How to Do the Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar is a complete body work out that not only helps you lose weight but also keeps stress at bay, detoxifies, prevents many diseases and makes your skin radiant. 


The 12 vital steps of surya namaskar to perfect these asanas:

Pranamasana: This is the prayer pose. Stand straight and keep hands folded at the chest. Inhale and exhale slowly.

Tip: This asana is best done at sunrise and on an empty stomach. Avoid jerky motions and do each movement with its accompanying breath. An expert opinion must be taken for people who suffer from back problems, high blood pressure, heart problems, sciatica, slipped disc, women who are pregnant and those who suffer from hyper tension.

Hasta Uttasana: Inhale and stretch arms over the head, keeping the palms together. Arch the body backwards keeping your arms above. Tilt the head backward and hold. Keep your knees straight.

During surya namaskar almost 97 per cent of your muscles are switched on to active mode. With surya namaskar, breath awareness has to be there.

Padahastasana: Bend forward from the waist and exhaling, place your hands on the mat besides each foot.

Ashwa sanchalanasana: Inhale and put your weight on the hands. Stretch the right leg behind you, bend the knee and place on the floor with the body weight on the left foot. Arch the spine backwards. Lift the head and neck back.

Dandasana: Hold your breath and move the left leg back. Shift weight to hands and feet. Body should be straight.

Ashtanga namaskar (eightlimbed prayer pose): Exhale and slowly lower the body to the floor till the feet, knees, and chest touch the floor.

Bhujangasana (cobra pose): Move into the cobra pose by lifting the chin and chest off the ground. Keep the elbows close to the body and the face tilted up.

Adhomukha Svanasana (down-facing dog pose): Also called the parvatasana or the mountain pose. Curl your toes in, lifting hips off the ground. Exhale. Press down heels, push from the shoulders. Look at the stomach or between big toes.

Ashwa Sanchalanasana (horse pose): Stretch the left knee outwards and bring the right foot between the hands. Keep the head back. Try and push from the hips so as to deepen the pose and create a curve.

Padahastasana (hand to foot pose): Exhale and draw the left leg ahead to complete the pose, so the legs are together. Let the head hang loose and keep the hands on either side of the legs. Bend the knees if you need to.

Ardha chandrasana (crescent pose): Inhale, drawing the hands overhead, keep a focus on the legs, arms raised above.

Pranamasana (prayer pose): Exhale to drop hands at the sides or hold them in. The most important aspect of this is its form - how each pose is executed because the form is where important marma points (acupressure/energy points) are pressed.