Classical Sun Salutation - Surya Namskar

As you begin Yoga, the Classical Sun Salutations are simple and get the body warm.  It is also relatively easy for most.  As you begin these sun salutations, always remember to take extra breath if needed, and in time you will begin to attach breath with movement.  Also, remember to modify anywhere along the way.  I'll add those modifications in each picture explanation.  See Quick Tips below!

To Begin: Stand in Tadasana or Mountain Pose

INHALE: Reaching your arms up and over head

EXHALE: Bring hands in namaste to heart center.

CONTINUE EXHALE - Hinge at hips, engage core as you fold forward

Finish your exhale in Forward Fold - Beginners, please place hands on a block, or hands on shins/knees.

INHALE: step your left leg back.  You are now in a lunge.  Lift your heart forward and lower hips, so ankle, hips and shoulders are in a nice diagonal line.  Bring your gaze forward.  

CONTINUE YOUR INHALE: step your right leg back (you are now in a plank.)

EXHALE: Bring your knees to your mat

CONTINUE EXHALE: Bring chest and chin to the mat. (keep your elbows in at your side.  If you can't bring your chin to the mat, lower as best you can)

INHALE: Cobra Pose

EXHALE: Down Dog (from Cobra, move to your knees or if you have the strength, hips lead you to Down Dog (a reverse push up, AVOID hips sagging below the line of the shoulders)

INHALE: Step the LEFT foot forward - lift heart, engage right quad upward, lower hips slightly, gaze forward

EXHALE: Step the right foot forward to your Forward Fold

INHALE: Reaching arms wide to the sides of you and up to the sky

EXHALE: Bring hands to heart center in Anjali or Namaste Prayer hands at your heart.

A few quick tips about Classical Sun Salutations:

• First always begin seated tuning into your breath.  Begin Ujjayi breath before your practice.  This expands your lungs and prepares you to move fluidly with breath.
• If you linger in each of these postures, very worried about the exactness of it, your breath will be off.  That's ok.  However, I encourage you to work on a specific part of the sun salutation at any time without concern for anything but continuing to breathe deeply.  It takes time to fine tune your Sun Salutations, so in the beginning, it won't look like you want it to.  Let go of the perfection and just move.
• Memorize the movement with the breath, so you aren't shackled to these pictures and can move on your own.
• Once you have this memorized: close your eyes, if needed and just move with breath.

Do you sense a common theme?  Move with breath on your own.  Let go.  Breathe, and feel your body moving. Tune into you.  If pain happens, then adjust.  Grab a chair for balance.  Get up and move your foot forward.  It's ok to adjust for yourself!  Just don't stop.  Greet the Sun each day.  It will fill you and in time you will feel stronger.

Deepak Chopra said that if you do nothing else but Sun Salutations, it is all the workout you need.  It is a full body workout.  

Namaste