Poses >> Hanumanasana

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Hanumanasana "Monkey Pose"

For this most excellent pose you might want to have a blanket and 2 to3 blocks.
As a preparation you might want to do some low lunges or anjaneyasana and parsvottanasana or uttanasana.
From a low lunge, step your front foot onto a blanket and put your hands on blocks. Slowly, slowly, slowly, begin to slide your front foot forward but at the same time keep your awareness on your back leg, too.
Make sure that both legs stay in parallel alignment, neither internally nor externally rotating. Keep your back toes tucked under to help you feel and maintain that square alignment in the back leg.
Go where you can and then wait. Use the blocks under your hands to find a tadasana spine so that you are organized, your prana can flow and your obstacles are minimized. And, even though you are splitting in two you are still dignified.
You can also place one of your blocks under the top of your front hamstring and sit on the block that way. It may allow you to release your arms and then you extend your arms up and twist toward your front leg. This might help you begin to square off your pelvis, drawing the back hip forward and inviting the front hip to soften back a bit.
Coming out of this pose is important and must be done with care and intelligence. Here are some methods:

if you are very strong and flexible and can easily do hanumanasana with elegant alignment, then try tucking the back toes under and lifting the back thigh so much that your hips lift and your front leg slides back and through taking you into Downward Facing Dog (adho mukha svanasana).

With your hands on blocks, take out the block under your front leg and lower your back knee to the mat. Then step your front knee back to meet your back knee, press your palms down on the mat and from there come into adho mukha svanasana.

Video and Text by Yogamates Featured Teacher: Cyndi Lee

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