In yoga, there are multiple yoga poses and stretching1, and every pose has its benefits and helps increase the flexibility and agility of your body. There are multiple benefits of the Crescent Moon Pose like, it helps you strengthen your leg muscles, glutes, hamstrings, and thighs, and it increases the flexibility of your body.
People have gained multiple health and mental benefits from yoga poses over the centuries. In recent times, yoga has gained much popularity and many people have started doing yoga and get several benefits. Many yoga gurus teach yoga and help others to make their lives better. This pose has a Sanskrit name that is “Anjaneyasana2”, It is a low lunge pose but with a slight modification. Any yoga beginner can do this pose because it can be done with a little effort. The effect of this pose can be seen after several months of consistent practice.
1. Anjaneyasana in Yoga
If you want to do the crescent moon yoga, make sure to place a mat beneath you; it helps provide comfort and prevents any kind of pain. The Crescent Moon pose can be achieved by doing the mountain pose first.
1.1. Step-By-Step Instructions
- Start the yoga pose by doing the downward-facing dog pose on the floor and place the yoga mat.
- Inhale, and bring your left knee back, and your right knee is bent on your back knee. Maintain the low lunge pose and place both your palms and fingertips on the floor in between your right knee.
- Your left leg position is backward, your back knee is touching the floor, and the left foot toes are facing the ground with the left heel at the top.
- Try to straighten your left leg in the half-kneeling position.
- Try to extend your right knee forward on the mat. It creates a pressure on your left thigh but maintains balance and firm the foot on the floor.
- Then, straighten your spine untouched the floor from your fingertips, and see in the forward direction.
- You were stretching your neck, head, and shoulders and moving your arms in the upward direction.
- The final position is when your arms are positioned at the top and your head is facing in the top backward direction try to maintain this pose.
- Your spine is straight and opens up the chest. This is an open pose that helps strengthen your spine3 and core muscles.
Exhale, put your arms down, and stop the pose by loosening the back knee.
- After doing this pose on one side, then change the side and do this pose on the other side on the floor.
2. Tips for Beginners
If you are new to yoga and you find the crescent moon pose difficult and are looking for some tips to achieve the crescent moon pose in yoga, then you need to follow the given instructions:
2.2. Step by Step Instructions
- Before doing yoga of any kind, place the yoga mat on the floor.
- To do a crescent moon pose, make sure to maintain a balance and avoid sagging your lower body.
- Exhale the breath when you straight up your spine and inhale when you hold the pose.
- Stop doing the pose, if you feel any kind of pain in your knees, arms, hips, and left thigh because doing yoga in pain can cause several bad effects on your body.
If you find this pose difficult to achieve, then don’t put pressure on your front foot forward and back knee, and place your arms on your hips.
- Don’t push yourself too harshly on your front knee, and avoid putting pressure on your front foot forward.
- Start small and do yoga consistently for better results.
3. What Are the Benefits of Crescent Moon Pose in Yoga?
Crescent Moon Pose is also called “Anjaneyasana.” It has multiple benefits beyond just physical benefits. The benefits of doing this pose are as follows:
It can increase the performance of your reproductive organs.
- This pose provides flexibility to your hips, hamstrings, and muscles of your lower body.
- It can Improve your balance and open up your chest and hips.
- This can help in getting emotionally strong by reducing stress and depression and providing a peaceful mind.
- This pose can help you to become fit, and it reduces your weight by burning the calories in your body.
- It can also correct your bad body posture, which you create by committing bad habits. It helps you to straighten your spine
4. Variations of Crescent Moon Pose in Yoga
Crescent moon pose variations are given below:
4.1. Downward Facing Dog Pose
The downward-facing dog pose is similar to the low lunge pose, and this pose can be achieved by doing the mountain pose first and lying your hands on the floor and both foot toes on the ground with your hips in the upward direction. This pose directly affects your lower body and provides strength to your arms, neck, and shoulders.
4.2. Warrior I
This pose is the most accessible variation of the crescent moon pose, and this pose can be achieved by doing the low lunge pose and keeping your left leg in a 45-degree standing position with your hand overhead. The benefit of this pose is to provide strength to your hip flexors, arms, and glutes.
4.3. Warrior II
This pose is similar to warrior | and can be achieved easily by making the low lunge pose first, with your left leg maintaining 90 degrees and your arms wide apart. It benefits your leg muscles, arms, abs, and your left thighs.
5. Precautions of Crescent Moon Pose in Yoga
In the crescent moon pose in yoga, you must take precautions to avoid injuries. These precautions are extremely helpful for your body’s health and are as follows:
- If you have knee pain or hip injury4, then try to avoid this pose or go easy on your body. And put extra pressure on your thighs and back knee.
- Your spine injury may get worse if you do the crescent moon pose. So, make sure not to do this pose.
- Pregnant women avoid this crescent moon pose and do any kind of yoga under the guidance of a yoga expert.
6. Wrapping up the journey
Crescent Moon Pose in yoga helps you in your yoga journey and provides you with strength and flexibility, which helps you perform difficult yoga poses. This beginner pose helps you with multiple benefits, such as physical, emotional, stress, depression, etc. It provides you with flexibility and strength and improves your body’s balance.
If you have any difficulty doing this pose, then you can seek help from a professional yoga expert who will help you do it in the right way. Make sure not to do any yoga poses in the wrong alignment; then, it affects your body and health badly.
7. FAQs
7.1. What is Anjaneyasana?
Anjaneyasana is the Sanskrit name for “Crescent Moon Pose”. It is a beginner pose and helps you gain flexibility and improve balance in your core muscles.
7.2. Can I modify Anjaneyasana for beginners?
Yes, you can modify the Anjaneyasana pose for beginners if you find it difficult. You can get support for a yoga block or cushion under your hands and thighs.
7.3. How long should I hold this pose?
According to your body, you can hold this pose for five breaths or even less. But don’t push the limits of your body, and try to keep it safe. Causing so much pressure on your front knee can cause knee pain.
7.4. Can the Crescent Moon pose in yoga be practised during Pregnancy?
No. It is very dangerous to do this pose during pregnancy because it harms you and can have a bad effect on you. Consult with a yoga teacher and do yoga under their guidance.
- Gothe, Neha P., and Edward McAuley. “Yoga is as good as stretching–strengthening exercises in improving functional fitness outcomes: Results from a randomized controlled trial.” Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biomedical Sciences and Medical Sciences 71.3 (2016): 406-411. ↩︎
- Minniear, Caitlin, and Kathy Smith. “Anjaneyasana: Yoga as an intervention for sexual shame.” (2020). ↩︎
- Broach, Heather. “Exercises for a Healthy Spine: What Physical Therapists Recommend.” ↩︎
- Hamer, Andrew J. “Pain in the hip and knee.” Bmj 328.7447 (2004): 1067-1069. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Sathi
