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Crescent Lunge on Knee is a yoga pose that provides a deep stretch for the hip flexors, groin and legs and opens the front of the body including chest and shoulders. If you learn how to do Crescent Lunge on Knee you will also strengthen and tone your thighs, hips and butt, while practicing balance and stability.
Lunge poses in a yoga practice are often repeated many times. When you read the list of benefits you can likely see why. Much of what people search out in yoga is accomplished in this one pose. Hip pain and tightness tops the list of complaints when it comes to tight areas on the body.
Stretching the hip flexors doesn’t come easy and there are not as many poses available for this as there are for something like tight hamstrings. Crescent Lunge on Knee allows you to rest your back leg on the ground in order to sink the hips deeper into the stretch to achieve greater benefits.
As you open yourself up into the Crescent Lunge on Knee, make sure to tuck your tailbone and gently press the hips forward while reaching the arms over the back of the head so that the body achieve the shape of a crescent moon.
This is where the name of the pose originated. By reaching as far as you can through your fingertips you not only increase the stretch through the front of the hips, but you add an opening to the chest, abdominals and front of the shoulders.
There are two options for the placing of your back foot. You can keep your toes tucked and on the ground, or you can point the toes and rest the top of the foot onto the floor. Either way, this pose is a remarkable stretch that everyone can enjoy.
For other ideas to loosen tight hips try our blog: 6 Poses To Relieve Tight Hips
Crescent Lunge on Knee Pose Instructions
- Begin in a plank position with hands directly below shoulders.
- Step your right foot between your hands and gently lower your left knee down to the mat.
- Tighten your abdominals as you reach arms straight overhead and bend front knee to a 90 degree angle.
- Keep back lack long on mat and press hips slightly forward.
- Breathe and hold 30 seconds. Switch sides.
