What is Surya Namaskar?
Yoga is an age-old practice that unites the body, mind, and spirit. Regular yoga practice is essential for enhancing strength and flexibility. It also helps you get your mind clear and your emotions stable. When you practise regularly, your body and mind get better over time.
Sun Salutation, or Surya Namaskar, is an essential yoga practice. Usually done at sunrise, this ritual honours the sun. It is a combination of 12 yoga poses that provides a comprehensive full-body workout.
In this blog, we will discuss the Surya Namaskar steps and how it benefits our overall health.
Surya Namaskar Steps for Beginners (With Breathing & Alignment)
Each cycle of Surya Namaskar has two sets of twelve yoga poses, and you need to practice the version that suits you best. Here are the twelve poses listed for you:
How to do Surya Namaskar step by step
Step 1: Pranamasana (Prayer pose)
To start with the first step of Surya Namaskar, you need to perform Pranamasana, which is an upright standing posture with your feet aligned closely. You have to proceed to inhale deeply, keeping your shoulders relaxed while raising your hands sideways and expanding your chest. You can join your palms together in front of your chest after exhaling gently.
Step 2: Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose)
You need to take a deep breath and gradually lift your hands upward while making sure your palms are together. You must let your body relax and keep your back in a slightly slanting position. Make sure you keep your biceps close to your ears.
Step 3: Hastapadasana (Standing forward bend)
You need to exhale and move forward slowly, folding from your waist. Keep in mind that you must focus on bending the upper portion of your body while keeping your spine straight as your body lowers toward the ground.
Step 4: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)
In the next step, you need to inhale deeply while stretching your body parallel to the ground. Now, you are required to stretch your arms along your sides, followed by bringing your right knee toward the right side of your chest. You must proceed to arch your back gently and look forward while stretching your left leg behind you at the same time.
Step 5: Dandasana (Stick pose)
For this step, your body must be kept in a parallel position to the ground while you inhale and stretch the leg backwards, making sure it aligns with the left leg.
Step 6: Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with eight parts or points)
To perform this step, you must keep exhaling deeply as you lower your knees gradually toward the ground. Remember that your hips should be elevated, and you are required to lower your chin to the ground while making sure a slight arch is maintained on your back.
Step 7: Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
Firstly, you must align your torso and chest to the ground and make sure your legs and midsection stay flat simultaneously, using your hands to support your body.
Step 8: Parvatasana-Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward facing dog pose)
You need to try to keep your feet and palms in place as you lift your midsection gradually and release your breath in a gentle way as you practice this pose.
Step 9: Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)
You need to inhale as you go back to the pose while placing your right foot forward next to your left foot.
Step 10: Hastapadasana (Standing forward bend)
For this step, you need to hold your left foot adjacent to the right one while steadily bringing the left foot forward while exhaling.
Step 11: Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose)
You must inhale deeply, raise your hands up, and proceed to bed backward in a gradual way.
Step 12: Pranamasana (Prayer pose)
To perform the final step, you need to maintain the Namaskar mudra as you exhale and let your body relax, thereby finishing the cycle.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make in Surya Namaskar
- Rushing through the sequence
- Holding breath unknowingly
- Dropping the hips too low in plank or cobra
- Locking knees during forward bends
- Arching the lower back excessively
- Skipping warm-up completely
These mistakes are one of the most common causes of back and knee strain in beginners.
Physical Benefits of Surya Namaskar
12 Surya Namaskar steps are a set of poses that are beneficial for your body because they stretch and build muscles in a natural way. Let’s learn how Surya Namaskar can further enhance our physical well-being.
Enhances Flexibility and Strength
Surya Namaskar gradually strengthens muscles all over the body. Each of the twelve poses works on different muscles, from the arms and legs to the core and back. They stretch and strengthen different muscles, from your neck to your toes, like lunges strengthen the legs, while forward bends stretch the hamstrings and back.
Asanas like Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) work the core and upper body muscles, while Lunges (Ashwa Sanchalanasana) strengthen the legs and hips. Many people find that doing Surya Namaskar on a daily basis makes them stronger and more flexible over time. It’s an easy way to keep your body healthy, strong, and flexible.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
The flowing nature of Surya Namaskar’s routines connects poses in a steady, rhythmic way. This swift change in positions increases the heart rate, making it an excellent cardiovascular workout. As the heart works harder to move blood around the body, circulation improves. Muscles and organs get more oxygen and nutrients.
So, performing Surya Namaskar steps regularly is reasonable for your heart health because it improves heart performance and blood flow. Over time, this can help lower blood pressure, reduce the chance of heart disease, and strengthen the heart and lungs.
Aids in Weight Management
Surya Namaskar can help you lose weight because it simultaneously burns calories and tones muscles. At the time of Surya Namaskar, your muscles get stronger and more flexible, which speeds up your metabolism. The body can burn more calories even when it’s not doing anything.
