Half Splits Pose

Ardha Hanumanasana (Half Splits Pose) is a preparatory pose for Hanumanasana (Front Splits Pose), and can also be practiced to open the hips and lengthen the hamstrings.
The practice of Ardha Hanumanasana (Half Splits Pose) can be part of beginner yoga sequences for students who have tight hips, lower back, hamstrings, psoas muscles, and IT band. With the gentle stretch and forward bend this pose can also help with reducing tightness with piriformis muscles.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Pose Detail
- Difficulty: Beginners
- Joint Mobility Direction: Longitudinal Stretch
- Poses According To Their Functions: Physical Training
- Poses for Your Legs Flexibility: Poses for Your Ankles Flexibility, Poses for Your Hips Flexibility, Poses for Your Knees Flexibility
Benefits and Contraindications
Stretches the hamstrings, quads, groins and hip flexors
Strengthens the core muscles
Can help to prevent lower body injury
Hamstring, groin, low back injury
Photo poses in different angles

Tips
Rather than rounding the spine and curling the shoulders in an effort to bring the torso closer to the extended leg, focus on finding the stretch in the hamstring by lengthening the spine and reaching the chest forward toward the toes.
If it feels challenging to have the hands down on the ground, try walking the hands closer toward your body, or elevating the hands on blocks, which will decrease the intensity of the stretch.
Often, the hip on the straight leg side will pull forward and the hip on the bent knee side will pull back. As you hold this pose, bring your attention into your hips, and find the action of drawing the hip on the straight leg side back, and the hip on the bent knee side forward until the hips are square.
If there is any discomfort in the back knee, try folding the long edge of your mat over or tucking a blanket or towel under the knee for added support.
- Splits Pose
- Low Lunge Back Leg Raised Splits Pose Prep
- Splits Pose Hands Blocks Front Leg Wheel
- Monkey Pose Forward Bend Bound Hands
- Monkey Pose Forward Bend
- Standing Splits Variation
- Revolved Half Splits Pose Variation
- Half Splits Pose Airplane Arms
- Half Splits Pose Wheel
- Revolved Half Splits Pose
- Standing Splits Pose Aerial
- Low Lunge Pose
- Crescent Low Lunge Pose Variation Knee On Floor
- Lunge Pose Hands To Knee
- Downward Facing Dong Pose
- Low Lunge Pose
- Splits Pose