Sun Salutation Basics

The term “Sun Salutation” in yoga generally refers to a series of asanas (poses) done in a prescribed order, often using the breath to link movement from one asana to the next. Sun Salutations can vary depending on your chosen style, instructor’s training, and personal modifications. This was a little confusing to me when I first started yoga because the series of poses isn’t always the same. Once I was familiar enough with the basics of Sun Salutations, it became easy to follow any instructor’s variation of the series.

Sun Salutations are one of my favorite ways to warm up at the beginning of a more demanding yoga session. I aim for at least three full rounds of Sun Salutations before moving on to a more rigorous Vinyasa flow. As an instructor, having a handful of quick modifications to Sun Salutations at your fingertips is essential; opening with Sun Salutations gives me a quick pulse on the students in the class, and I can shorten or extend the series and offer appropriate modifications on the spot to accommodate the needs of the class. And if you’re an instructor who ever suffers from stage fright while teaching, you can lead a few rounds of Sun Salutations as a transition segment while you collect yourself and decide where to take the class next.

There are endless variations of Sun Salutations; even my own favorite yoga resources offer slightly different versions of the classic Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar). Try various versions and decide what feels best for your body, and be open to that preference changing each time you practice. That’s the beauty of yoga—The variations are endless, even in a classic series like Sun Salutations.

Classic Sun Salutation Basics

1. Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Take a couple of slow, deep, intentional inhales and exhales before beginning the next steps.

2. Inhale and lift your arms above your head. If it’s available to your practice, allow a slight back bend. (Sometimes it takes me a couple of rounds of Sun Salutations before allowing a small back bend, please do not push yourself into pain in any yoga practice.)

3. Exhale and bend fold forward into a Forward Bend (Uttanasana).

4. Inhale and step one foot back into a Kneeling Lunge. Yogi tip: Remember which leg you start with here because you’ll repeat this series over again with the opposite leg in just a moment.

5. Exhale and step your other leg back into Chaturanga Dandasana. Inhale as you hold yourself in this push-up position.

6. Exhale and lower your knees, chest, and chin to the floor in Ashtanga Namaskara.

7. Inhale and raise your upper torso into Cobra.

8. Exhale and raise your hips into Downward Dog. Some practices pause here for a few breaths in active rest.

9. Inhale and step one foot forward into a Kneeling Lunge again.

10. Exhale and bring your other foot forward, remaining bent at the waist in a Forward Bend.

11. Inhale as you lift your torso and raise your arms above your head (repeating number 2 above).

12. Exhale and bring your hands in front of your heart.

Pause and catch your breath here before repeating the series with the other foot leading for a full cycle.

Common Sun Salutation Variations

You may hear yogis and resources refer to versions of Sun Salutations as A, B, and even C. These letters often refer to a prescribed set of modifications or additions to the practice’s classic Sun Salutation. These can vary slightly from one practice, instructor, training school, and yogi to the next. Some studios will offer an overview of the specific Sun Salutation variations their instructors use, offering consistency across classes in the studio. There is no one way that is better than another—Find the series and modifications that work best for your body on any given day. The more frequently you practice, and the more you diversify your classes and instructors, the more comfortable you’ll become deciding how to approach your own Sun Salutations.

It’s common to include Chair Pose (Utkatasana) in more rigorous Sun Salutations. Raising the knee from the floor and going from Kneeling Lunge into a Crescent Lunge is another common modification that increases the physical rigor of the series. As your balance grows, you can move from kneeling lunges to full lunges, adding twists and arm variations as you gain flexibility and strengths. Aim to eventually flow from one pose to the next at a pace that works well for your body. Some yogis like to turn on music and flow to the beat—Do what works for you, yogis!

With so many variations, Sun Salutations are a great option for yogis at any level in their practice. If you’d like a little individual help with your own Sun Salutation modifications, sign up for a quick individual yoga consultation or a full-length personalized yoga session.