HeroSave PDF
Virasana
VEER-AH-sah-nah
Improves knee and thigh flexibility
Improves digestion and respiration
Stabilizes the mind
How to perform Hero
- Sit with your legs folded underneath you.
- Lift your hips and open your feet a few inches to either side. Carefully sit in between your feet.
- Use your hands to pull your calves up and out so that your bottom is snuggled in between your feet. Point your toes behind you. Rest your hands on your thighs. Lengthen your spine. Close your eyes.
- Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
- Carefully lift your bottom with an inhale, then swing your legs to one side to return to sitting.
Alignment cues
- Point toes back
- Keep both sit bones on floor
- Sit in between calves
- Lengthen crown of head toward sky
Modification: Sit on top of a block or bolster placed between your feet.
Avoid this pose if you have knee or ankle injury. Discontinue practice if you feel knee pain.
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More yoga poses to discover
Embryo in the Womb · Garbha Pindasana
Seated Forward Bend · Paschimottanasana
Wide Legged Forward Bend B · Prasarita Padottanasana B
Hero (Virasana in Sanskrit) is a beginner yoga pose that belongs to the hip openers and meditation and seated categories. This asana targets knees and quadriceps, and also involves ankles and spine muscles. Hero improves digestion and respiration; improves knee and thigh flexibility and also stabilizes the mind. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this posture correctly. Discover more yoga asanas and yogic breathing exercises in our free yoga pose directory – a visual resource for yoga teacher training students as well as practitioners of all levels. Finally, shop our best-selling Yoga Cards products!
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Discover our best-selling Yoga Cards – professional study, class sequencing and practice guide for beginners and beyond.
Studying to be a yoga teacher? Learn the essential yoga poses the easy way with Yoga Stacks app!
New to yoga? Our Yoga for Beginners pack covers everything you need to know to get started with your practice.
Personal trainer? Try Train - our beautifully simple training platform you and your clients will love.
