Veggie Blog

The 12-step sun salutation

The sun salutation, called Surya Namaskar in Sanskrit, is one of the most useful yoga sequences. It links a series of poses with your breath and moves the spine, hips, shoulders and legs through a wide range of motion in just a few minutes. This 12-step version is a good all-around warm-up, and you can repeat the series as many times as feels right.

Before you begin

Use a non-slip mat and wear comfortable clothes. Practice on an empty stomach, a couple of hours after a meal. Move slowly and never force a stretch: go only as far as is comfortable. If you have back, neck, wrist, shoulder or knee problems, high blood pressure, or are pregnant, ask your doctor or a qualified yoga teacher before you try it.

The 12 steps

Step 1. Stand tall with your feet slightly apart and your palms together in front of your chest, thumbs resting against your breastbone. Breathe normally.

Step 2. Breathe in slowly as you raise your arms over your head and arch back as far as is comfortable, tightening your buttocks. Hold for three seconds.

Step 3. Breathe out slowly and bend forward from the hips, keeping your knees straight, until your fingers touch the floor beside your feet. If you cannot reach the floor, go as far as you can. Bring your head in toward your knees.

Step 4. Breathe in, bend your knees, and place your fingertips on the floor beside your feet if they are not already there. Slide your right leg back as far as you can, keeping the right knee about an inch off the floor, in a lunge. Look up as high as is comfortable, arching your back.

Step 5. Before you breathe out, slide your left leg back next to the right one. Support yourself on your palms and toes, with both legs straight so that your body forms one flat line. Keep your stomach pulled in.

Step 6. Breathe out slowly and lower both knees to the floor, then your chest and your forehead, with your hips still in the air.

Step 7. Breathe in slowly and look up, bending your head back, then lift your head, upper chest and lower chest in that order. Everything below your navel stays on the floor, and your elbows stay slightly bent. Hold for three to five seconds.

Step 8. Breathe out slowly and lift your hips until your feet and palms are flat on the floor and your arms and legs are straight, so that your body makes an upside-down V.

Step 9. Breathe in and bring your right foot forward, as in step 4, so that it lands flat on the floor between your hands. Your left leg stays almost straight behind you, with the knee slightly off the floor. Raise your head, look up and arch your back.

Step 10. Breathe out and bring your left foot forward next to your right one. Straighten your legs and stand up, trying to keep your fingertips on the floor, and bring your head toward your knees as in step 3.

Step 11. Breathe in slowly, raise your arms over your head and arch back as in step 2. Remember to tighten your buttocks, and hold for three seconds.

Step 12. Breathe out slowly and lower your arms to your sides. Relax, then repeat the series.

How often should you practice it?

Beginners can start with one or two rounds in the morning to loosen up stiff muscles and wake up the body. Slow, repeated rounds in the evening may help you unwind. Some people who find it hard to fall asleep say that several calm rounds before bed help, but there is no number of rounds that works for everyone, and ongoing sleep trouble is worth discussing with your doctor. Build up gradually, and stop if you feel pain, dizziness or strain.

If you want to know more about the benefits, the best time of day and ways to make the poses easier, see our questions and answers about the sun salutation. For other poses, take a look at our guide to basic yoga postures and their variations, and for the bigger picture see our post on what yoga is.