Surya Namaskar or the salutation of the sun is one of the most popular yoga poses practiced across the world. No wonder stars like Jennifer Aniston, Victoria Beckham and Kareena Kapoor are endorsing it across the globe. It can do wonders to your body which months of dieting cannot.
It’s a series of 12 fixed poses which can have immediate effect not only on your body and posture but also on your well-being Those with a heart condition, slip-disk or arthritis should consult a doctor before starting with the routine.
With the surging popularity of the surya namaskar, everyone wants to adopt it in their lifestyle. However kick-starting your fitness regime with them is certainly not the best things to do for starters. You need to stretch your muscles a bit before starting off with them. Try starting off with some warm-up exercises before you start off with them.
Where to do? You can do it anywhere on a bare floor or on grass. You do not need a Yoga mat for doing this.
Posture #1 Namaskar
Stand straight and fold your hands in a prayer close to your chest. Both your feet should touch each other.
Breathing– Normal breathing
Benefits– Improves balance and stimulates respiratory system. It also exercise shoulder, back and neck muscles.
Posture #2 Ardha Chandrasana
Breathe in and raise your arms in the air and bend backwards forming an arch. This posture strengthens your spine.
Breathing– Inhale
Benefits– Improves digestion and flexibility of spine and hips.
Posture #3 Padangusthasana
Exhale and bend forward to touch your feet with your palms. Your forehead should be touching your knees. It is imperative to keep your knees straight in this position.
Breathing– Exhale
Benefits– It helps in melting the excess fat around your waist and improves digestion.
Posture #4 Surya Darshan
Inhale and take a step backward to move your right foot away from your body. Both your hands should be firmly place on the floor, left foot between your hands and head facing the sky.
Breathing– Inhale
Benefits– This step improves the flexibility of the spine and leg muscles. It also improves the immunity of our body.
Posture #5 Purvottasana
Inhale and with your hands placed firmly on the ground, move your left foot parallel to the right.
Breathing– Inhale
Benefits– Improves blood circulation strengthens your heart and arm muscles.
Posture #6 Adho Mukha Svanasana
Exhale and push your hips and butt towards the ceiling forming an upward arch. You should see your navel keeping your arms straight and aligned with your head.
Breathing– Exhale
Benefits– Increases the strength of arm and leg muscles and improves flexibility of your neck and shoulders.
Posture #7 Sashtang Dandawat
Exhale to lower your body down so that your butt is tilted up and your forehead, chest, hands, feet and knees are on the floor. Take a normal breath.
Breathing– exhale and then normal breathing
Benefits– Improves blood circulation to abdominal organs, stretches your body and improves the flexibility of the spine
Posture #8 Bhujangasana
Inhale and move your head forward to face the ceiling forming an arch with your spine.
Breathing– Inhale
Benefits– Exercises the spine
Posture #9 Adho Mukha Svanasana
Exhale to repeat step #6 by pushing your hips and butt towards the ceiling forming an upward arch.
Breathing-Exhale
Benefits– Improves blood circulation and strengthens heart and muscles of the arm
Posture #10 Surya Darshan
Take a deep inhalation to being your left foot forward towards your body. Both your hands should be on the floor.
Breathing– Inhale
Benefits– This step improves the flexibility of the spine and leg muscles. It also improves the immunity of our body.
Posture #11 Padangusthasana
Exhale to rise up and touch the mat with your hands. Keep your knees straight so that your forehead is touching them.
Breathing- Exhale
Benefits- It helps in melting the excess fat around your waist and improves digestion.
Posture # 12 Ardha Chandrasana
Inhale and tilt backwards by raising your arms up in the air.
Breathing– inhale
Benefits– Improves digestion and flexibility of spine and hips.
Posture #13 Namaskar
Return to Step #1, hands closed in a prayer position with both feet touching each other.
Breathing- Normal breathing
Benefits- Improves balance and stimulates respiratory system. It also exercise shoulder, back and neck muscles.
