You are here
What Is a Yoga Sun Salutation and How Do I Do It?
Sun salutations are a great way to connect breath to movement and to get your body moving. Not sure where to start? We've got you covered with a breath-by-breath breakdown of the most common yoga flow.
-
Fredy Soberanis
Tadasana
Start in a standing position with big toes touching and heels slightly apart; outer edges of feet are parallel. Relax arms on either side of body, palms open in a gesture of receptivity. This is Tadasana, also known as mountain pose. Each breath will have a move.
-
Fredy Soberanis
Urdvha Hastasana
Inhale, lifting arms out and up, and take palms together to form a prayer over head.
-
Fredy Soberanis
Uttanasana
Exhale, taking prayer down the midline of the body while diving down to a forward bend.
-
Fredy Soberanis
Ardha Uttanasana
Inhale, coming to a long flat spine with fingertips on the ground, or if you need more space, hands on shins (pictured).
-
Fredy Soberanis
Chatturanga
Exhale, plant palms shoulder distance apart on the ground, and jump back to Chatturanga (hold body halfway between plank and the ground, like a triceps push-up, where elbows graze rib cage). If this is not manageable, step back to plank and lower to Chatturanga.
-
Fredy Soberanis
Urdvha Muka Svanasana
Inhale, pulling chest through arms and coming to the tops of feet for upward-facing dog.
-
Fredy Soberanis
Adho Muka Svanasana
Exhale, flipping over toes, lifting hips—keeping legs long—and pressing chest back between arms. Reach heels towards the ground for downward-facing dog. (Optional: Breathe here for three to five breaths.)
-
Fredy Soberanis
Pike
Inhale, coming high to the balls of feet, softening knees, and looking between hands. Exhale, piking hips up and jumping to the front of the mat. (Step feet one at a time to the front of the mat if jumping isn't healthy for your body.) Inhale to a long flat spine, and exhale to a forward bend.
-
Fredy Soberanis
Anjeney Mudra
Inhale, hinging from hips with a long spine to come up to stand, doing a reverse swan dive to bring arms all the way up to high prayer, above head. Exhale prayer to the center of chest. Breathe here. This is one round. Try completing five full rounds.
-
Heidi Kristoffer
Heidi Kristoffer is the creator and producer of Microsoft Bing Fitness Yoga & MSN Yoga, creator of CrossFlowX, wellness expert for multiple online platforms, and mama to baby twin girls. More →
Comments
Add a comment