YOGA POSTURES ASANA YOGA POSES YOGA POSITIONS

 

Yoga posture – Ardha Chandrasana

Translation: Half Moon Pose

Point one foot forward and step the other back a little. Turn the back foot outwards and open the hip. Bend the leading leg and place the hand down on the mat in front of you. Place it forward and diagonally out for the easy version or straight in front of the foot for the more challenging version.

Open the raised hip by rotating it. Try to vertically align the hips. You need a flexible groin and hamstrings to get the vertical alignment of the hips.

Tips
Important: Lean forward over the hand so that a security is felt then lift the leg that is behind you. There will be instability if the leg is lifted before the hand is placed on the mat which is very often the case.

It is easier to rotate the hip and remain balanced if the hand is taken diagonally out instead of directly in front of the foot.

Having the finger tips on the mat instead of the palm will allow better energy to flow through the fingers. The fingers will strengthen and the lowest side of the body can lengthen more.

If the legs are not flexible use a block or bend the knee of the leg that is down. Work on hamstring flexibility.

Benefits
Hip abductors are strengthened (the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus). Other muscles involved in the hip rotation are the quadratus femoris, gemellus Superior and inferior, obturator internus and externus and the piriformis, they are also strengthened. The Leg adductors are stretched. Some of these are , the pectineus, adductor brevis and adductor longus, the gracilis and adductor magnus. The hamstring muscles are stretched (the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and the semimembranosus). The arms are extended away from the body causing shoulder and arm muscles to become toned.

Vinyasa Yoga postures to transition from and to:

Tadasana Trikonasana Parivrtta Trikonasana Virabhadrasana 1 Virabhadrasana 2 Urdhva Virabhadrasana 2 Parsvakonasana Revolved Lunge Utkatasana Uttanasana Vrksasana Virabhadrasana 3 Reverse Half Moon Pose Downward Dog Pose, Eka Pada Adho Muka Svanasana Salamba Kapotasana Kapotasana Adho Muka Kapotasana Parsvottanasana

Yoga Teacher Tips
If your in a flow and there are a few new people in your class that have not performed Ardha Chandrasana offer an easy option such as keeping both hands down for support.

“A master teacher can keep the flow continuous. At the same time educating beginners and advanced students. Challenging those that want to be challenged and at the same time bringing ease to those who seek a gentle experience. ”