High Crescent Lunge, or Ashta Chandrasana in Sanskrit, embodies the essence of yoga: strength, balance, and poise. With one leg extended forward into a deep lunge and the other leg straight and engaged in the back, the practitioner must focus on engaging their core to stay upright. The arms can be raised overhead with the fingertips toward the sky, or placed in a prayer position at the heart. This pose focuses on groundedness and empowerment, oftentimes symbolizing growth and expansion.
How do you do High Crescent Lunge?
Step 1.
You can enter this pose from various positions; ie. standing at the top of your mat or a downdog. Step your feet apart with your right foot forward and the left leg extended long back behind you, stacking the back heel over the ball of foot.
Step 2.
Bend your right knee to a 90 degree angle, allowing the pelvis to be neutral, stacking the back heel over the ball of your back foot.
Step 3.
Sweep your arms up, drawing your biceps to frame your ears, palms facing each other and reaching through fingertips
Step 4.
Zip up the front of your belly, stabilizing the pose with your core strength. Lengthen your tailbone down to find length in the lower back.
Step 5.
Squeeze your inner thighs energetically towards one another to hold the shape and track your front knee right over your toes.
Step 6.
Gaze straight ahead or slightly upward. Feel your stance deepen as your chest and fingertips lift higher using the oppositional force to balance.
Benefits of High Crescent Lunge
Deeply stretches the hip flexors of the back leg, including the psoas and rectus femoris muscles. This can help alleviate tightness and improve flexibility in the hips.
Helps to improve balance and stability by enhancing proprioception (awareness of body position) and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and improving overall stability.
Provides both strength and stretch to the hamstrings, beneficial to those who have weak and tight hamstrings which can contribute to lower back pain and poor posture.
Opens the heart and chest, encouraging deep breathing and promoting a sense of expansion and openness.
Variations of High Crescent Lunge
Trunk Twist: arms can come into a goal post arms, or hands behind skull and twist left and right; or a T shape (one arm forward, one arm back to twist, keeping torso aligned over hips)
If you have a sensitive lower back, deepen the bend in your back knee to further lengthen the tailbone, encouraging neutral pelvis
Can add arm swings, or bend and straighten front leg
Other Yoga Poses to Try
- 18Jan
Downward Facing Dog
The Downward Facing Dog yoga pose, known as Adho Mukha Svanasana in Sanskrit, is considered one of the most fundamental yoga poses. This pose can be used throughout the practice, whether in a Sun Salutation sequence or as a transition
- 22Jan
4-Limbed Staff Pose
Chaturanga Dandasana, or Four-Limbed Staff Pose, is a 2,000-year-old foundational yoga posture in which the body is held parallel to the ground, supported by hands and feet with elbows bent at right angles.
- 22Mar
Forward Fold
Forward Fold, also known as Uttanasana in Sanskrit, is a fundamental posture for the practice. With feet hip-width apart and the upper body surrendering to the ground, this yoga pose offers a deep stretch and release in the hamstrings, calves,