Chandra = moon
Asana = Pose; posture.
High Lunge Pose at a Glance
High Lunge Pose – The Ashta Chandrasana, Crescent Pose, is also the name of the yoga pose, which is called the High Lunge pose. This Pose makes your whole body work out in a dynamic way. It builds up your balance and strengthens the hips, thighs and chest and also on your core. This can also be included in flow yoga sequences as it increases your energy level.
Benefits:
- This is good for your respiratory system.
- It improves the metabolism s
- It helps to tone the upper body and lower with a deep and expanded stretch to your hip flexors, hamstrings, and groin muscles.
- This is a powerful and bold pose of the Virabhadrasana
- It makes your body more flexible and improves posture, reducing the stiffness in your body parts.
Who can do it?
Anyone healthy can do this Pose with no severe injuries or surgeries. Beginners can modify it to make it easy and gradually come to the proper Pose. People already doing yoga or any other physical exercise can do it. Pregnant women can do this but under the guidance of a yoga teacher.
Who should not do it?
People with severe hip or back pain or knee injury should avoid it. People suffering from high BP or Low BP should avoid it. People with severe headaches or issues with balancing their bodies should avoid doing it.
How to Do High Lunge Pose?
Follow the Step-by-Step Instructions
This powerful yoga pose is the preparatory Pose for the yoga poses of the Anjaneyasana or Virabhadrasana series.
- First, fix yourself in the tadasana yoga pose or you may start with a table pose or downward facing dog pose too.
- But we will start with the mountain pose. Stand straight and tall with a slight gap between the feet, and keep your hands straight on your sides.
- Take deep breaths to balance and ground.
- Now breathe in, take out your back, your right leg, and place the back foot at your back at a distance of 3 to 4 feet.
- The heel (right foot) of the back should be lifted and the legs should be on the support of the toes.
- Feel the stretch in the soles.
- The left foot (foot forward) in front should be grounded and steady. Bend the left knee (front knee) of the left foot (just in line with the ankle) at an angle of 90 degrees. And see that your foot is grounded and firm.
- Keep your right leg and right knee (back knee) straight and engaged as much as possible on the support of the toes (facing front).
- Now, tuck your core to the spine to activate the core muscles, which will help stabilize your torso and feel the deep stretch.
- No inhale deeply, keeping yourself grounded and your core engaged. Squeeze your inner thighs, and lift both arms above the head.
- Your palms should face each other, and your arms should be straight in line with the shoulder.
- Remember to keep your shoulders relaxed, don’t touch the ears, and keep your neck straight.
- Look forward boldly, straight ahead. Your neck should be straight in line with your spine.
- Breathe continuously and gently and this would maintain the balance of the high lunge pose.
- You can stay in this Pose according to your comfort for about 30 sec to 1 minute.
- When you finish the Pose, breathe slowly and bring down your hands.
- Then, straighten your left leg, bring your right leg in front, and return to the mountain pose.
- Relax for a few seconds with your breath, and then go for the left leg.
What are the Benefits of the High Lunge Pose?
This powerful Crescent pose has many benefits from head to toe if you practice it regularly.
- It helps maintain balance and stability and keeps you grounded.
- It is of great help to your lower body. This strengthens your legs, hips, hamstring muscles, and thighs, making them flexible and giving better mobility.
- The leg at the back during the Pose benefits the most as it stretches the hip flexors and relaxes the muscles.
- It improves your focus and concentration, which can also be helpful for better clarity.
- In this Pose, the core plays a significant role and becomes activated and strengthened.
- It can also help to improve your posture or to stabilize it.
- It opens your chest and also has good blood circulation in the body.
- It helps reduce your stress level, increases your mindfulness and helps you to relax.
Health Conditions that Might Benefit from High Lunge Pose
- This high lunge pose is helpful for sciatica, asthma, and insomnia.
- People suffering from stiff shoulders or neck can also benefit if practiced regularly.
- This is good for people with digestive issues as it massages the abdominal muscles.
- For people who lack concentration and focus, this asana could be beneficial for them to improve their focus.
- A high lunge pose could be helpful to females who are dealing with menstrual cramps.
Safety and Precautions
- People with legs, knee, or hip injuries should be careful or avoid doing it.
- Never do a high lunge pose without a warm-up preparatory pose.
- The surface you are practicing should be stable and even.
- If you can’t balance, use props, do a simple variation, or do it with the wall support and do it under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
Common Mistakes
- Doing the high lunge pose without a warm-up or preparatory pose like standing forward bend.
- Beginners should be doing it only under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
- The breath should be leading the Pose.
- Listen to your body and don’t force. If there is any pain, just come out of the Pose.
Tips for High Lunge Pose
- If you are new, do it under the guidance of a yoga professional.
- Use props and support to make yourself comfortable.
- Keep breathing continuously throughout the Pose.
- Always do the high lunge pose on both sides (legs).
The Physical Alignment Principles for High Lunge Pose
Like any other yoga pose, alignment is important for the Crescent pose.
- Stand with your leg straight and grounded in the Tadasana pose
- When you bend your left knee (front knee) of the front foot, it should be 90 degrees and in line with the ankle, and place the foot firmly.
- Keep your left thigh and heel firm by straightening your left leg.
- The leg at the back should be supported on your toes and gripped firmly and the leg and back knee (right knee) should be straight. The sole should be lifted above the ground.
- Engage your core muscles to get a better balance.
- Your belly should be tucked in for the High lunge pose.
- Breathe deeply and gently to lead the Pose while you stay in the crescent lunge pose.
- When you raise your arms, they should align with your shoulders.
High Lunge Pose and Breath
Breath and the High lunge pose should go hand in hand. Any yoga pose would be of no use without the breadth and so is the crescent lunge pose. You inhale to stabilize and then start to form the Pose, take a deep breath and lift your arms. Be balanced and engage your core and with a gentle inhale and exhale, fill in the energy of life into your body. When you come out of the Pose, exhale the negativity, retain the energy, and feel the calmness in your mind and body.
High Lunge Pose and Variations
- Runners when in the start position, called Runner’s Lunge Position.
- You can bring your back leg knee touching the ground, making it easier.
- After doing the high lunge pose, you can bend back. This is a challenging variation.
Take Away
This high lunge pose has lots of benefits. Alignment and breath is the key to this asana and helps you to achieve the physical and mental benefits. It provides better balance and flexibility and improves your focus. It makes your hips, thighs, shoulders and neck strong and flexible. High lunge pose reduces stress, relaxes your body and leaves your body and mind in a calming mode. You can do this asana according to your physical level; it may be easier or more challenging.
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