Half Moon Pose
Benefits
- Strengthens the legs, ankles, and core
- Improves balance and coordination
- Opens and stretches the chest and shoulders
- Stretches the hamstrings and groin
- Strengthens the muscles along the spine
How to practice — step by step
- From a wide stance or Triangle Pose, shift the weight into the front leg and place the same-side hand on the floor or a block about a foot in front of the front foot.
- Straighten the standing leg while lifting the back leg to hip height, flexing the foot to keep it active rather than letting it go passive.
- Rotate the torso and hips open toward the side, stacking the top hip directly over the bottom hip instead of letting it roll forward.
- Extend the top arm straight up toward the ceiling, keeping both shoulders stacked, and only turn the gaze upward if it feels comfortable for the neck.
- Keep a soft bend in the standing knee if the hamstring feels tight, rather than forcing the leg straight.
Contraindications — when to avoid or modify this pose
- Low blood pressure or dizziness
- Headache or migraine
- Recent ankle, knee, or hamstring injury
- Neck sensitivity (if turning the gaze upward)
Muscles worked
Contract / work (engaged)
- Quadriceps
- Glutes
- Obliques
- Shins / ankle stabilizers
Stretch / lengthen (released)
- Hamstrings
- Chest (pectorals)
Chakra
Traditional association, based on common hatha yoga teaching — not a medical or scientific claim.
Placing the bottom hand on a block rather than the floor is a common and fully valid variation, not a lesser version of the pose.
This pose was added in the first post-launch catalog-expansion batch (17 sept 2026). Three other poses added in that same batch turned out to be covered in the professional anatomy book used for Round 4, but this one is not profiled there, so it's written with general, widely-taught yoga knowledge rather than from a specific course or book source.
This page is for general education only and is not a substitute for guidance from a qualified yoga teacher or medical professional. If you have an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, consult a doctor and a certified instructor before practicing this pose.