Asana Form: Dissecting the Pose

1. What is the name of the pose in Sanskrit and English?

Splits Pose
Hanumanasana

2. What are the anatomic and energetic benefits of the pose?

1. Stretches the leg muscles, strengthening and toning them. The lengthening of the leg muscles also
helps to bring stability in the hips.
2. Better circulation of blood in the hip girdle and the legs. There is fresh flow of blood towards the legs
right after being released from the posture, and this helps in rejuvenating the muscles, tissues, ligaments
and tendons.
3. In most seated poses the weight of the body is on the hips and the sit bones, but in Hanumanasana
(Splits Pose) it is on the pelvic girdle, engaging the pelvic floor muscles. Thus, it works on strengthening
these muscles, improving blood supply, the coccygeal region (tailbone) is stretched which helps since it
connects to perineum and the spine.
4. With the stretch in the groin area, groin muscles, psoas muscles, and abdominal muscles are
strengthened helping in keeping the hips stable.
5. With the practice of Splits Pose, there is scope for bringing balance and stability to the hips and pelvic
girdle. With the opposite movement of the hip flexors and the legs, students can learn to neutralize the
rotation of the hips. With better hip stability, mastering advance poses that require deeper hip opening
can be achieved.
6. Awareness and Alignment plays an important role with the practice of Hanumanasana (Splits Pose). With
the awareness, students should work on the alignment of the body to ensure achieving the best from
the practice as well as avoid injury. Hence, for perfect alignment, using blocks where needed, should be
encouraged.
7. The practice of Hanumanasana teaches students to be patient along with endurance. Since it is a
challenging pose most students would give up going further and may not even come back to this
practice. But being patient, understanding the requirements of the body strength, going step-by-step
into the practice are all essential to master this posture. But it is believed that if students master this
posture they should learn to let go and practice meditation seated here, taking the practice towards the
spiritual level.

3. What, if any, are safety concerns with this pose? What instructions can you offer
your students to to reduce the risk of injury?

1. Students having issues with the hips, hamstrings, pelvic floor muscles, knees, ankles, neck
or lower back should take it easy if these issues are related to either an injury of the
above mentioned areas or having general tightness of the same.
2. Forward bends are good for the lower back and the abdominal area, but if one is
suffering from a slip disc, or any injury to the internal organs, then, it is a
contraindication, hence best to avoid.
3. As a support for students with tight hamstrings and lower back muscles, or by women
during their pregnancy the use of a block at Ardha Hanumanasana Block (Half Splits Pose
 Block) can be encouraged, before the practice of Ardha Hanumanasana (Half Splits Pose).
4. Students suffering from blood pressure should take in easy and practice the same under
the guidance of a yoga teacher.
5. Students of course recovering from an injury of the joints of the coccygeal (tailbone),
hips, pelvis, knees, ankles, should avoid this practice.
6. Pregnant women should avoid this practice, since it puts pressure to the groin, pelvis, and
abdomen. It can also lead to varicose vein in the groin, and legs.
7. Split Pose should not be practiced right after a run, or a sporting event that involves the
leg muscles. Care should be taken by runners to avoid overstretching of the leg muscles
and hence this pose is not a great way to relax the leg muscles as part of cooling down.

4. What common alignment issues have you seen in this pose or do you think you
might see? Anatomically speaking, what could cause the alignment issue(s) (tightness
in muscles, muscle weakness, instability, skeletal issues, etc)? Try to be specific.

Posture problem:
Uneven pelvis level.

Muscle weakness:
Can’t extend both legs to opposite directions.

Flexibility:
Easy to force to overstretch the legs.

5. In what ways does the pose require strength? And in what ways does the pose require
flexibility? What are a couple of ways to strengthen and stretch those areas in simpler
poses to prepare for the peak pose.
The hips and hamstrings of back leg require strength. The Psoas, Quadricep of back leg
require flexibility. The front leg is opposite to back leg. Half Splits Pose Ardha
Hanumanasana, Low Lunge Back Leg Raised Splits Pose Prep Anjaneyasana Back Leg Raised
Hanumanasana Prep can prepare for the peak pose.