Hanumanasana is also known as "The Splits" and "Monkey Pose".
Hanumanasana is the pose dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Hanuman is the Monkey God. He is seen in Indian culture as the symbol of strength and energy.
Hanumanasana (The Splits) is probably the most advanced Yoga poses. The reason is that it requires lots of opening, lots of compassion, and lots of patience. It could take years to get into this pose.
Even though doing The Splits may seem impossible, there are many really good modifications of the pose to prepare you.
Modifications Of The Splits (Monkey Pose/Hanumanasana)
Upright Staddle Pose
Staddle Pose
Straddle Side Bend I Pose
Straddle Side Bend II Pose
Straddle Side Bend Twist I Pose
Straddle Side Bend Twist II Pose
Straddle Side Bend Twist III Pose
Straddle Toe Grasp Pose
High Lunge Pose
Downward Facing Dog Pose
Revolved Triangle Pose
Hey, don't stop there! Any pose that stretches your legs and hips is a great preparation pose for Monkey Pose.
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Top Three Reasons To Practice The Splits (Monkey Pose/Hanumanasana)
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1. Deep Thigh, Hamstring, And Quadricep Stretch
Monkey Pose (and Monkey Pose modifications) require you to do some serious opening of your thighs, hamstrings, and quadriceps. While you are holding the splits, the hamstrings of your front leg will be getting a huge stretch, and your back leg will be enjoying a quadriceps stretch.
Your legs will thank you because they'll be getting an orgasmic muscle release. You'll feel as light as air after doing Monkey Pose. You'll feel like superman/woman. You'll feel like you can take off and fly!
If you've ever said to yourself: "Why do my thighs hurt for no reason," here is the answer: You're probably not getting enough exercise or spending too much time sitting each day. That can damage the thigh muscles, causing chronic pain. Sitting for long periods can put pressure on the hip and leg joints and muscles. Lack of activity may also cause the muscles to weaken, triggering widespread muscle pain. Other ways, apart from doing Monkey Pose, to strengthen and stretch your leg muscles is to ride a bike, walk, or run.
2. Develops Persistence and Patience
If you are an A-Type personality, you may rush into performing the perfect looking splits (Monkey Pose). That's a mistake!
If you rush this pose, you'll injure yourself. And as any self-respecting Yogi knows, Yoga is all about "The Practice". There is no rush in Yoga. There is only the practice. There is only the process.
If you have stiff legs and hips, Monkey Pose will almost certainly take years to perfect. Years! So, allow yourself to enjoy and surrender to the modifications of the pose. Those modifications will help you to open your hips and legs and build the necessary core strength required to get into full Monkey Pose.
Monkey Pose is one of the best poses for developing patience and persistence. Most people will give up because patience and persistence aren't perceived as sexy. Though I promise you, you will feel nothing but sexy if you persist with Monkey Pose over the years.
3. Hip Flexor Will Open Up Like A Flower In Full Bloom
The opening that is required for this pose means that you will be taking a deep dive into your hip flexors. Your hip flexors will open up like a flower in full bloom.
Why are open hip flexors that such a wondrous thing?
You almost certainly have tight hip flexors!
How can I make such a bold claim? Well, because nearly all of us spend many hours a day sitting in chairs, walking, and running. All those activities engage and stiffen the hip flexor muscles, which is why it's so important to stretch them out.
Another great reason to stretch your hip flexors is a phenomenon known as "Altered Reciprocal Inhibition".
What Is Altered Reciprocal Inhibition?
If one muscle becomes overly tight, the opposing muscle almost certainly becomes inhibited.
The opposing muscles to the hip flexors are the vital glute muscles. If your hip flexors are tight, this can cause our glutes to become weak. Strong, active glutes help to reduce knee and back injuries. By stretching the hip flexors, you allow the glutes to turn on which dramatically reduces the possibility of getting an injury.
Final Thoughts
Even if you've been practicing Yoga for years, you probably won't be able to do Monkey Pose. And that's okay. Think of this pose as a marathon, as a long-term goal, as an opportunity to cultivate patience. Do the leg stretch poses and hip opening poses (modifications of Monkey Pose), and one day when you get on your mat, you'll quietly, without fanfare, slip into Monkey Pose like you've been doing it all your life.
