Hanumanasana

Western Physiology

Hanumanasana has a therapeutic effect on physical health.

• Hanumanasana stretches and strengthens the muscles:
  • This pose helps improve muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility (G. Kalpana & Department, 2020).
  • It helps in toning the muscles of the leg.
  • This pose helps prevent leg and hip injury (Balayogi Bhavanani, Ananda Dr., Bhavanani, 2001).
  • It helps in relaxing and strengthening the abductor muscles of the thighs.
  • It keeps the legs in good and fit condition and is a recommended pose for runners and sprinters.
  • Regular practice of this pose in tandem with others may benefit patients with peptic ulcer (Jogdand, 2000).

• Other therapeutic effects of Hanumanasana include but are not limited to:
  • It helps in relieving the symptoms of mild sciatica.
  • This pose, amongst others, benefits the cardiovascular system. It can decrease systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate (Satyanarayana, 2013).
  • This pose, in combination with others, can reduce BMI. (Satyanarayana, 2013).

Yogic Physiology

This posture works the marma points that correspond with the lymph nodes of the hips and armpits. In both locations, the four marma points are called Lohitaksha and massage the lymph and assist in circulation. The posture also works vyana vayu (circulation of prana to the legs and arms) and apana vayu (the downward movement of prana).

Chinese Medicine

The arms and corresponding heart meridian lines are engaged in full posture with the arms lifted. The kidney and bladder meridians on the back of the legs are also stretched in this posture.

Contradictions and Cautions

Individuals suffering from groyne or hamstring injuries should avoid this pose. Be very careful with your knees. Bend them if needed. To avoid straining tendons and ligaments of knee and hamstring, pull the heels back towards the sit bones to resist your full range. This eventually will develop hamstring extensibility and better range in the longer term.
If you have mild sciatica and still wish to perform the pose, note how it feels to point the front toes (tha-pada bandha) instead of dorsiflex the front foot (ha-pada bandha). This is similar to milking the nerve or flossing the nerve, which can also be performed in the front leg whilst performing the pose for the advanced practitioner.

Preparatory Asanas

• Baddha Konasana
• Janu Sirsasana
• Paschimottanasana
• Prasarita Padottanasana
• Supta Virasana
• Supta Baddha Konasana
• Supta Padangusthasana
• Upavistha Konasana
• Urdhva Prasarita Padasana
• Uttanasana
• Virasana

Follow up Asanas

• Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
• Natarajasana
• Paschimottanasana
• Upavistha Konasana

Tips for Beginners

To increase the length of the torso and spine, press the back foot actively into the floor with the little toe and, from this pressure, lift the shoulder blades firmly into your back and lift both sides of the torso from the hips.

Variations

From the position described in step 4 above, lean your torso forward, bend over your front leg and hold your foot with your hands. Hold for 10-15 seconds, then come up on an inhalation.

Modifications and Props

Students just beginning to learn this pose are often unable to get the legs and pelvis down to the floor, which is usually due to some restriction in the backs of the legs or front groins. While in the starting leg position (as described in step 1 above), place a thick bolster below the pelvis (with its long axis parallel to your inner legs). Straightening your legs, slowly lower your pelvis onto the bolster. Add a tightly folded blanket or a second bolster if the bolster is not thick enough to support the pelvis comfortably.

Deepen the Asana

The arms are raised overhead from the movement of the lower back ribs. Pull your back ribs away from the top of your pelvis and use this to bring your arms closer to the ceiling. Lengthen along the backs of the arms, stretching your little fingers closer to the ceiling than the index fingers. Then, pin the fingertips against the ceiling and release or “hang” the ribs from the arms. Yo-yo the ribs between the arms and the pelvis: relative to the pelvis, the ribs lift, boosting the arms closer to the ceiling; relative to the arms, the ribs drop toward the floor, increasing the deep stretch in the armpits and pressure on lymph nodes under the arms. This pose will also increase the squeezing pressure on the lymph nodes in the hips and is therefore wonderful for the lymphatic system and flow of lymph.