3 crescent moon variations for core stability

Crescent Moon, Anjaneyasana, presses its way into my practice almost daily. It’s a haven for stability, from feet to shins to quadriceps to core, all the way to the shoulders and fingers. One particular class I taught, the students greeted the pose with surprise: it’s deceptively challenging, and even more so when range of motion exercises squiggle into the mix.

A combination of lifting and yoga supplements by weekly running, and particularly on days I don’t head to the weight room, I incorporate these movements within my post-run posture practice. The gentle lengthening of the obliques, abdominals, intercostals, and hip flexors feels wonderful after the pavement pounding ceases, but furthermore strengthens within the hip capsule and deep core muscles (transversus abdominus) due to the balance emphasis to tackle weakness in the central kinetic chain.

A few notes to consider when moving into Crescent Moon:

1. Press into the planted shin (back leg) and planted foot (front leg) to really fire the quadriceps muscles and glutes.

2. Square the hips. Place the hands on the greater trochanter (that knobby part of your hip just above the thigh) and self-adjust so the hips are level and point forward towards the upraised knee.

3. Square the shoulders.

4. Tuck the navel inwards and press the tailbone towards the floor to lengthen the spine.

3 Crescent Moon exercises

1. Twisted Crunch

How to: Interlace fingers in the webbing at the base of the skull/top of the neck. Inhale to prepare, exhale and twist to the left, right elbow towards left knee. Inhale to center, exhale and twist to the right, left elbow towards right knee. Inhale to center. Repeat for 5 reps per side.

2. Cactus Twist

How to: Bend elbows to about a 90 degree angle, forearms parallel and fingertips pointed up. Inhale to lengthen and prepare, exhale and twist to the left. Isolate the twist’s effort in the ribcage as opposed to the chest and shoulders. Inhale to center, exhale and twist to the right. Repeat 5 reps per side.

3. Half Moon Bends

How to: Raise arms overhead and connect the palms. Inhale to lengthen, exhale hinge to the left: isolate the movement in the upper body and maintain stillness below the waist. Inhale to center, exhale hinge to the right. Inhale to center. Complete 5 times per side.