MONKEY POSE

Hanumanasana (hah-new-mahn-AHS-anna)

BENEFITS OF MONKEY POSE

  • Opens the hips
  • Stretches the psoas, the hamstrings and the quadriceps
  • Opens the shoulders
  • Improves awareness
  • Teaches endurance

SUMMARY OF MONKEY POSE

Monkey Pose, or Hanumansana, is an advanced splits pose with copious physical and mental benefits. Primarily, it opens the hips and stretches the muscles of the legs including the psoas, the hamstrings and the quadriceps. At the same time, it stabilizes the lower back and the position of the hips and opens the shoulders. Stimulating the Sacral and the Root Chakras, the pose improves one’s awareness and endurance, teaching humbleness.

MONKEY POSE TUTORIAL

Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana) - Yoga Pose

1.) Begin in tabletop position

Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana) - Yoga Pose

2.) Press back into Downward Facing Dog

Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana) - Yoga Pose

3.) Lift your left leg up to the sky, keeping your hips square

Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana) - Yoga Pose

4.) Bend your leg and bring it between your hands, lowering your back knee down to the mat for Low Lunge

Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana) - Yoga Pose

5.) Straighten your front leg as you press your hips back

Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana) - Yoga Pose

6.) Slowly straighten your front leg again, sliding your leg forward until your front leg is flat on the floor. Do not try to force this pose as it could lead to injury

Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana) - Yoga Pose

7.) Once your front leg is on the mat, sit back and enjoy the stretch throughout your thighs

Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana) - Yoga Pose

8.) To release from the pose, simply very slowly reverse the steps and repeat on the opposite side

HEALTH BENEFITS OF MONKEY POSE

MONKEY POSE FOR OPENING THE HIPS

Monkey Pose is an advanced, very potent hip opener, also stabilizing the hips in their healthy position.

MONKEY POSE FOR STRETCHING THE LEG MUSCLES

Monkey Pose stretches deeply stretches multiple muscles of the leg including the psoas, the hamstrings and the quadriceps, making them long and lean.

MONKEY POSE FOR OPENING THE SHOULDERS

Reaching the arms up with a back – bend allows the shoulder to significantly open and stretch.

MONKEY POSE FOR AWARENESS AND ENDURANCE

Monkey Pose is a powerful activator of the Sacral and the Root Chakras, increasing one’s awareness and grounding one’s thoughts, keeping them healthily humble and wise. Because of simultaneous stabilization of the body parts in a demanding position, the pose also teaches endurance.

Contraindications & Cautions

  • Neck/back/shoulders/leg injuries
  • Pregnant women

Modifications & Deepening the Pose

MONKEY POSE FORWARD BEND VARIATION

Starting from the standard Monkey Pose, let the arms loose. From there, reach them forward so that you can place both hands flat on the ground on both sides of the front flexed foot. Make the torso and the spine follow this movement until you can rest your torso and your forehead on the front leg. Such a variation of the Monkey Pose allows a deeper stretch of the hips, the leg muscles and the back.

MONKEY POSE FOR OPENING THE CHEST

Starting from the standard Monkey Pose, let the arms loose. Spread the fingers and lightly place the arms on boths sides of the trunk, eyes gazing forward. Keep marching the arms backwards until you reach the maximal point, allowing the spine to arch with the movement, eyes gazing up. Stop and stabilize the pose until you feel the stretch level is perfect for you. Such a variation of the Monkey Pose allows the practitioner to open their chest and the shoulders more as well as to increase the flexibility of the spine.