Feeling a bit sluggish or tired?
Need a boost of super-energy and power?
Want to increase concentration, focus and will-power?

Soar high in Warrior 3 Pose!

Warrior 3 is a challenging foundational yoga pose that combines tremendous strength, balance and flexibility. This pose fires up the core, engaging the abdominals while strengthening and stabilizing the ankles, legs and hips.

Warrior 3 looks a bit like a human see-saw, and practicing this pose not only improves balance but also increases mental focus, concentration and will-power. We learn to keep our mind calmly focused when facing difficulty and that’s lesson we can take with us everywhere. Let’s dive in!

The Benefits of Warrior 3 Pose

Warrior 3 combines elements of both a forward bend and a back bend, stretching the hamstring and back of the standing leg while strengthening the muscles along the spine. It is also one of yoga’s most cardio poses and you are likely to feel your heart-rate and breathing increase the longer you hold the balance.

Warrior 3 is easily combined with many beginner yoga poses to create super fun movement sequences. You can start from mountain, tree, or even eagle pose! Sing along with Rachel to our silly Moose Goose song to practice moving from High Lunge into Warrior 3!

How To: Warrior 3 Pose

Begin standing tall and strong in mountain pose
Bring palms together at the center of your chest
Extend one leg back, balancing on the big toe
Hinge from the hips, bringing the upper body and leg parallel to the floor
Extend back through the foot and forward through the top of the head
Press down through the standing foot, lift the knee and firm the thigh
Level hips and shoulders parallel to the floor
Keep palms together or extend arms along ears to challenge core strength
Stay for 3-5 breaths and then repeat on the other side

More Fun Ways to Practice Warrior 3 Pose!

Warrior 3 can inspire so many fun ideas in a kids yoga class. Take flight in an airplane, soar like a bird or blast off in a spaceship. If it can fly, you can make it with Warrior 3!

Sing and move along with Bridget as caterpillars change into butterflies!

Tips for Mastering Warrior 3 Yoga Pose

If you are new to Warrior 3 take your time…it’s better to keep the body in one long line rather than rushing to get it completely parallel to the floor. That will happen over time as we strengthen the core muscles and stretch the hamstring.
Level the hips and shoulders to the floor to target the correct muscles. You may need to slightly bend the standing knee to allow space to roll the opposite hip down toward the floor.
Keep palms together at heart as long as you need to align the hips, torso and shoulders. When you feel strong and steady, then you can play with extending or widening the arms.
Relax your jaw, face, neck, and shoulders as much as possible…this trains your body to focus and concentrate without adding extra tension.
Notice if you’ve stopped breathing – then simply start again!

Invite us to teach Warrior 3 Pose in your classroom

Kid-friendly Warrior 3 Pose Variations

Balancing can be especially challenging for young children. Try practicing this pose with hands pressing against a wall. This will help children learn to extend their bodies forward and back, squaring the hips and engaging the muscles before also trying to balance at the same time.

Warrior 3 is also a great pose to do as partners or in a whole group! After children have learned how to balance on their own, you can create opportunities for social emotional learning by teaming up in this pose.

In a circle, start in tree pose, pressing palms and forearms together with your neighbors.
Notice how much easier it is to balance when you hold each other up.
Extend the lifted leg back as you slide hands to your partners’ shoulders. Now, everyone is holding each other up in Warrior 3!

Try another fun partner variation by standing facing one another. Hold onto your partners hands, arms or shoulders as you both move into the balance!

More Kids Yoga Videos!

One of the classic Yo Re Mi ways to practice Warrior 3 is to fly like an airplane. Where would you like to travel on our yoga adventure today? The beach in Hawaii or the jungle in Africa?…Let’s go!

As you practice Warrior 3, invite children to name the qualities of a warrior. You can turn their ideas into positive affirmations that will carry everyone through the day. Say “I am strong, I am brave, I am powerful” as you practice the pose. Then, take one round in silence, breathing as you say those phrases to yourself quietly. You are a superhero!

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