How To Do Half Moon Pose + Modifications & Misalignments

English name: Half Moon Pose

Sanskrit name: Ardha Chandrasana

Sanskrit pronunciation: are-dah chan-DRAHS-anna

Type of pose: Balancing pose

Level: Intermediate

Targets: Full body

How to do this pose:

1. From triangle pose, gaze down at the mat. Bend your front knee and place your bottom palm about a foot in front of you.
2. Shift weight to the bent leg and engage the core to lift the back foot parallel to the mat. Root down through all corners of your grounded foot. Internally rotate and hug inner thighs together.
3. Flex the back foot to create a strong line from the lifted foot through your head. Draw navel in and up.

Modifications you can try:

• Micro-bend in your standing leg.
• Bring your bottom hand onto the mat or a block for stability and extension

Misalignments to be mindful of:

1. Lack of engagement in the outer hip of the standing leg, causing the lifted leg to turn in and create knee strain and imbalance.
2. External thigh rotation of the lifted leg, causing over-engagement of gluteal muscles and compression in the sacrum and lower back.
3. Lack of engagement in quadriceps, hamstrings, shoulder girdle, or core due to tightness or weakness in a muscle or joint.
4. Lack of engagement in standing leg quadricep, causing hyperextension.
5. Lack of core engagement, causing the ribs to flare and compression in lower back.

How To Do Half Moon Pose + Modifications & Misalignments