Vinys
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Lower back, hips, knees, ankles and shoulders

Warrior II: Classic

Builds whole-body strength and endurance in a wide stance, training the lateral hip chain and medial knee support that protect your joints during everyday activities.

Stability / Core30 to 60 seconds
Start your first sessionFree · no credit card · your session is built from it

How to do it

  1. 1

    Step your feet wide apart along the mat

    About a leg's length between them. Turn your front foot to point straight ahead and turn your back foot in slightly, with the heels roughly in line.

  2. 2

    Bend the front knee over the ankle

    Let the knee travel towards a right angle while tracking over the middle of the foot, never falling inwards. The back leg stays long and strong.

  3. 3

    Reach your arms out to the sides at shoulder height

    Palms face down, shoulders stay away from the ears. Your torso stays upright and centred between your feet rather than leaning over the front leg.

  4. 4

    Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, then change sides

    For less demand, shorten the stance, lower the arms or bring hands to hips, raise the back heel on a folded blanket, or rest the front thigh on a chair.

What to watch for

The torso drifting forward over the front leg as the legs tire, which quietly changes what the pose asks of your back. Come out at the first sign of that drift rather than holding on to the clock.

Ways to adjust it

  • Short stance
  • Hands on hips
  • Chair under thigh
  • Heel elevation
  • Arms lowered

If this one is too much today

Try the gentler version instead. It asks less of you and does much the same work.

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits. See all Warrior II versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

One movement is a start. A session is the thing.

A few questions about your body and how it is today, and Vinys builds a session around it, including which movements to leave out.

Start your first session

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.