Yoga Maru Shi is one of the common yoga postures in Hatha Yoga, which belongs to standing postures. The action bends like a crescent moon, hence called Maru Shi. Practicing Maru Shi can stretch the spine, increase flexibility; eliminate excessive fat on the waist side, hip outer side and outer thigh; soothe lower back pain.

Goal: Balance, core

Level: Intermediate

Half Moon Yoga Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) is a standing, balancing posture, especially challenging. It is an intermediate pose, so before attempting Maru Shi, make sure you understand the basic yoga knowledge and can do Triangle Pose. In the process order, you will start from ‘Triangle Pose’ to ‘Maru Shi’ to ‘Downward-Facing Dog Pose’.

Benefits

This strengthens the ankles and thighs, stretches the hamstrings. It can improve your balance and core strength. If you are a runner, tight hamstrings are often a problem, and yoga poses like Maru Shi can help. Better balance and strong core benefit most sports and daily activities, especially as we age.

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Practice Steps

1. Start from Triangle Pose (trikonasana), right leg forward. Gently bend your right knee, place your left hand on your hip.
2. Extend your right hand to the floor in front of your right foot. When you are in the complete posture, your hand should be under your shoulder, so to set it in the right position, place it about 5 feet or 6 inches in front of your right foot. Pull your hands tight, so that your fingertips are on the floor.
3. Start straightening your right leg while lifting your left foot off the floor. Keep your left leg as straight as possible.
4. Open your hips, stack your left hip above your right hip.
5. Extend your left leg and parallel to the floor. Point your toes towards the left side of the room, bend your left foot forcefully.
6. When your right leg feels balanced, raise your left arm upwards towards the ceiling, open your chest, so that your arms are vertical to the floor.
7. Finally, turn your head to look at the raised left fingertips.
8. Maintain this pose for about five breaths before moving your left leg to the floor and repeating on the other side.

Common Mistakes

Avoid letting your chest rotate towards the ground. A common reason for this is that it’s difficult to pull your hands to the floor with your hands. Placing a brick under your right hand can give you a more angled, so that your chest opens more effectively towards the ceiling.

Maru Shi Variations

It's okay if you step into a few steps instead of the one large step mentioned in step 3 before raising your left foot.

If single-leg balance is a challenge for you, position yourself near a wall and place your left foot on the wall when raising your left leg. This is also a good way to practice getting your left leg parallel to the floor.

1. Start to shift your weight to your right hand until only your index finger touches the ground. You can even suspend your right hand a few inches above the floor. If you do this, make sure you maintain alignment in the rest of the pose.
2. Bend your left leg. Extend back, grasping your foot with your left hand, perform sugarcane pose.

Safety and Precautions

Avoid using this pose if you have any injuries to your legs, hips, shoulders, or back.