Dancing warrior is the name many vinyasa teachers give to a short standing flow that moves between the warrior poses on the breath, one movement per inhale or exhale, so the legs stay strong while the arms and chest keep moving. There is no universally fixed order: the name is used for several different flows, and no school publishes one standard version. What you see on this page is a newly designed educational version by YogaVacation, built from Warrior II, reverse warrior, extended side angle and Warrior I, about 10 minutes long.
If you prefer to hold each pose and learn the shapes first, start with our slower warrior flow. Dancing warrior assumes you already know Warrior I, Warrior II, reverse warrior and extended side angle on their own.
The name
“Dancing warrior” is a modern English name with no Sanskrit equivalent. The warrior poses themselves are named after Virabhadra (Virabhadrasana I and II appear in B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga); reverse warrior is a modern name. Some teachers use “dancing warrior” for a flow that also includes Warrior III or a lunge twist; others mean only the Warrior II to reverse warrior swing. When you join a class, expect the teacher’s own version.
How the counting and sides work
The feet stay in the same wide stance for the whole side; only the front knee, the arms and the trunk move. Inhale as you lift and open (Warrior II, reverse warrior, Warrior I), exhale as you fold or settle (extended side angle, back to Warrior II). One pass through the six movements takes about six breaths. Do three passes on the right side with the right foot forward, step to the front of the mat, then three passes with the left foot forward. That is one round. Two rounds, with a pause in mountain pose between them, make a 10-minute practice. The repetitions are our suggestion, not a tradition’s rule.
The pass, movement by movement
From mountain pose at the front of the mat, step the left foot back into a wide stance. Bend the right knee over the ankle and open the arms to shoulder height: this is Warrior II, the home base you return to. Turn the front palm up and reach that arm overhead and back while the back hand rests lightly on the back leg, for reverse warrior. Then sweep the top arm over as you fold forward, bringing the front forearm to the front thigh and the top arm alongside the ear, for extended side angle. Press into the front foot and lift back up to Warrior II.
The last part of the pass is the turn: rotate the hips toward the front of the mat and raise both arms overhead for Warrior I, then open the hips and arms back to the side into Warrior II. That completes one pass. Let one breath carry each movement, and if two lifting movements come one after the other, allow a short out-breath to settle you between them. The legs barely move during a pass, which is why the flow builds so much heat in the thighs.
In a longer practice, dancing warrior fits well after a few rounds of sun salutation, when the body is warm, and before slower standing poses or floor work. Finish with the wide-legged forward fold in the step list to let the legs rest.
How to make it work
- Keep the front knee over the ankle in every bent-knee movement. The knee should not swing inward as the arms move.
- The back foot stays flat and turned slightly in; press its outer edge down when you lean back into reverse warrior.
- Turning from Warrior II (hips open to the side) into Warrior I (hips facing forward) asks a lot of the back hip. Lift the back heel, or shorten the stance, rather than twisting the knee.
- Move slowly enough that every shape is recognisable. If the breath becomes short, hold a pose for a few breaths and rejoin the rhythm.
How to practise it safely
- Knee, hip or ankle pain: shorten the stance and bend the front knee less, or practise the arm movements standing with the feet hip-width apart.
- High blood pressure: keep the arms below shoulder height and never hold the breath.
- Shoulder injury: keep the hands on the hips in reverse warrior and Warrior I.
- Pregnancy, recent surgery or dizziness: ask a qualified teacher or health professional first; a wider, shorter stance is usually steadier.
This flow has not yet been reviewed by a qualified teacher.
Easier alternatives
Hold each pose for three breaths instead of flowing (our warrior flow); take the back knee down and move only the arms; or practise the same arm movements seated in the chair yoga sequence. A high lunge is a good replacement for Warrior I if the back hip resists.
