Description:

'Ardha' means half and 'Chandra' means moon; thus if you synchronize the two words, it is coming to Half-Moon. Ardhachandrasana is the Half-Moon posture and this is one of the most recommended pose for Surya-namskar.



English Name: Half-Moon Pose



Procedure:

1. Stand on the floor with your heels together, toes apart, back straight and arms at your side.

2. After positioning yourself, slowly raise your arms and take them over your head.

3. Join your palms and place your head in between the arms.

4. Now very slowly bend your body backwards as far as possible with your arms by your head and neck. Keep your knees straight.

5. Retain this posture for 2-3 minutes and then slowly return to the original position.



Benefits:

1. Ardhachandrasana is mainly a stretching and a balancing posture and thus it benefits the chest, back and the lower abdominal regions.

2. This asana makes the body more flexible.

3. It retains the body posture and balances and strengthens the waist muscles.



Contradictions:

If you are suffering from any kind of pain in your abdominal area or are experiencing a low backache, then it is advisable to go in for a specialist advice before practicing this asana.