Surya Namaskara with Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose)

Hanumanasana (monkey pose)

If you’ve attended a yoga class with me, you would have noted that Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) is an integral part of the routine that we practice. Typically, we practice three rounds of Surya Namaskar. In the first round, we go through the basic sequence which has the classic 12 movements. In the second and third round, we add some variations to many of the movements. For example, in the second round some of the common poses that we practice include warrior 1, warrior 2, triangle pose, pigeon pose etc. In the third round, we usually practice the upward facing dog and also occasionally some twisting variations from the lunge position.

In today’s post, I am presenting the sequence of three rounds of Sun Salutation with the Hanumanasana (monkey pose) integrated into the second round. The Hanumanasana is one of the most recommended poses for stretching the hamstring area. I hope you will enjoy practicing with the video.

Step-by-step

Round 1

1. Stand close to the top of the mat with the feet together or slightly apart but parallel to each other. As you exhale, bring the palms together in the prayer position in front of your chest.
2. Inhaling, stretch your arms out in front, raise them up and arch back from the waist, pushing the hips out, legs straight. Relax your neck.
3. Exhaling, fold forward, keeping the arms alongside the ears initially. In the final position, drop the hands to get close to the toes. Try to keep the knees straight, bending slightly if necessary.
4. Inhaling, bring the left leg back into the lunge position, sliding the foot as far back as comfortable and place the knee on the floor. Arch back and look up, lifting your chest and chin.


Adhomukha-shvanasana (Down Dog)

5. Exhaling, bring the other leg back. Lift your buttocks up, coming into an inverted "V" shape called the Adhomukha Shvanasana or Downward Facing Dog. Try to push the thighs back, heels and forehead down, tailbone lifted up and keep your shoulders back.
6. Exhaling, lower the knees, chest and the chin to the floor, keeping your buttocks lifted up. This is called the "ashtanga mudra" (the gesture with eight limbs on the floor).
7. Inhaling, lower the abdomen to the floor and slowly begin to lift your head, neck and chest to get into the Bhujangasana or Cobra pose. In the first round we try to lift the palms off the floor, using the upper body strength to lift the chest higher, if comfortable. Keep the shoulders rolled back.
8. Exhaling, place the palms down, curl your toes under, lift the buttocks up to get back to the downward facing dog. Try to push your heels and forehead down and keep your shoulders back (same as position 5).
9. Inhaling, lift the head up, bring the left foot forward and place it between your hands. Rest the other knee on the floor and look up, as in position 4.
10. Exhaling, bring the other leg forward and bend down from the waist with th knees stretched straight. This is called Uttanasana (standing forward bending pose).
11. Inhaling, stretch your arms in front against the ears, lift them up and back overhead and bend back slowly from the waist, as in position 2.
12. Exhaling, gently come back to an upright position and bring your arms down by your sides. Relax for a few breaths before proceeding with the next round.

Round 2

Hanumanasana (monkey Pose)-1

In the second round we will integrate the Hanumanasana (monkey pose)) into the sequence. The Hanumanasana involves a deep and intense stretch for the hamstring area. As such, you need to be extra cautious in not over-stretching at any time.

