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Monkey Pose

Monkey Pose is the yoga front splits, demanding deep length in the front-leg hamstring and the back-leg quad and hip flexor simultaneously. It is a long-term goal pose that rewards patient, warm, blocked-up practice rather than force. Always slide down on props and keep the hips square to the front.

Equipment
Yoga Block
Body part
Hamstring, Quads
Type
Stretching, Yoga
Muscles worked
Target
Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, Rectus Femoris
Secondary
Gluteus Maximus, Adductor Longus
Tertiary
Vastus Lateralis

How to do it

  1. 1

    From a low lunge, straighten the front leg and flex the foot toward the shin.

  2. 2

    Slide the front heel forward and the back knee back with control.

  3. 3

    Support the hips on blocks under the sit bones as you descend.

  4. 4

    Keep the hips square and level, facing the front of the mat.

  5. 5

    Lower only to the depth where the legs stay long and the pelvis stays even.

  6. 6

    Breathe steadily, then press up and switch which leg is forward.

Tips

  • Always rest the hips on blocks and lower gradually over many sessions.
  • Square the hips toward the front so the stretch loads evenly, not into one knee.
  • Warm the hamstrings and hip flexors fully first; never bounce toward the floor.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The back hip rotates open so those toes point out to the side, which lets you drop lower while the hip flexor you came for gets nothing; turn that thigh down until the kneecap faces the floor.
  • The front knee pushes back past straight as the heel slides forward, which puts the pull behind the joint rather than in the hamstring; keep a hair of bend in it.
  • The hands carry most of the weight so the hips hover above the blocks, and the legs never get the signal to let go; let the blocks take the load and use the hands only for balance.
  • Dragging the front leg back under a loaded hamstring is where the strain usually happens; press the hands down, lift onto the blocks, then step the back foot in first.
  • The chest drops toward the front knee to manufacture more sensation, which rounds the spine and hides the fact that the legs have stopped moving.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold Monkey Pose, and how do you know you are ready?
Thirty to sixty seconds per side at whatever depth the blocks allow, one or two rounds each, at the end of a session in which the legs have already worked, two or three times a week. Before sliding toward the floor, you should be able to hold a half split with a flat back and a half-kneeling hip flexor stretch with the pelvis square, and fold forward standing with the hands reaching the floor. Progress by removing block height, not by dropping lower on the same height.
What can I use instead of yoga blocks for Monkey Pose?
A stack of thick books with a folded towel on top, a low stool, a firm sofa cushion, or two or three folded blankets all hold the sit bones well enough. The support has to be firm, because anything that sinks lets the hips drop further than the legs agreed to. Take away one book or one blanket fold at a time across months. Without any support at all, keep the back knee down and work the half split instead; descending unsupported is how hamstring attachments get injured.
Who is Monkey Pose for, and when should you leave it alone?
It is the yoga route to front splits, asking the front-leg hamstring and the back-leg quadriceps and hip flexor for length at the same moment, which suits dancers, martial artists and anyone with a splits goal. Leave it alone while a hamstring or groin is still healing, since the tissue is at end range with your bodyweight on it. It is also a poor opener for a session: a deep passive hold leaves the legs slack for the sprinting or lifting that follows.

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