Personal Practice Notes: This week I have been mainly... doing banana pose.
What is Banana Pose?
It might sound totally made up in comparison to some of the other, more 'yogary' sounding pose names, but Banana Pose or Bananasana (just writing that gives me cross eyes) is one of my all time favourite yoga postures.
I'm not sure if there actually is a Sanskrit name for it as it forms part of the stable of Yin Yoga positions taught by the originators of the modern Yin Yoga movement. It's called Banana pose because one takes on the same kind of curve as a banana when in the position.
How do you practice Banana Pose?
Banana Pose is a supine yoga posture (ie lying down on your back). With legs stretched out long and arms alongside your body, shuffle slightly to one side of your mat. Then take your foot (on the side there's more space) over to the bottom corner of the mat. Take the other foot and hook it over the top of the opposite ankle. This is already Banana Pose.
If you like, you can bring your arms into Banana Pose too, although it's not necessary if it doesn't feel right for any reason. You can either take your arms up over your head and grab opposite forearms or elbows (I struggle with elbows in this position, my arms are short!) OR fully extend the arm on the same side as the foot that's on the top then grab that wrist with the other hand over your head. Try to release as much tension from the body as possible, let go of anything you really don't need to hold on to.
Hold the pose for up to 5 minutes or as long as is comfortable. Then slowly and softly settle back into a neutral even lying down position in the centre of the mat. Hold this for a minute or so and notice anything that feels different or interesting. Then do the whole thing again on the other side.
What are the benefits of Banana Pose?
Banana Pose is really great for stretching the lateral (ie side) muscles of the body. Think about how often you might bend forward during a day- but most of us rarely bend to the side. We have a lateral line of tension along the body made up of muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia (stretchy connective tissue) which needs to be reasonably well stretched as well as worked in order to keep us in balance and healthy working order. Practicing Banana Pose helps to keep the lateral line moving and staves off and sometimes even relieves issues such as neck, hip and back pain which may be caused by uneven movement or loading of the body (e.g. carrying a bag or a child habitually on one side or overuse of a dominant side in sports).
As a long-held yin supine pose, Banana Pose is also great for grounding (getting connected with that which supports us), mindfulness and mind-body connection as you notice how the sensations you experience change throughout holding the posture and beyond into the 'rebound' or resetting posture in between sides. This means it can be a fantastic stress reliever; getting you out of your head and into your body whilst also serving as a reminder that sensations and situations are always subject to change.
What do you notice in Banana Pose?
Most people will notice some level of stretch up the lateral line- that is from the ankle to the knee, knee to the hip, hip to the side ribs, ribs to the armpit and then from the armpit to the wrist. There might be particular points along this line that you really notice the stretching sensation (often the hip, rib and armpit for me) and others where you barely notice anything. If the sensations become too strong you can always adjust your banana to be a little straighter and or release your arms back down by your sides. Yoga is not an endurance event, make it work for where your body is at.
If you don't notice much sensation, don't worry. This could change as you hold the pose for time, or you might just be particularly flexible or warmed up. You can always make your banana shape more curved if necessary, and or really pull your attention inwards towards what's going on in your body so that you are able to notice even the smallest sensations.
There's also usually one side of the body which is more open and flexible (we all do things asymmetrically, e.g. even just having a dominant hand!) so don't worry if you notice that your banana is not the same on each side. Work with what you've got and be curious.
When should you practice Banana Pose?
Banana Pose is one of those really handy poses that is perfect for the beginning and the end of a yoga asana practice. It's easy to adjust how 'deeply' you practice the pose by deciding how straight or curvy your banana shape should be at that point. So you can tune it in to softly warm up or cool/calm down the body as appropriate.
It's also a pose that can easily be practiced in bed, before or after sleep. On waking up it helps to gently stretch and wake up your body; on going to bed it will give you the chance to focus inwards and pay attention to your body whilst slowing the body and mind down ready for sleep.
Is there anybody who shouldn't practice Banana Pose?
Not really! Folks with hip or knee problems (including joint hypermobility) or lower back issues should exercise caution when entering and exiting banana pose but as long as there is a comfortable and functional range of movement being used there's no reason not to do the pose.
If you've recently strained an intercostal muscle (ouch!) or have rotator cuff issues I'd recommend simply doing banana legs and not the arms option.
What are the alternatives or modifications for Banana Pose?
If you want to try extending your arms in Banana Pose but they end up floating above the floor/mat, you can support them with a yoga brick, a cushion or a rolled up blanket. Make sure they are comfortably supported, as said above it's not an endurance event!
For more support you can place a cushion or folded blanket under your head and neck, and if holding the hook of your ankles starts to create tension, you can place a cushion or folded blanket between them too.
Alternative poses I like to do to stretch the lateral line of the body include lying sideways over a yoga bolster with the option of extending the top arm overhead to rest on a block, which can also be practiced as a restorative yoga pose, or a standing half moon pose which is basically a standing lateral stretch. With the latter you can't really hold it over time so it tends to focus more on muscle strength than stretching, but a great option is to inhale up then exhale whilst stretching to the side.
Want to experience the benefits of Banana Pose in a regular yoga practice? You can sign up to practice with me online or in person now via the booking page button below.
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