Crescent Lunge Pose. I love this pose for so many reasons and I love how I feel when I practice Crescent Lunge. This heat building, therapeutic pose strengthens the body as it brings stillness and focus to the mind. It creates harmony within and expands the heart beyond the self and into the collective one.
This is how Crescent Lunge looks when you have tight hip flexors. A straightened back leg is a work in progress. Patience is key 🙂
Crescent Lunge Pose or a Anjaneyasna (on-jah-nee-AHS-ana)
- From standing forward fold, inhale into a halfway lift.
- Exhale and step your left foot back into a low lunge.
- Be sure your back heel is lifted and your front foot is rooted down through the heel and ball mound of your foot.
- Bend your back knee and square your hips toward the front edge of your mat.
- Stack your front knee directly above your front ankle (to create a vertical shin).
- Engage your abdominal wall by pulling your naval toward your spine.
- Draw your shoulder blades down your back.
- Rise up into Crescent Lunge.
- Keep a generous bend in your back knee to help elongate your spine. You may gradually start to straighten your back leg, as long as you can keep a long spine. For those with tight hip flexors, this may be challenging, so be patient with your body.
- Sweep your arms overhead and actively reach your finger tips toward the sky.
- Bring your pinkies forward and your thumbs back, so your palms face each other.
- Melt your shoulder blades down your back.
- Hug your front ribs in and tilt your hip points toward your bottom ribs, to harness the strength of your core.
- Hold and breath for 5 to 10 rounds of breath.
- Repeat on the other side.
Note
For individuals with shoulder injuries, bring your hands to heart center.
For individuals building strength, lower down to your back knee (onto the soft part, not directly onto your knee cap).
Variation
For an extra heart opener, inhale, bring your gaze up. Exhale, cactus your arms and lift up and out of your heart center.
Body
Crescent Lunge strengthens the lower body from the quadriceps and hamstrings to glutes and adductors.
It also works the shoulders and abdominal muscles.
At the same time, this pose stretches the Iliopsoas (hip flexors) and enhances balance.
Mind
With the challenges of this pose comes a heightened sense of awareness and concentration. As you bring your attention to your breath, notice how your mind begins to shift from distracted and scattered to quiet and calm.
Chakra
As you ignite the muscles in your abdominal wall and your spine, Crescent Lunge activates your third chakra, Manipura. This chakra is located at the navel, just above the solar plexus. The lumbar spine (lower back), abdominal wall and internal organs (including liver, stomach, spleen, and pancreas) are key players in this chakra. The color of this chakra is yellow. “Activation of the Manipura Chakra frees one from negative energies and purifies and strengthens one’s vitality.”
When you add a slight back bend and cactus your arms, Crescent Lunge also serves as a gentle heart opener. When you rise from your heart center, you empower your fourth chakra, also known as Anahata. The essence of this chakra is selflessness, the element is air, and the color of this chakra is green. Anahata governs our compassion, empathy, altruism, and respect for all life. This chakra is the root of love and kindness. It’s where we shift from “me” to “we” in our energetic body.
Spirit
Connect with your breath and you will awaken your spirit. Trust me.
Namaste,
Coach Jentry
Gumsaba Fitness Class schedule Monday 2/15/16
5:30AM Sunrise Danville Womens class – Coach Briana – Met Con Monday
5:30AM Sunrise Danville Mens class – Coach Joel – Met Con Monday
6AM Sunup Morga Womens only Class – Coach Michelle – TRX Met Con
8:15AM Sunrise Moraga Womens only Class – Coach Michelle & Coach Piper – TRX Met Con*
9AM Sunshine Walnut Creek Womens only class – Coach Briana – Met ConMonday
11:00AM Cytosport Beginning/Intermediate Bodyweight Training – Coach Michelle (private class)
12:00PM Cytosport Intermediate/Advanced Bodyweight Training – Coach Michelle (private class)
2PM Cytosport Hatha Yoga – Coach Michelle (private class)
*Volleyball court construction dependant