Best Way to Do Sun Salutations in the Morning

One of the very best sequences of movements ever devised, the Sun Salutation is a graceful series of twelve yoga postures that are traditionally performed at sunrise, as the name suggests. A condensed yoga programme in itself, the sequence oxygenates the blood and energises the whole system, bringing increased suppleness to the spine and strengthening and toning the entire body.

Performed fairly rapidly on rising, the Sun Salutations sweep the sleep clean out of your system and provide an invigorating start to the day. If you do them before a full programme of yoga postures – or any physical exercise – the series provides an excellent warm-up. Performed slowly, the Sun Salutations relieve physical tension and make a great way to relax and unwind.

There are many variations of the Sun Salutations. The version described here is the one most often found in yogic literature, and one of the easiest to learn.

Position 1

Stand upright with your feet together, weight evenly spread over your soles, and bring your palms together in front of your chest. Breathe out.

Position 2

Breathing in, stretch your arms up and slightly back, palms facing forward.

Position 3

Breathing out, bend forwards from the hips, placing your palms flat on the floor beside your feet and bringing your face as close to your knees as you can. You may need to bend your knees in this position to begin with.

Position 4

Without moving your hands or your left foot, breathe in and stretch back with your right leg, placing the knee on the floor and curling the toes under. Your left knee should then be above your left ankle. Arch your back and look up.

Position 6

Breathing out, bend your arms and lower your knees, chest and chin to the floor, keeping the elbows high and the hands firmly down.

Position 7

Breathing in, lower the hips to the floor and slide forward so that your toes point back. Straighten your arms, lift your chest and take your head back.

Position 8

Breathing out, curl your toes under and lift your hips up into an upside-down V shape. Keeping your legs straight, push back on your heels, trying to place your feet flat on the floor. Drop your head in between your arms.

Position 9

Breathing in, bring your right leg forward between your hands and at the same time lower your left knee to the floor. Arch your back and look up. This is the mirror image of position.

Position 10

Breathing out, bring the left leg in line with the right, and assume position 3 again.

Position 11

Breathing in, extend your arms up and back, repeating position 2.

Position 12

Breathing out, lower your arms to your sides or, if you are performing another round, resume the starting position.

Repeat the sequence leading with the left leg in positions 4 and 9 to complete one full round of the Sun Salutation.

Begin with one round, practising the sequence slowly and carefully, perfecting each posture and moving as smoothly as you can from one position to the next, gradually adding a round a day until you have built up to 12 rounds.

After completing the Sun Salutations, lie down for a few minutes in the corpse position. Close your eyes and allow your breathing rhythm to return to normal, then fol­low with a few rounds of abdominal breathing.