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Split practice or Hanumanasana or the monkey pose is said to be a challenging yoga pose that requires flexibility in the hips, hamstrings, glutes, and quads. However, before you manage to do a full split, you will have to a variety of stretches and yoga asanas that help loosen up the body. For performing a full split, one needs to work majorly on their hamstrings, which are usually tight owing to sedentary lifestyles. As a matter of fact, hamstring flexibility plays an essential role in performing the full split.

 

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Here’s why you should try the posture

 

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Helps in your daily activities

It is a great exercise for hamstrings and quadriceps, which is useful for those who ride a bike, runners and people who walk longer distances as it eases the muscles..

Increases flexibility of joints

It opens the hip flexors, which are essential for increasing the full movement potential of a joint.

Deepens body awareness

Alignment is one of the challenges that one is likely to encounter in this pose. But if practiced diligently over a period of time, it helps develop body awareness as it focuses on every muscle in the body.

Helps develop patience and perseverance

As this pose takes a lot of time to master, it helps one develop patience and perseverance over time.

Strengthens the muscles of the pelvic floor and abdomen

Since it stretches hamstrings, groin, and hip flexors, it is an effective exercises that works on the abdominal muscles.

Pro tip:

In Hanumanasana, it is critical to keep the muscles actively engaged. When practicing, be sure to keep the spine as long and comfortable as possible. A tip: Use the back foot to press actively into the floor. As your back leg engages, feel the shoulder blades firm against the spine, which will lengthen both the front and back of your torso.

If you have hamstring or groin injury, avoid the practice.

Here’s how to practice it

*Start by kneeling on the floor and then put your right foot forward. Draw the outer muscles of the right thigh back.
*Press the tips of your fingers into the floor, and slide your left knee back. Straighten your right leg forward, flexing your toes up toward the sky.
*Engage the legs by pressing through your right heel so that it points directly towards the sky. Allow the pelvis to lower down closer to the floor or onto a bolster.
*Once you feel stable, bring your hands into anjali mudra (hands at heart center) or straight overhead.
*Hold the posture for up to 60 seconds before releasing back to kneeling. Change front and back leg to repeat on the other side.