Surya Namaskar also helps build muscle, which raises basal metabolic rate (BMR). This means that the body burns more calories even when not doing anything. Surya Namaskar is important for weight loss because it burns calories and tones muscles. When done regularly, it can help people reach and keep a healthy weight.
Looking to enhance your health and well-being? Start your journey with a free consultation from yoga experts!
Mental and Emotional Benefits of Surya Namaskar
Surya Namaskar is a yoga practice that offers many mental and emotional benefits. Practising it regularly helps calm the mind and reduce stress. Let’s find out how you can maintain sound mental health by including Surya Namaskar in your regular regime.
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
One of the best things about Surya Namaskar for beginners is that it can help lower worry and anxiety. This rhythmic exercise helps you be more mindful by bringing your attention to the present moment and quieting the thoughts that can make you feel stressed.
Pranayama, or deep breathing exercises that are part of Surya Namaskar steps, are also very good for lowering stress. Focused, deep breathing wakes up the body’s parasympathetic nervous system and starts the relaxation reaction. This gives practitioners a sense of calm and emotional balance, which, over time, helps ease the symptoms of worry and anxiety.
Enhances Mental Focus and Clarity
Doing Surya Namaskar steps regularly improves mental focus and clarity, helping you concentrate and think clearly. Mindfulness trains your mind to be more disciplined, which makes it easier to pay attention and avoid distractions.
Surya Namaskar also brings more oxygen and nutrients to the brain by increasing blood flow to it. Better circulation improves brain processes, making you more alert and clear-headed. Regular practice also eases stress in the mind and body, which helps you think more clearly and make choices. On the whole, Surya Namaskar is a very effective way to clear your mind and become more focused.
How Surya Namaskar Boosts Your Overall Health?
Surya Namaskar steps are good for your health by keeping your immune system in check. Here are thebenefits of Surya Namaskar, which boosts overall health.
Enhances Immune Function
Surya Namaskar is good for your health because it boosts your immune system by improving circulation and lymphatic flow. Better circulation makes reaching all body parts easier for oxygen and nutrients. This helps immune cells work better and makes it easier for the body to fight infections.
Surya Namaskar steps can also help with cleansing by stimulating the lymphatic system. While breathing deeply with rhythmic moves, the body gets rid of toxins and metabolic waste. This cleaning effect helps the immune system work at its best, which helps keep it healthy over time.
Promotes Better Digestion
Surya Namaskar massages and stimulates the digestive organs, improving digestion and easing common stomach problems. Surya Namaskar asanas like Cobra (Bhujangasana) and Forward Bend (Hasta Padasana) squeeze and stretch the stomach area, which helps the intestines move and absorb nutrients better.
Surya Namaskar’s rhythmic breathing also helps the digestive system work better by lowering stress, which can lead to digestive problems. Regularly doing Surya Namaskar can help your digestion and general digestive health by making you feel calmer and increasing blood flow to your organs.
Improves Sleep Quality
The movements of Surya Namaskar help calm the mind and relax the body. They also lower stress and worry, two common reasons people can’t sleep. When you do Surya Namaskar, your blood flow goes up, which makes your body produce endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. This might help you feel calmer, which can help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
Surya Namaskar is also good for you because it makes you physically tired, which can help you sleep better. Also, it strengthens and stretches muscles, which eases physical stress that can keep you from sleeping well. Regular practice can help keep the body’s internal clock in sync, which can help you sleep better at night. Overall, Surya Namaskar is a natural, all-around way to get better sleep and feel better all around.
Contraindications of Surya Namaskar
Surya Namaskar involves dynamic forward and backward bending, which may not be suitable for people with the following conditions:
1. Pregnancy
- In later stages of pregnancy, Surya Namaskar is not recommended due to intense forward bending and abdominal pressure.
- Safer prenatal yoga options should be explored.
2. Heart Conditions or High Blood Pressure
- The dynamic flow can elevate heart rate and blood pressure.
- Individuals with cardiac issues must avoid unsupervised practice.
3. Back Pain or Spinal Disorders
- Conditions like slipped disc, sciatica, or severe kyphosis/lordosis may worsen with incorrect posture.
- Always consult a physiotherapist or yoga expert before starting.
4. Recent Surgery or Injuries
- Those recovering from surgeries, fractures, or muscle injuries should avoid the practice until fully healed.
5. Hernia or Ulcers
- The abdominal engagement in Surya Namaskar can exacerbate symptoms and delay healing.
6. Menstruation (for some women)
- While some continue yoga during periods, others may experience discomfort. Gentle alternatives are advised.
Precautions to Follow While Practicing Surya Namaskar
If you are medically cleared to practice, here are essential precautions to follow:
1. Warm-Up First
- Do light stretching or warm-up poses to prepare the body for the flow.
