Yoga Pose of the Week: Half Moon Pose

(are-dah chan-DRAHS-anna) 
ardha = half
candra = glittering, shining, having the brilliancy or hue of light; usually translated as “moon”

Some of the benefits of Half Moon Pose include:

  • Strengthens the abdomen, ankles, thighs, buttocks, and spine
  • Stretches the groins, hamstrings and calves, shoulders, chest, and spine
  • Improves coordination and sense of balance
  • Helps relieve stress
  • Improves digestion

Half Moon Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions

1 – Perform Utthita Trikonasana to the right side, with your left hand resting on the left hip. Inhale, bend your right knee, and slide your left foot about 6 to 12 inches forward along the floor. At the same time, reach your right hand forward, beyond the little-toe side of the right foot, at least 12 inches.

2 – Exhale, press your right hand and right heel firmly into the floor, and straighten your right leg, simultaneously lifting the left leg parallel (or a little above parallel) to the floor. Extend actively through the left heel to keep the raised leg strong. Be careful not to lock (and so hyperextend) the standing knee: make sure the kneecap is aligned straight forward and isn’t turned inward.

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