Sun Salutation, Surya Namaskar in Sanskrit, is a combination of 12 yoga asanas coordinated with breathing in a fluid rhythm.
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| Animation of Sun Salutation |
Benefits:
It is one of the most complete exercises that I know:
- Develops basic physical abilities: strength, endurance, speed, flexibility, coordination and balance.
- Good cardiovascular workout.
- Trains the respiratory muscles and concentration.
Cautions:
- Ask your doctor before doing if you have serious health problems.
- If you feel discomfort or pain, stop the exercise and see if recur again; if so, abandon the practice and try again another day; if repeated, consult a specialist.
- Take special care in the positions 2, 7 and 11. Not bend too much the back and the neck.
Practice:
To learn well the Sun Salutation, here's a short tutorial where I explain step by step. At the end of the post there are two videos for clarity.
Important! Do relaxed, without competing with anyone, without forcing your body and focused on what you do.
1. Beginning (prayer pose). EXHALE
Start from the mountain pose: feet together, body straight and relaxed. Do a great inhalation. When exhale, join palms to chest level and press moderately; chin to chest to stretch neck and adopt a reverent attitude.
2. Raised arms pose. INHALE
Inhaling, fill the lungs well, raising arms and arching slightly the back. Be careful not to bend too much back and neck.
3. Forward fold (padahastasana). EXHALE
As you exhale, release all air stretching your body, without bending your legs. Move from position 2 to 3 looking at hands. Some reach the ground with his hands and some people don't… Don't worry about it, stretch as far as you can without forcing.
4. Step back with left leg lunge (equestrian pose). INHALE
The first round do bringing the left leg back. Look up without taking your hands off the floor. Inhale deeply.
5. Plank. HOLD
Hold the breath with outstretched arms and firm abdomen. Look down. We can start by holding 1 or 2 seconds, and with practice hold 5 or 6 seconds.
6. Eight limbs position. EXHALE
As you exhale, support knees on the floor, bend your arms and slide forward, resting your chest and chin on the floor.
7. Cobra (bhujangasana). INHALE
Stretch arms, raise the chest, look up and inhale deeply. Be careful not to bend too much.
8. Downward dog (adho mukha svanasana). EXHALE
Also called 'inverted V'. As you exhale, support your feet on the floor and downward the body with legs straight. Chin to chest.
9. Step forward with left leg lunge (equestrian pose). INHALE
Look!, step forward the same leg before you step back, and adopt the same position as in position 4. Inhale.
10. Forward fold (padahastasana). EXHALE
Same as position 3. Exhale.
11. Raised arms pose. INHALE
Same as position 2. Inhale.
12. Ending (prayer pose). EXHALE
Repeat the salutation with the other leg in positions 4 and 9.
Try to do a minimum of two Sun Salutations in each session, to do it once with each leg. With practice, 12 Sun Salutations in a row is a good number to keep the body in shape.
*The videos are in spanish but with english subtitles.
Sun salutation (technique)
Sun Salutation (improvement)
Practice, practice, practice...
If you have any doubt, post a comment.
Gopal
