Hanumanasana: The Monkey Pose

Pronunciation: *hah-new-mahn-AHS-anna*

Meaning: “Hanuman” – The revered monkey deity known for relieving suffering.

Commonly Known As: The Splits

Heart of Pose: The Hip Stretch

Oh, the legendary leap! Hanumanasana connects us to the mythical vault of Hanuman, soaring effortlessly (or painfully?) from India to Sri Lanka to rescue Princess Sita. A high-level gymnastic feat disguised as an advanced yoga pose, approach with more caution than enthusiasm.

Effects and Benefits

Energy, Mood, Emotion

A conundrum of sensations: calming coolness paired with energizing warmth. But then, this is yoga after all.

Inner Body

This pose stimulates your abdominal organs and even gives those reproductive organs a gentle “massage.” Yes, really.

Musculoskeletal

Here’s what it does: Hanumanasana can open your hips, stretch the quintet of leg muscles, sighing in relief as the abductors get some relaxation and strengthening (thanks to B.K.S. Iyengar for the wisdom in Light on Yoga).

Therapeutic Uses

Suffering from digestive distress, insomnia, or stress? Hanumanasana might be your friend. As with any pose, caution: yoga instructors, unless doubling as trained therapists, might want to avoid presenting asana prescriptions for specific conditions.

Basic Form

Set Up

Let’s get started. Begin in Table or Adho Mukha Svanasana—that’s downward facing dog for you Sanskrit novices. Step the front foot forward like a careful chess piece, keeping the ankle underneath the knee while flaunting a vertical shin. Hands planted on the floor, keep that chest lifted and shoulders up.

Moving Into Pose

Inhale, sending those hips back with the back leg standing vertical as a soldier and the front leg embracing straightness. Exhale, using hands as dubious support to inch the front heel away. Take your time, engage that abdomen, and elevate the chest.

Gaze

Peer wisely towards the horizon.

Hold Time

Keep the pose for a humble 10 to 30 seconds—luxuriate in it, or tolerate it, depending on how it goes.

Coming Out

Inhale

Breathe in gratitude for releasing yourself from this pose, gently, as if easing out of a too-small pair of pants.

To Emphasize

Some vital details: square those hips to the front mat, anchor that sit bone, flex the front foot like you’re training for a competition, and let the quadriceps coax the hamstrings into submission. Resort to internal leg rotation as the situation demands.

Verbal Cues

Seasoned instructors know the drill—here are some sardonic gems to toss into the mix:

• Let the front leg play the hero as you sidle into the pose.
• Engage the abdominals; prevent the common lower back drama.
• Awaken the bandhas, nurture the chest, and remember: air travels upward, unlike our current position.
• Front foot flex, quadriceps engaged—hamstrings, it’s your day of reckoning.
• Oh, the beauty of squared hips and a gracefully drawn-back sternum.
• Lengthen through the crown, align that noggin with your spine.
• Press both legs towards a mission of straightness, roll those thighs in like a log on a stream.
• Experiment with enticing cues that prompt introspection, like “Surrender into sensation” (nod to Joseph & Lilian LePage).

Take Your Time

In the world of flexibility, time is your companion. Slide thoughtfully, reveling in each deliberately slow but indulgent moment. Erich Schiffman beckons: make haste slowly, like a snail at a finish line.

Variations

Moving into Pose

Feeling charitable towards your body? Slide a blanket beneath the front leg, allowing for a refined descent. Control is key, as is feeling every nuanced stretch.

Added Support

Consider bolsters or blankets under the pelvis, raising them sufficiently for heavenly relaxation. Blocks under your hands? Use them for that coveted upward boost.

For a deeper dive into Hanumanasana and yoga postures, visit Ashtanga Tech.