SURYA NAMASKAR
YOGA SUN SALUTATION
It’s recommended to find a specialist to guide you through a safe and enjoyable session. :)
A set of 12 powerful yoga asanas (postures) that provide a good cardiovascular workout in a graceful flow. Surya Namaskar is literally translated to sun salutation, these postures are a good way to keep the body in shape and the mind calm and healthy. Surya Namaskar is best done early morning on an empty stomach.
How to do Sun Salutation?
STEP 1. TADASANA (MOUNTAIN POSE)
Expand your chest and relax your shoulders.
As you breathe in, lift both your arms up from the sides and as you exhale, bring your palms together in front of the chest in a prayer position.
STEP 2. URDHVA HASTASANA (RAISED HANDS POSE)
Breathing in, lift the arms up and back, keeping the biceps close to the ears. In this pose, the effort is to stretch the whole body up from the heels to the tips of the fingers.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
You may push the pelvis forward a little bit. Ensure you’re reaching up with the fingers rather than trying to bend backwards.
STEP 3. UTTANASANA (STANDING FORWARD BEND)
Breathing out, bend forward from the waist, keeping the spine erect. As you exhale completely, bring the hands down to the floor, beside the feet.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
You may bend the knees, if necessary, to bring the palms down to the floor. Now make a gentle effort to straighten the knees.
It’s a good idea to keep the hands fixed in this position and not move them until you finish the sequence.
STEP 4. VIRABHADRASANA I (LOW LUNGE POSE)
Breathing in, push your right leg back, as far back as possible. Bring the right knee to the floor and look up.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Ensure that the left foot is exactly in between the palms.
STEP 5. PHALAKASANA (PLANK POSE)
As you breathe in, take the left leg back and bring the whole body in a straight line.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Keep your arms perpendicular to the floor.
STEP 6. CHATURANGA / ASHTANGA NAMASKARA (LOW PLANK / SALUTE WITH EIGHT POINTS)
Gently bring your knees down to the floor and exhale. Take the hips back slightly, slide forward, rest your chest and chin on the floor. Raise your posterior a little bit.
The two hands, two feet, two knees, chest and chin (eight parts of the body touch the floor).
STEP 7. BHUJANGASANA (COBRA POSE)
Slide forward and raise the chest up into the Cobra posture.You may keep your elbows bent in this pose, the shoulders away from the ears. Look up.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
STEP 8. ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA (DOWNWARD DOG POSE)
Breathing out, lift the hips and the tail bone up, chest downwards in an ‘inverted V’ (/) posture.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
If possible, try and keep the heels on the ground and make a gentle effort to lift the tailbone up, going deeper into the stretch.
STEP 9. VIRABHADRASANA I (LOW LUNGE POSE)
Breathing in, bring the right foot forward in between the two hands, left knee down to the floor, press the hips down and look up.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Place the right foot exactly between the two hands and the right calf perpendicular to the floor. In this position, make a gentle effort to push the hips down towards the floor, to deepen the stretch.
STEP 10. UTTANASANA (STANDING FORWARD BEND)
Breathing out, bring the left foot forward. Keep the palms on the floor. You may bend the knees, if necessary.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Gently straighten the knees and if you can, try and touch your nose to the knees. Keep breathing.
STEP 11. URDHVA HASTASANA (RAISED ARMS POSE)
Breathing in, roll the spine up, hands go up and bend backwards a little bit, pushing the hips slightly outward.
How to deepen this yoga stretch?
Ensure that your biceps are beside your ears. The idea is to stretch up more rather than stretch backwards.
STEP 12. TADASANA (MOUNTAIN POSE)
As you exhale, first straighten the body, then bring the arms down. Relax in this position, observe the sensations in your body.
