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Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation, is a series of poses performed in a sequence to create a flow of movement. Each pose coordinates with your breathing. It warms, strengthens, and aligns the entire body. Executed before the Sun Salutation B.
STANDING MOUNTAIN POSE
Start to stand with your feet hip width apart and aligned with toes spread, weight evenly over the feet, thighs engaged (knee caps up), tail bone tucked under, abdomen in, shoulders rolled back, hands by the sides, chin parallel to the floor.
Modify:
For more challenging sun salutation feet together and toes spread.
Inhale
UPWARD SALUTE – URDHVA HASTASANA
Raise the arms up over the head shoulder width apart.
Modify:
Bring the palms together and look to the thumbs.
Exhale
STANDING FORWARD BEND – UTTANASANA
Swan Dive, bend forwards from the hips, bringing your hands down, relax the neck look to your nose.
Modify:
Straighten the legs and palms on the floor.
Inhale
HALF WAY LIFT – URDHVA UTTANASANA
Lengthen the spine, bring the hands to shins (other option: knees slightly bent), look forwards, open the shoulders.
Modify:
Keep the spine straight and fingertips on the floor.
Exhale
FOUR LIMBED STAFF – CHATURANGA DANDASANA
Jump or step the feet back, bend the elbows keeping them tucked into your sides, lowering the body. Knees stay off the floor
Modify:
If you are not strong enough for the full posture you have two options
– Plank
– Same posture with the knees on the ground, the body should still be in a straight line.
Inhale
UPWARD FACING DOG – URDHVA MUKHA SVANASANA
Point the toes away from the body, lift the chest, knees stay off the ground. Opening the shoulders and looking forward.
Modify:
Cobra – Bhujangasana
If knees are onto the floor, it’s Cobra.
Exhale
DOWNWARD FACING DOG- ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA
Tuck the toes under, lift the hips up, bring the shoulders down and look to the navel (here for 3-5 deep breaths at the last round).
Modify:
. First come onto the knees, then lift up.
. Keep the knees a LITTLE bent to allow you to lengthen through the spine
Inhale
HALF WAY LIFT – URDHVA UTTANASANA
Lengthen the spine, bring the hands to shins (other option: knees slightly bent), look forwards, open the shoulders.
Modify:
Keep the spine straight and fingertips on the floor.
Exhale
STANDING FORWARD BEND – UTTANASANA
Swan Dive, bend forwards from the hips, bringing your hands down, relax the neck look to your nose.
Modify:
Straighten the legs and palms on the floor.
Inhale
UPWARD SALUTE – URDHVA HASTASANA
Raise the arms up over the head shoulder width apart.
Modify:
Bring the palms together and look to the thumbs.
Exhale
MOUNTAIN PRAYER – SAMASTHITI
Straighten the legs, bring the arms to the sides
variation
½ Sun Salutation A is really important in Vinyasa. It’s not an easy flow because it asks for core strength and breath synchronization. An intense class transits over fifteen times in this series. A simple and short routine, the perfect routine to start how to teach the full sun salutations.
DOWNWARD FACING DOG- ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA
Tuck the toes under, lift the hips up, bring the shoulders down and look to the navel, stay here for 5 deep breaths.
Notice that this series can start with any other poses, here we use this pose for example.
Exhale
FOUR LIMBED STAFF – CHATURANGA DANDASANA
Jump or step the feet back, bend the elbows keeping them tucked into your sides, lowering the body. Knees stay off the floor
Modify:
If you are not strong enough for the full posture you have two options
– Plank
– Same posture with the knees on the ground, the body should still be in a straight line.
Inhale
UPWARD FACING DOG – URDHVA MUKHA SVANASANA
Point the toes away from the body, lift the chest, knees stay off the ground. Opening the shoulders and looking forward.
Modify:
Cobra – Bhujangasana
If knees are onto the floor, it’s Cobra.
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Nancy M.Sc, ERYT-500
I love connecting with great yogis. Being inspired by the teachings of renowned yogis, my passion for sharing the teachings of ancient science within modern practice is absolutely stunning.
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