How to Do a Sun Salutation, Step by Step
The Sun Salutation is the flowing sequence at the heart of most yoga classes, and learning it gives you a whole practice you can do anywhere. Here is the sequence, pose by pose, linked to your breath.
- A Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) is a flowing sequence of about a dozen poses that you repeat, warming the whole body. It is the backbone of most yoga classes.
- The rule is one movement per breath: you inhale as you rise or open, and exhale as you fold or lower. The breath sets the pace.
- Beginners modify freely: knees down for the lower-down, bent knees in the forward fold, and a gentle cobra instead of upward dog.
- A few slow rounds is a real practice. You do not need to be flexible to start; flexibility is a result of doing it, not a requirement.
- Go slow and never force a stretch. Sharp pain means back off; yoga is steady effort, not straining.
The sequence, pose by pose
Start in Mountain pose, standing tall, hands at your heart. Inhale and sweep your arms overhead. Exhale and fold forward from the hips, hands toward the floor (bend your knees as much as you need). Inhale and lift halfway to a flat back, hands on your shins. Exhale and step or step back into a high plank. Lower down slowly, either knees-chest-chin or a controlled plank-to-floor. Inhale into a gentle cobra or upward dog, chest lifting. Exhale, press back into downward dog and hold for five breaths. Then step your feet forward to your hands, inhale to a halfway lift, exhale to fold, inhale to rise all the way up with arms overhead, and exhale back to Mountain. That is one round.
Linking breath to movement
The thing that turns a set of poses into a Sun Salutation is the breath. Each movement gets one breath: you inhale on the actions that open or lengthen your body (arms up, halfway lift, cobra, rising to stand) and exhale on the actions that fold or lower it (forward fold, stepping back, lowering down). Let the breath lead and the body follow, rather than rushing the poses and gasping to catch up. If you run out of breath mid-move, you are going too fast; slow the whole sequence to match a calm, full breath. Downward dog is the one pose you hold for several breaths, a resting point in the flow.
Beginner modifications and common mistakes
Almost every pose has an easier version, and using them is smart, not a cop-out. Bend your knees deeply in the forward fold so you fold from the hips instead of rounding your back. For the lower-down, drop your knees to the floor first (knees-chest-chin) rather than a full plank lower. Choose cobra (low, elbows bent, using your back not your arms) over upward dog while you build strength. The common mistakes: locking the knees and elbows, hunching the shoulders up by the ears (draw them down your back), holding the breath, and forcing a deeper stretch than the body wants. Keep it soft and controlled.
If you are pregnant, have wrist, shoulder, or back injuries, or high blood pressure, some poses here (deep folds, plank, cobra) may need modifying or skipping. A beginner class with a teacher who can adjust you is the safest way to learn the sequence, and worth it early on.
Common questions
What is a Sun Salutation?
How many rounds should a beginner do?
What is the difference between Sun Salutation A and B?
Do I need to be flexible to start yoga?
When is the best time to do Sun Salutations?
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