Ardha Chandrasana

Ardha Chandrasana

Half Moon Pose

Standing pose

Key Benefits

• Beneficial those whose legs are damages or infected
• Tones the lower region of spine and nerves connected with leg muscles and strengthen the knees, cures gastric troubles
• Good for backache and dysmenorrhea

How to get into Ardha Chandrasana

1. Stand in Tadasana. Come into Utthita Trikonasana. Exhale. Place the right palm about a foot away from the right foot as you bring the left foot near the right foot at the same time. 
2. Take two breaths. Move the trunk towards the head so the left heel comes off the ground. Breathe. Lift the back leg and straighten the standing leg at the same time,  until the back leg is parallel to the ground, and the toes point forward. 
3. Extend the arms away from the center of the chest as in Utthita Trikonasana. Turn the chest to the left and balance. Bring the bottom shoulder blades in and expand the chest.
4. To come out, bend the standing leg and simultaneously,  bring the left leg down and then step as far back as you can returning to Utthita Trikonasana. Pull with the left arm to come up and repeat on the left side. 

Key Point

1. Press the big toe down into the ground as you lift the knee caps up and press the top center thigh back of the standing leg. 
2. As you maintain the stability of the standing leg extend from the inner groin to the inner knee to the inner heel. Lengthening the outer knee ligaments and lifting the the thigh up from the inner groin.
3. Lengthen the torso away from the hips evenly and bring the tailbone into the body. As you bring the shoulder blades into the back, expand the collarbones and rotate the torso to face the wall in front of you.

Modifications:

• Wall for balance support
• Use a block