Performing a Yoga Sun Salutation
Yoga is a great way to lose weight and stay in shape. Unlike other forms of exercise, doing yoga does not require you to do vigorous body movements but nevertheless works the whole body. It comprises many different poses that have their own positive benefits. The sun salutation, also known as surya namaskar, is a series of 12 consecutive poses, which begins and ends in the same pose. The sun salutation is one such yoga pose that helps the body become stronger and more flexible. Since yoga makes you do different poses, the muscles of the body stretch, contract and fold. This enables the muscles to build their strength and flexibility. This pose must be done gracefully. Continuous practice allows you to do this series of poses seamlessly. Here are the steps.
- Hold your hands together. Start by standing on your yoga mat, with your feet hip width apart. Put your hands together in front of your chest in a prayer position. Take a few deep breaths.
- Put your hands up. When you exhale, slowly raise your hands above your head and arch your back as far back as you can.
- Touch feet with hands. As you exhale, bend your hips downward and touch your feet with both your hands, with your head bent down and touching the knees.
- Stretch your leg. Raise your head from the previous position and place your hands flat on the floor. Extend your leg backwards with the other one folded, the knee parallel to your chest.
- Extend the other leg. Stretch the folded leg. Hold the position for a moment and inhale.
- Lie down on the mat. Exhale and lower your arms, with the elbows and hands supporting your upper body. Your toes should touch the mat, supporting your lower body. Do not let your body touch the mat.
- Raise your head. Bend your waist and arch it back as far as you can. Lift your legs a little until your feet and hands are the only ones supporting your weight. The elbows should be bent and raised a little off the mat.
- Bend downwards. Exhale and slowly your lower body with your hips and touch your head on the mat. Stretch your arms above your head.
- Do the first four steps backwards. Begin with the fourth step. Reverse the movements until you get to the mountain pose, which is the very first pose in sun salutation. All these steps must be done by breathing in and out so that you do not feel out of breath and tired.
If you are busy with work and house chores and do not have the time to do yoga, you can just do the yoga sun salutation for a few minutes and you will immediately feel your muscles and whole body reaping the benefits of this yoga pose. In doing any kind of exercise, including yoga, it is important to do some stretching prior to exercising to warm up the whole body and prepare it for the exercise ahead and to avoid any muscle and ligament tears.
