sun salutation A

Make sure to always breathe through your nose, which provides a meditative aspect to your practice. As sun salutations are always at the beginning of your practice, this is the time in your practice to really begin to find yourself on the mat and out of your mind. 

Begin in standing mountain pose (tadasana) – bring your feet hip-width apart, your hands in prayer position and your thumbs pressed into your sternum. This is where you are able to come into your Ujjayi Pranayama – when practicing ujjayi breath, completely fill your lungs and slightly constrict the back of your throat and continue to breathe through your nose. 

Upward salute (urdhva hastasana) – inhale as you sweep your arms out to the side and overhead. Bring your gaze towards the sky and a slight arch in your back. 

Standing forward fold (uttanasana) – exhale as you fold forward from the hips, resting your hands beside your feet and bringing your nose to your knees and gaze to your belly button. 

Half standing forward fold (ardha uttanasana) – inhale as you life your torso halfway, lengthening your spine forward so your back is flat and parallel to the floor. Keep your fingertips on the floor or bring them to your shins. 

Four-limbed staff pose (chaturanga dandasana) – exhale as your step or jump back into plank pose (if you are jumping back, make sure to land with your elbows bent to relieve any stress on your shoulders). Continue exhaling as you tuck your elbows into 90 degrees and  lower your body to the floor. If necessary, bring your knees to the floor for half chaturanga. 

Upward-facing dog pose (urdhva mukha svanasana) – inhale as your draw your chest forward and straighten your arms. Draw your shoulders back and lift your chest in between. Press through the tops of your feet, lifting your thighs off the floor and fully engaging your leg muscles.

Downward-facing dog pose (adho mukha svanasana) – exhale as your lift your hips and roll over your toes, placing the soles of your feet on the floor. Ground down through your hands and the soles of your feet and lengthen your spine. Lift your belly and sit bones toward the sky. Stay in this pose for 5 breaths. On the last exhalation, bring your gaze between your wrists and bend your knees. 

Half standing forward fold (ardha uttanasana) – inhale as you step or jump both feet between your hands. Lift your torso halfway and bring your fingertips to the floor. 

Standing forward fold (uttanasana) – exhale as you fold your torso over your thighs. Rest your hands beside your feet and bring your knees to your nose and gaze to your belly button. 

Upward salute (urdhva hastasana) – inhale as you sweep your arms out to the side and extend up once again. Gently arch your back and gaze toward the sky. 

Mountain pose (tadasana) – exhale as you come back into mountain pose. Bring your feet hip-width apart, your hands in prayer position and your thumbs pressed into your sternum. Repeat the sequence two or more times. 

SUN SALUTATION B

These series of poses, referred to as Surya Namaskara B, which is usually practiced after several rounds of sun salutation A. Both sequences include many of the same components, while including Warrior 1 pose. As always, remember to breathe through your nose as your practice, helping to warm your body and bring a meditative state of mind. Always practice in your own range of limits, your breath is the most important part of your practice. 

Standing mountain pose (tadasana) – bring your feet hip-width apart, your hands in prayer position and your thumbs pressed into your sternum. This is where you are able to come into your Ujjayi Pranayama – when practicing ujjayi breath, completely fill your lungs and slightly constrict the back of your throat and continue to breathe through your nose. 

Chair pose (utkatasana) – inhale as you bend your knees and lower your hips, like you’re sitting in a chair. At the same time, extend your arms straight overhead, reaching through your fingertips and bringing your gaze between your hands. 

Standing forward fold (uttanasana) – exhale as you fold forward from the hips, resting your hands beside your feet and bringing your nose to your knees and gaze to your belly button. 

Half standing forward fold (ardha uttanasana) – inhale as you life your torso halfway, lengthening your spine forward so your back is flat and parallel to the floor. Keep your fingertips on the floor or bring them to your shins. 

Four-limbed staff pose (chaturanga dandasana) – exhale as your step or jump back into plank pose (if you are jumping back, make sure to land with your elbows bent to relieve any stress on your shoulders). Continue exhaling as you tuck your elbows into 90 degrees and  lower your body to the floor. If necessary, bring your knees to the floor for half chaturanga. 

Upward-facing dog pose (urdhva mukha svanasana) – inhale as your draw your chest forward and straighten your arms. Draw your shoulders back and lift your chest in between. Press through the tops of your feet, lifting your thighs off the floor and fully engaging your leg muscles.

Downward-facing dog pose (adho mukha svanasana) – exhale as your lift your hips and roll over your toes, placing the soles of your feet on the floor. Ground down through your hands and the soles of your feet and lengthen your spine. Lift your belly and sit bones toward the sky. 

Warrior 1, right foot (virabhadrasana 1) – inhale as you step your right foot between your hands and bring your left heel to the ground in a diagonal direction. Bend your front knee while keeping your back leg straight. Raise your arms straight overhead and gaze in between your hands. 

