sequence on the opposite side. Don't forget the number of times you flowed into the poses so that it is equal when you do it the opposite way.