When it comes to yoga, Surya Namaskar is easily one of the most popular exercises. Be it a kid in primary school or an adult, everyone is made aware of Surya namaskar from a young age. Every day, thousands of people wake up early in the morning to reap the multitude of health benefits of practicing these asanas regularly.
However, even though we may have been taught about the different steps of Surya namaskar, not many of us know how to do each step accurately and in a way that does not cause more harm than good for us. So, here is a guide to mastering your techniques for doing all the eight asanas, from the breathing pattern to the posture:
Prayer pose/ Pranamasana
It is the first and the easiest pose among the eight. Stand erect, with your legs and feet close and take a deep breath and exhale. As you inhale again, lift your hands to make the namaste gesture by joining your palms.
Raised arms pose/ Hastottanasana
Take a deep, filling breath and as you do, extend your joined arms above your head. Next, gently push your pelvis forward and stretch your spine. Your body should make a backward arch and make sure your biceps touch your ears.
Standing forward bend pose/ Hasta Padasana
Exhale, and as you do, bend forward and try touching your toes with your fingertips. If you find it difficult, it is okay to bend your knees a little and keep your shoulders relaxed. An important thing to keep in mind here is not forcing your body to do anything it cannot do yet. Flexibility comes with regular practice.
The Lunge Pose/ Ashwa Sanchalanasana
Now, bend your knees, rest your palms on the floor, inhale and bring your right knee towards your chest, extend your other leg backward and exhale. Lift your head and look forward. Your palms and right foot should be in line with each other.
The plank pose/ Chaturanga Dandasana
On an inhale, extend your right leg backward and weight on your arms. Make sure your body is in a straight line, back erect, legs not bending at the knees and head facing downwards.
The Eight Limbed Pose/ Ashtanga Namaskar
Exhale and bend your knees a little and gently bring them to the floor next to your chin. Make sure that your hips are a few inches above the floor while your chest should be touching the floor.
Cobra Pose/ Bhujangasana
Gently lower your hips until your lower body is touching the floor- the front of your feet, knees, and thighs. Now, inhale, bring your arms close to your chest, spread your fingers, and slowly lift your upper body by applying pressure on your palms. Make sure your shoulders are not tense, and your neck is stretched upwards and not bending back.
Downward Facing Dog/ Adho Mukha Svanasana
From the previous position, gently lower your body on an exhale and lie down with your arms close to your chest and palms near your shoulders. Inhale and while exhaling, start lifting your hips until your body makes an inverted V. Your weight should be on your arms, back, and legs straight, head facing your feet, and your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
The first four asanas will follow the downward-facing dog pose in the reverse order to complete the Surya namaskar. And make sure you hold these poses for as many breaths as you comfortably can to increase your body’s strength, agility, and flexibility.
