“YOGA, AN ANCIENT BUT PERFECT SCIENCE, DEALS WITH THE EVOLUTION OF HUMANITY. THIS EVOLUTION INCLUDES ALL ASPECTS OF ONE’S BEING, FROM BODILY HEALTH TO SELF-REALIZATION. YOGA MEANS UNION THE UNION OF BODY -WITH CONSCIOUSNESS AND CONSCIOUSNESS WITH THE SOUL. YOGA CULTIVATES THE WAYS OF MAINTAINING A BALANCED ATTITUDE IN DAY-TO-DAY LIFE AND ENDOWS SKILL IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ONE’S ACTIONS”
â BKS IYENGAR
Sun Salutations have been considered an integral and fundamental piece of the yoga practice. If there are no other asanas you practice, let Surya Namaskar be the one you stick with. The full sequence of sun salutations moves the body through all the necessary movements to open the body up and stay consistent with the practice. Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) are also relatively simple in nature and can be practiced by someone at any skill level. Learning the repetition of sun salutations will help lay the groundwork for a lifelong, fruitful yoga practice.
In this article, we’ll break down sun salutations the way they’re done at YogaRenew. We hope to see you on your mat!
Surya Namaskar A Breakdown
Let’s outline the order of the sun salutation graphic you see. In order from left to right, cueing the breaths, it goes like this:
Begin in Mountain Pose, grounding down through the feet. You can have your hands in a prayer at heart center or down by side your side with palms energizing forward.
Repeat Left + Right Side (2xs)
- INHALE: Reach your arms up overhead for Urdhva Hastasana (upward facing hands)
- EXHALE:Â Fold forward and down over your legs for Uttanasana (forward fold)
- INHALE:Â Plant your palms, step your right leg back (low lunge)
- EXHALE:Â Downward facing dog
- INHALE:Â Come forward to plank
- EXHALE:Â Lower all the way down to your belly
- INHALE:Â Lift your chest for cobra pose
- EXHALE:Â Lower down and press back into downward facing dog
- INHALE:Â Lift your right leg up high
- EXHALE:Â Step it in between your hands
- INHALE:Â Look forward and lengthen
- EXHALE:Â Step forward and fold (Uttanasana)
- INHALE:Â Reach your arms up overhead
- EXHALE:Â Fold down over your legs
- INHALE: Plant your palms, step your left leg back (low lunge)
- EXHALE:Â Downward facing dog
- INHALE:Â Roll forward to plank pose
- EXHALE:Â Lower all the way down
- INHALE:Â Peel your chest up off the mat for cobra pose
Feel free on the second round of each the right and left leg to cue Chaturanga (lowering halfway down) instead of all the way down to the mat if they’re ready!
On the last round of stepping each leg (right + left) back (low lunge), have them bring their feet closer together in downward facing dog, bend their knees, and jump to the front of their mat (2 times).
Then lastly, after jumping forward two times, have them plant their palms and hop straight back to downward facing dog or Chaturanga Dandasana.
Learn Sun Salutations in This Step by Step Video with Kate Lombardo
YogaRenew Sun Salutations
We hope you learned our way of moving through Sun Salutations. Obviously feel free to adapt them and modify as you see fit! The typical way they are seen is the following: Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), grounding through the feet. Inhale, sweep the arms overhead into Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana). Exhale, fold forward into Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana). Inhale, lift halfway to a flat back (Ardha Uttanasana). Exhale, step or jump back into Plank Pose, then lower through Chaturanga Dandasana. Inhale, lift into Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana), opening the chest. Exhale, press back into Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), and hold for five breaths. To complete, inhale as you step forward and lift halfway, exhale to fold, and inhale to rise back to standing.
Regular practice of Surya Namaskar A boosts flexibility, builds strength, and sets a mindful tone for the dayâmaking it an essential part of any morning yoga routine. Happy practicing!
