Hips, lower back, knees and ankles

Warrior III: Small Range

Improves balance and hip control through an accessible version of Warrior III.

How to do it

1. 1

   Stand tall with support within reach

   A wall or chair beside you for a fingertip. Weight even through the standing foot.

2. 2

   Take one foot back with the toes touching down

   The back toes can stay in contact with the floor for the whole hold. That contact is part of this version, not a failure to lift.

3. 3

   Hinge a small amount from the hips

   Send the hips back and the chest forward only as far as the spine stays long. A shallow hinge done well is the target here.

4. 4

   Keep a soft bend in the standing knee

   Hips level, gaze down, neck in line with the spine.

5. 5

   Hold for twenty to forty seconds, then change sides

   If it feels comfortable, lift the back toes a little rather than tipping the chest lower.

What to watch for

Trading the long spine for extra height in the back leg. The small hinge is the point of this version, so come up until the back lengthens again the moment it starts to round.

Ways to adjust it

• Keep the lifted foot close to the floor
• Maintain a small hip hinge and long spine
• Keep a soft bend in the standing knee
• Use nearby support or keep the back toes touching down

If this one is too much today

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

• Warrior III: Chair Supported

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 III versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

• Warrior III: Chair Supported
• Warrior III: Classic
• Warrior III: Movement
• Warrior III: Wall

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.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.