Four-limbed staff pose (chaturanga dandasana) – exhale as your bring your hands to the mat and step your right foot back into plank pose. Continue exhaling as you lower your body into Chaturanga, keeping your elbows tucked into your sides and stopping at 90 degrees. 

Upward-facing dog pose (urdhva mukha svanasana) – inhale as your draw your chest forward and straighten your arms. Draw your shoulders back and lift your chest in between. Press through the tops of your feet, lifting your thighs off the floor and fully engaging your leg muscles.

Downward-facing dog pose (adho mukha svanasana) – exhale as your lift your hips and roll over your toes, placing the soles of your feet on the floor. Ground down through your hands and the soles of your feet and lengthen your spine. Lift your belly and sit bones toward the sky. Stay in this pose for 5 breaths. On the last exhalation, bring your gaze between your wrists and bend your knees. 

Warrior 1, left foot (virabhadrasana 1) – inhale as you step your left between your hands and bring your right heel to the ground in a diagonal direction. Bend your front knee while keeping your back leg straight. Raise your arms straight overhead and your gaze in between  your hands. 

Four-limbed staff pose (chaturanga dandasana) – exhale as your bring your hands to the mat and step your right foot back into plank pose. Continue exhaling as you lower your body into Chaturanga, keeping your elbows tucked into your sides and stopping at 90 degrees. 

Upward-facing dog pose (urdhva mukha svanasana) – inhale as your draw your chest forward and straighten your arms. Draw your shoulders back and lift your chest in between. Press through the tops of your feet, lifting your thighs off the floor and fully engaging your leg muscles.

Downward-facing dog pose (adho mukha svanasana) – exhale as your lift your hips and roll over your toes, placing the soles of your feet on the floor. Ground down through your hands and the soles of your feet and lengthen your spine. Lift your belly and sit bones toward the sky. Stay in this pose for 5 breaths. On the last exhalation, bring your gaze between your wrists and bend your knees. 

Half standing forward fold (ardha uttanasana) – inhale as you step or jump both feet between your hands. Lift your torso halfway and bring your fingertips to the floor. 

Standing forward fold (uttanasana) – exhale as you fold your torso over your thighs. Rest your hands beside your feet and bring your knees to your nose and gaze to your belly button. 

Chair pose (utkatasana) – inhale as you bend your knees and lower your hips, like you’re sitting in a chair. At the same time, extend your arms straight overhead, reaching through your fingertips and bringing your gaze between your hands. 

Standing mountain pose (tadasana) – bring your feet hip-width apart, your hands in prayer position and your thumbs pressed into your sternum. This is where you are able to come into your Ujjayi Pranayama – when practicing ujjayi breath, completely fill your lungs and slightly constrict the back of your throat and continue to breathe through your nose. 

You will begin to gain strength and flexibility by practicing sun salutations, whether you’re using them to warm up begin your practice and build heat and in between your practice as a way to come back to your breath. 

Crow pose is normally the first arm balance that students learn when beginning their practice. It involves the basic foundation for most arm balances in yoga, so it is smart to understand the elements of crow to be able to move on. Crow pose is a very fun pose, once you finally get the hang of it, and can allow for many more modifications and add-ons once you’re really comfortable – including headstands and jumpbacks! This is a pose that does require a balance of strength and flexibility, so it is best to always warm up with sun-salutations A and B (Surya Namaskara) and Malasana – pictured below – to help warm your body and hips up. 

Not only does crow pose build incredible strength in your wrists, forearms, shoulders and abdominals, it builds confidence too! Once you can get over not falling on your face, you’ll begin to feel much more comfortable going upside down in any pose!

Alright, now let’s get down to it. Where do you start? First, start at the top of your mat in Mountain pose, with your arms at your sides and your feet about hip width distance apart. Drop down in between your legs, coming into a wide legged squat (malasana).  From here, you can take your time in this pose, opening up your hips or get right into the pose. 

Bring your hands to the mat, and begin to raise your hips high enough that you can place your knees on your triceps, drawing them as close to your underarms as possible. From there, lift onto the balls of your feet and draw your bellybutton to your tailbone, drawing in your abdominals as firmly as possible. Make sure your gaze is as far in front of your mat as possible! If it’s any lower, balance becomes much more difficult. As you continue to lean forward, lift one or both feet off the floor and draw your heels towards your butt. Balance your torso and legs on the back of your upper arms. 

Once your balanced, begin to press the floor away from you and straighten your elbows keeping your forearms drawn into the midline of your body to keep balance. Touch your toes together, and draw in your belly. KEEP BREATHING! 

Modifications: 

If you find it difficult to get your toes off of the floor, try using a block beneath your feet. Using a block helps to bring the floor closer to you, making it easier to lean forward and access the pose. 

Like I said before, if you’re more comfortable in the pose, you can start to learn how to jump from crow to chaturanga. If you’re trying to access this, from your crow pose, lean as forward as you can and shoot your legs back, leaning in a low pushup position. From there, go into your upward facing dog and back to downward dog. This is a chataruanga.