Step-by-step

1. Stand close to the top of the mat with the feet together or slightly apart but parallel to each other. As you exhale, bring your hands in the prayer position in front of your chest.
2. Inhaling, bring the arms to the side and then begin to raise them up and arch back from the waist. Pull the hands up and push the arms back behind the ears. We’ll deepen the stretch by pressing the feet firmly into the ground, pushing the buttocks and thighs forward, keeping legs straight. Relax your neck.
3. Exhaling, release the hands down and begin to bend forward. This time bring the hands behind the back, interlock the fingers and lift the hands up toward the ceiling when you inhale. When you exhale, make a gentle effort to drop the chest to close the gap with the thighs. Stay in this position for two extra breaths.
4. Inhaling, bend the knees, place the palms on the floor right next to the feet. This time bring the right leg back. Stretch the right leg back and place the right knee down. This is where we’ll integrate the practice of Hanumanasana (monkey pose) into the routine.
5. Now, begin to slide the left foot in front toward the top edge of the mat. This offers a great stretch for the hamstring and the entire backside of the leg. The intention is to keep the leg straight in front and increase the gap between the two feet while trying to drop the buttocks closer to the floor.
6. In order to deepen the stretch further, you may attempt to drop the chest closer to the thigh in front, being careful not to over-stretch.
7. Lift the head up and slowly and carefully slide the left foot all the way back to join the right foot. Lift the buttocks up to get into the downward facing dog (adho-mukha shvanasana). Try to push the thighs back, heels and forehead down, tailbone lifted up and keep your shoulders back.
8. Exhaling, lower your knees to the floor and this time push the buttocks all the way back close to the heels in the child pose (Balasana). Keep the forehead on the floor and start walking your hands out in front.
9. Inhaling, keeping the hands where they are, begin to slide the body forward, keeping the forehead close to the floor. Slowly begin to lift your head, neck and chest up to get into the Bhujangasana or Cobra pose. Keeping the navel on the floor, lift the chest up as high as comfortable, legs together, elbows tucked in close to the body and shoulders rolled back. Stay in Bhujangasana for about 3-4 breaths.
10. Exhaling, curl your toes under, lift the buttocks up to get back to the downward facing dog. Try to push your heels and forehead down and keep your shoulders back, lifting your buttocks up.
11. Lifting the head up, bring the right foot forward and try to place it between the palms. Place the left knee down. We will repeat the Hanumanasana on this side.
12. Now, begin to slide the right foot in front toward the top edge of the mat. This offers a great stretch for the hamstring and the entire backside of the leg. The intention is to keep the leg in front straight and increase the gap between the two feet while trying to drop the buttocks closer to the floor.
13. In order to deepen the stretch further, you may attempt to drop the chest closer to the thigh in front, being careful not to over-stretch.
14. Slowly and carefully bring the right foot back between the palms. Lifting the back foot up, bring it up between the palms. Straighten the knees and get into the standing forward bending pose called Uttanasana by dropping the hands close to the toes and the chest close to the thighs.
15. Inhaling, stretch your arms out to the side, bring them up and back overhead and bend back slowly from the waist.
16. Exhaling, gently come back to an upright position and bring your arms down by your sides. Relax for a few breaths before proceeding with the next round.

Round 3

1. Stand close to the top of the mat with the feet together or slightly apart but parallel to each other. As you exhale, bring your hands in the prayer position in front of your chest.

Plank Pose
2. Inhaling, stretch your arms out in front, raise them up and arch back from the waist, pushing the hips out, legs straight. Relax your neck.
3. Exhaling, fold forward, keeping the arms alongside the ears initially. In the final position, drop the hands to get close to the toes. Try to keep the knees straight, bending slightly if necessary.
4. Inhaling, bring the left leg back into the lunge position, sliding the foot as far back as comfortable. This time we’ll keep the back leg very straight. Try to push the heel back and lift the left thigh upward to keep the back leg straight and strong. Try to keep the buttocks down and chest up.
5. Exhaling, bring the other leg back. This time we’ll get into the plank position. Roll the shoulders forward so the shoulders are vertically above the palms. In the plank position, the heels, buttocks, shoulders and the neck are in a straight line. Try to keep the heels pushed back. Maintain the pose for a comfortable duration.
6. Exhaling, lower your knees, chest and the chin to the floor, keeping your buttocks lifted up.

Urdhvamukha-shvanasana (Up Dog)
7. Inhaling, lower your abdomen to the floor and slowly begin to lift your head, neck and chest up. Keep the toes pointing backward with the top of the feet on the ground. To get into the upward facing dog, we’ll try to press down with the top of the feet and then slowly lift the knees off the floor, if comfortable. While lifting the knees up, we want to keep the thighs pressing downward. Try to keep the shoulders vertically above the hands. Stay in the pose for a few moments.
8. Exhaling, curl your toes under, lift the buttocks up to get back to the downward facing dog. Try to push your heels and forehead down and keep your shoulders back.
9. Inhaling, lift the head up, bring the left foot forward and place it between your hands. Keep the right leg straight behind you. Try to push the heel back and lift the right thigh upward to keep the back leg straight and strong.
10. Exhaling, bring the other leg forward and bend down from the waist with th knees stretched straight. This is the Uttanasana (standing forward bending pose).
11. Inhaling, stretch your arms forward, up and back overhead and bend back slowly from the waist, as in position 1.
12. Exhaling, gently come back to an upright position and bring your arms down by your sides. Relax for a few breaths.

Is Sun Salutation part of your own yoga sequence? If so, please share your practice and the experience with the practice. I would love to get your feedback or comments on the sequence presented here.