2. Listen to Your Body
- Avoid pushing through pain or discomfort. Modify poses as needed.
3. Maintain Proper Alignment
- Incorrect form can lead to back, neck, or joint strain.
- Beginners should ideally learn under a certified yoga instructor.
4. Breathe Correctly
- Coordinate breath with movement. Improper breathing can cause dizziness or fatigue.
5. Avoid Overexertion
- Start with 2–4 rounds and gradually increase. Quality is more important than quantity.
6. Consult a Healthcare Professional
- Especially important if you have any chronic illness or medical condition.
Practical Aspects of Including Surya Namaskar in Your Daily Regime
Many people of all ages and fitness levels can do the Surya Namaskar steps. Here are some practical aspects to consider:
Easy to Incorporate into Daily Routine
You can easily incorporate Surya Namaskar steps into your daily life as a morning or regular workout routine. Because it is easy to use and doesn’t take much time, you can use it almost anywhere, like at home, in a park, or while travelling. It’s only necessary to have enough room to stretch out. This ease of access removes barriers to exercise and promotes consistency, creating a habit that benefits physical and mental health.
Doing Surya Namaskar first thing in the morning sets a good mood for the day. By combining exercise with mindful breathing and moving, the practice looks at health from all angles. This all-around method makes the body more robust and improves mental clarity and emotional balance. This gets people ready to face the challenges they face every day with power and focus.
Suitable for All Ages and Fitness Levels
Sun Salutation, or Surya Namaskar, is a flexible yoga pose that people of all ages and fitness levels can do. This dynamic sequence can be changed to fit the needs of newbies, older people, and people who are physically challenged.
For younger practitioners and fitness fans, it’s a great way to get a workout that also improves heart health and muscle tone. The gentle stretching and balance-improving parts can help older people. Regularly doing Surya Namaskar helps clear your mind, lowers stress, and supports a healthy lifestyle. It can be used by anyone who wants to improve their physical and mental health through yoga because it is flexible and has many benefits.
Experience the transformative power of Surya Namaskar. Join our online yoga classes and discover the benefits for yourself.
Conclusion
Surya Namaskar steps include potent exercises that are good for your mental and physical health in many ways. It is a whole-person approach to health because it combines movement, breath, and awareness. Surya Namaskar can make a big difference in your health and well-being, whether you want to become more flexible or deal with stress better.
Learn the ancient exercise of Surya Namaskar and feel how it changes your body, mind, and spirit. Remember to seek professional help and make this transformational exercise a regular part of your life.
Commonly Asked Questions For Surya Namaskar
1. What is Surya Namaskar, and why is it important?
Surya Namaskar is a sequence of 12 yoga poses performed in a flow, combining physical exercise with controlled breathing and meditation. It offers holistic benefits for both body and mind, including improved flexibility, cardiovascular health, and mental clarity.
2. How many rounds of Surya Namaskar should I do daily?
Beginners can start with 3 to 5 rounds per day, focusing on proper form and breathing. As you progress, you can increase to 12 rounds or more, depending on your fitness level and goals.
3. Can Surya Namaskar help with weight loss?
Yes, regular practice of Surya Namaskar can aid in weight loss by burning calories, increasing metabolism, and toning muscles. Each round can burn approximately 13.90 to 14 calories.
4. What are the benefits of practicing Surya Namaskar daily?
Daily practice can lead to improved heart function, enhanced brain clarity, increased flexibility, better digestion, hormonal balance, and elevated energy levels.
5. When is the best time to perform Surya Namaskar?
The ideal time is early morning at sunrise on an empty stomach. However, it can also be practiced in the evening, preferably facing the west direction.
6. Is Surya Namaskar suitable for beginners?
Absolutely. Beginners should start slowly, focusing on correct posture and breathing. It’s advisable to learn under the guidance of a trained yoga instructor to avoid injuries.
7. Can Surya Namaskar be practiced during menstruation or pregnancy?
It’s generally recommended to avoid intense Surya Namaskar during menstruation or pregnancy. However, gentle variations may be practiced under expert supervision. Always consult with a healthcare provider before beginning any exercise routine during these times.
8. What are common mistakes to avoid in Surya Namaskar?
Common mistakes include holding the breath, incorrect alignment, moving too quickly without control, skipping warm-ups, and not listening to your body’s limits. Practicing under supervision can help avoid these errors.
9. Are there different types of Surya Namaskar?
Yes, there are variations like Hatha Surya Namaskar (slower pace), Ashtanga/Vinyasa Surya Namaskar A & B (faster, more intense), and Iyengar Surya Namaskar (focus on alignment and use of props).
10. Can children and elderly individuals practice Surya Namaskar?
Yes, with appropriate modifications. Children should learn under supervision, and older adults can perform gentler versions, considering their comfort and health conditions.
