Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation is a sequence of 12 powerful yoga poses. Besides being a great cardiovascular workout, Surya Namaskar is also known to have an immensely positive impact on your body and mind. Surya Namaskar can be best done in the early morning on an empty stomach. Each round of Sun Salutation comprises of two sets, and each set is composed of 12 yoga poses.
You might find several versions on how to practice Sun Salutation. However, it is best advised to stick to one particular version and practice it regularly for the best results.
Surya Namaskar also has a repute of providing an opportunity to express gratitude to the sun for sustaining life on this planet.
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Incredible benefits of Surya Namaskar:
- Helps maintain cardiovascular health
- Stimulates the nervous system
- Helps in stretching, flexing and toning the muscles
- An excellent exercise for weight loss management
- Strengthens the immune system
- Enhances cognitive functions
- Improves overall health, strengthens the body and relaxes the mind
Steps to do Surya Namaskar:
Step 1. Prayer pose
Stand at the edge of your mat, keep your feet together and balance your weight equally on both the feet. Relax your shoulders while expanding your chest. As you breathe in, lift both of your arms up from the sides, and as you exhale, bring your palms together in front of the chest and stand in prayer position.
Step 2. Raised arms pose
Breathing in, lift your 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.
Step 3. Standing forward bend
Breathe out, bend forward from the waist keeping your spine erect. As you exhale completely, bring the hands down to the floor besides your feet.
Step 4. Equestrian pose
Breathing in, push your right leg back, as far back as possible. Bring the right knee to the floor and lookup.
Step 5. Stick pose
As you breathe in, take the left leg back and bring the whole body in a straight line.
Step 6. Salute with eight parts or 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) should touch the floor.
Step 7. Cobra pose
Slide forward and raise the chest up into the Cobra pose. You may keep your elbows bent in this pose with the shoulders away from the ears. Look up at the ceiling.
Step 8. Downward facing dog pose
Breathing out, lift the hips and the tailbone up to bring the body into an inverted ‘V’ pose.
Step 9. Equestrian pose
Breathing in, bring the right foot forward in between the two hands. The left knee goes down on the floor. Press the hips down and lookup.
Step 10. Standing forward bend
Sun Salutation yoga. Breathing out, bring the left foot forward. Keep the palms on the floor. You may bend the knees, if necessary.
