Half Moon Series (Standing Splits, Half Moon, Twisting Half Moon)

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/212498962" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->

To do the Standing Splits, start in the Warrior III position, balanced on one leg with your raised leg reaching back toward the wall behind you and your chest parallel to the ground. You should start with your back flat and standing leg as straight as possible as your hips are square to the ground.

Then hinge over further, dropping your hands down to the ground as you raise your raised leg up higher toward the ceiling.

Try to straighten your standing leg as much as you can as you drive your nose back toward your knee and lift your raised leg up toward the ceiling. Do not be afraid to let your hips rotate open with this stretch. They do not need to stay square to the ground.

Breathe and relax into the stretch and try to bring your head toward your standing leg as you reach your raised leg up to do a standing split. (right)

To do Half Moon, from the Standing Splits position, lift your opposite hand from your standing leg up toward the ceiling, keeping the same hand as the standing leg down on the ground. Rotate your chest and hips open and raise your raised leg up toward the ceiling.. Try to straighten your standing leg as much as possible as you hold.

If you struggle to keep your hand on the ground and rotate open, place your hand up on a block or stack of books. Breathe and try to straighten your standing leg as you raise your raised leg up toward the ceiling and rotate open. (top left)

To do the Twisting Half Moon, move back to the Standing Splits position then rotate toward your standing leg, keeping the opposite hand from the standing leg down on the ground as you reach the same hand as the standing leg up toward the ceiling. Rotate your chest toward your standing leg and open toward the ceiling. Don’t be afraid to drop the hip of the raised leg down a bit so you feel a stretch outside the hip of your standing leg.

Breathe and try to rotate toward your standing leg more as you keep the standing leg as straight as possible. If you struggle to rotate and keep your hand on the ground, you can place your hand up on a stack of books or on a block. (bottom left)