Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose) Yoga - How to Do, Variations, Precaution & Benefits of Monkey Pose

Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose) Yoga

Yoga Pronunciation	hah-NU-mahn-AHS-anna
Sanskrit Name	हनुमानासन
Origin	Modern Traditional Yoga
English names	Monkey Pose, Side Yoga Splits, Front Yoga Splits, Dragon Splits, Split Pose
Difficulty Level	Advance Yoga / Acro Yoga
Stretch	Deep Hip stretch, Pelvis stretch, Leg stretch
Major Benefits	Back, Pelvic floor, Abdomen, Shoulders, Core, Spine
Type	Seated Yoga Asana

What is Hanumanasana or Monkey Pose?

Hanuman asana is the one of the deep yoga stretch asanas in Traditional Yoga. It’s derived from Sanskrit and stated as हनुमानासन. Hanumanasana yoga asana is also known as Monkey pose worldwide. It has two types of seated position in modern yoga exercise which is front splits and side splits. This powerful challenging monkey yoga posture is named after Hanuman, the Hindu Monkey God, known for his flexibility, deep strength, devotion, and agility.

Why Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana) is important in Traditional Yoga?

             A monkey pose stretches entire lower body, a deep thigh stretch, a hamstring region and stretch the muscles in groin area. This monkey pose is the idol for flexibility, adoptability and resilience in the face of life’s obstacles. 

Hanumanasana is one of the important yoga asanas for removing toxic energy and negativity from the body and invites mindfulness and balance. Thus this Monkey yoga asana is very challenging pose and it’s a very important part of traditional Yoga.

How much time Monkey pose takes to achieve in traditional Yoga?

         Are you searching for Hanumanasana for beginners or something like how to do monkey yoga splits fast? If you will see the videos or post on internet, like get your yoga middle/front splits in one day / 1 month then all are fake!!!! 😀. Its not as easy people claimed in their videos or post. Remember yoga is very slow patient process to achieve anything towards that traditional yoga concept. 

          Learning asanas every day and practicing yoga everyday makes quite flexible body but to achieve some acro challenging yoga / advance yoga asanas like Hanumanasana is not easy as we see through the eyes . It takes a time like 6 month or 1 year or more than years. Deep stretch exercises require lot of daily full body yoga practice and deep yoga stretches. This Monkey yoga asana embark the journey of self discovery, it connects us with the essence of hanumans devotions and embodying the virtues of mental health and physical resilience.

How to do a Moneky Pose? – A step by step practice guide to do a Hanumanasana

• Step 1 : In this step we will perform half kneeling position. Stand on your kneels. Stretch the right or left leg forward and place it on the yoga mat. now your one of leg is in the standing position while the other leg is in kneeling position. Please watch out this Hanumanasana monkey pose video to get easy understanding on step.
  
  
• Step 2 – Now place your hand on other side or on the block if you are using props to perform this monkey yoga asana. Now slowly side the the leg forward which is in kneeling position simultaneously moving the trunk little forward. Perform this step very gradually as it involves both legs stretching. Go through this another easyMonkey pose video again to go gradually.
  
  
• Step 3 – In this step you are already done. We will have a deep stretch now. Try to lower the buttocks and stretch both legs further as much possible. Try to touch your pelvic floor muscles to the ground. For the focus and balance fix your eyesight on one object which is in front if you. For the addition, you can raise your arms over the head and can place the palms together in Anjali Mudra. Have deep breathe in and out normally. Try to stay in the pose for couple seconds or minutes as long as you are comfortable into. Remember if you are new, it will take a time to perform this step as this step will only able perform by those who can easily do step 1 and step 2 as it involves very deep stretch.
  
  
• Step 4 – Now coming back is also not easy initially if you are not doing carefully. Place your palms on the floor to release from monkey pose. Lift your buttocks little. Then bend the front knee and bring the leg backward. And now you comeback to the kneeling position.
  
  
• Step 5 – And that’s done. You can try the Hanumanasana  yoga pose / monkey yoga variations like side splits, front splits, changing the legs and so on.

