Crescent Moon

Sanskrit Name:	Anjaneyasana
Similar Pose Names:	Crescent Low Lunge, Low Lunge
Category:	Standing
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Pose Directory

Membership Category:	Yoga Lesson Planner
Sub Category:	Standing
Types:	Balance, Strengthen, Stretch, Chest Opener, Hip Opener, Standing, Object
Anatomy:	Arms & Shoulders, Core, Hamstrings, Hips, Knees, Lower Back, Middle Back, Psoas
Chakras:	Base, Sacral Centre, Solar Plexus Centre, Heart Centre
Therapy:	Confidence Building
Drishti:	Tip Of Nose
Dosha:	Vata, Pitta, Kapha

Kneel with knees hip width apart. Keep back straight. Step forward with right foot. Foot extends slightly past knee. To increase stretch in hip, bend more on right knee. Raise both arms and bring palms together. Look forward. Focus attention on one point. Hold. Release.

Stretches legs, groin, hip flexors. Strengthens thighs, buttocks.

Move between bent and straight leg. Look up.

Knee injury.

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Quick Teaching Tips

Active Back Leg: If you see a student is struggling with balance, ask them to keep their back leg active and press firmly through the feet.

Hard Shoulders: Tell your students how amazing this pose is for softening hard shoulders and necks, which is an epidemic in our modern world. The deep stretch of the arms above the head helps stretch the shoulders and neck. Reducing stiffness in the body unlocks energy levels. Your students will instantly feel better during and after this pose. Their bodies and minds will feel light and strong.

High Lunge: Crescent Moon Pose, a variation of a low lunge, is the perfect preparation pose for Crescent Lunge (high lunge).

Hips Level: A lot of students will have their hips pointing slightly to the left or right. The key to this pose is to keep the center of gravity (the hips) level, and facing the front of the mat.

Standing Position: If students aren't able to step their foot forward between their hands (very common), ask them to begin the pose from a standing position at the back of their mat and step one foot forward.

Warrior Series: Don't rush into the Warrior series (I, II, and III). Crescent Moon pose is the ideal preparation pose for Warrior poses because it helps build stability and stamina, and increases confidence to tackle the warrior series.

Follow Up Poses

Spending time on this Crescent Lunge Pose pays dividends when teaching more advanced poses. It provides a deep stretch to the entire body which helps with Warrior I, Warrior II, Warrior III.

Modifications

For a greater challenge, ask students to:

Hold: hold the pose for longer.

Dips: Add dips bringing the back knee to hover just above the mat.

Transition into Warrior III: Raise up into a High Lunge and step weight into the front foot and lift the back foot (to come into Warrior III).

Twist: Incorporate a twist. Place hands in Prayer position (Angali Mudra) in front of the chest. Place left elbow outside the right knee. Keep lengthening the spine and pressing the knee into the elbow. Repeat on the other side.