The List of asanas which helps to achieve a Monkey Pose

Names of Yoga Asanas	Importance & Benefits of Yoga asana for Hanumanasana / Monkey Pose
Anjaneyasana	Crescent moon pose or low lunge yoga  asana. This will open your hips and hamstrings as much you will go deep stretch with this asana.
Ardha Chandrasana	This half-moon yoga pose asana thighs, ankles, abdomen, and buttocks to prepare you for monkey pose.
Ashta Chandrasana	A High Lunge yoga asana will prepare you to have a balance between your hips and legs.
Baddha Konasana	This is very important asana to open the hips and pelvic area for Hanumanasana .
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana	One-Legged King Pigeon Pose asana is known as hip opener which is obvious going to help in monkey pose.
Janu Sirsasana	Head-to-Knee Forward Bend asana will help you to stretch your legs deep as much possible.
Natarajasana	Lord of the Dance Pose. After achieving Hanumanasana you can try this as a variation to get more flexibility.
Padahastasana	Hand Under Foot Pose widely known as to deep leg stretch and reduce belly fat.
Adho Mukha Svanasana	Also known as downward facing Dog asana. It stretches your arms deeply and thigh.

A benefits of Monkey Pose or Hanumanasana

• Hips Flexibility - Monkey pose asana is one of the most effective hip-opening poses in yoga Practice. It deeply stretches the hip flexors, Pelvic muscles, groin, and psoas muscles, promoting increased flexibility in the hips and thighs.
  
  
• Improves Blood Circulation - As per picture its obvious that monkey pose encourages blood flow to the pelvic region, which can be beneficial for reproductive and digestive organs. It stimulates the abdominal muscles due to deep stretch which can help improve digestion and stimulate the organs in the abdomen area.
  
  
• Spiritual Connection: The name itself has Hindu god Hanuman. This Hanumanasana is associated with the Hindu deity Lord Hanuman, symbolizing devotion, courage, and the willingness to take a leap of faith, providing practitioners with a sense of spiritual mindful connection.
  
  
• Balance physical & Mental Health - Reduction in stress and fatigue . Monkey pose improve the overall balance and alignment. Helps to maintain heart rate due to good blood circulation. Helps in heart disease body issues.
  
  
• Helps to balance body chakras - Monkey pose open Mooldhara (a root) chakra, the spleen (sacral) chakra or Svadhisthana. The root chakra improves personal growth, whereas the spleen chakra encourages mind focus, creativity, and inner acceptance.

Precaution while performing Monkey Pose 

• Pregnant women should avoid this asana.
  
  
• Wear socks while practicing Hanumanasana yoga to avoid sore issues.
  
  
• Always warm up with hip opening exercises which I have listed yoga types with their benefits above. It will help you to get smoothly in the posture.
  
  
• Avoid Hanumanasana / Monkey pose if you are having any injury to your hips, legs or ankles, wrists and abdominal or groin area.
  
  
• While learning this asana try to use yoga blocks, bolsters or blanker for your support to avoid discomfort or pain in the legs or hand. Yoga blocks will help bring the floor closer to you. By placing a bolster or cushion under your back thigh, you will find the comfort during practice. Blanket will help you when you need extra support while backing your knee.
  
  
• This asanas stretch is painful initially, try to practice hip opener asanas as much as possible.
  
  
• If you are new yogi try to have complete guided tips before performing Hanumanasana monkey pose.

Beginner guided tips while performing Hanumanasana / Monkey Pose

• Its very normal to do monkey pose for 1 second to 5 second even initially.
  
  
• Daily practice is the key to have a holding balance to achieve monkey pose splits asanas for more than 10 seconds.
  
  
• If this asana is taking a more than year time to achieve is also very normal.
  
  
• Rather than aiming to achieve the Hanumanasana, enjoy the practice moments which is much more interesting than achieving asana.  

Conclusion

        Once you achieve Hanumanasana yoga, you will feel so relaxed from inside organs of body along with thoughtful process. Each yoga has its own benefits everyone must try in their life to feel beauty of nature and the body we are designed in human soul. Achieving asanas is not the important in yoga but practicing asanas with daily yoga practice will make you more satisfied person in the growing age of life's era and self growth towards.💓