Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)
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A flowing, breath-paced sequence of linked postures that warms and mobilizes the whole body and forms the backbone of Vinyasa practice.
Detail
A sun salutation chains a fixed set of postures, one movement per breath, repeated for several rounds. A common Surya Namaskar A pattern:
- Mountain pose, hands at heart (pose-mountain) — exhale.
- Inhale, arms sweep overhead (upward salute).
- Exhale, forward fold over the legs.
- Inhale, halfway lift (flat-back).
- Exhale, step/jump back to plank (pose-plank).
- Lower through chaturanga (pose-chaturanga).
- Inhale, upward dog or cobra (pose-cobra).
- Exhale, downward-facing dog (pose-downward-dog) — hold ~5 breaths.
- Inhale, step/jump forward; exhale, fold.
- Inhale, rise to upward salute; exhale, return to mountain.
Used as a dynamic warm-up and as the repeating engine of flow classes; rounds can be slow (mobility/warm-up) or brisk (cardiovascular/strength stimulus). Sequence details vary by lineage (Surya Namaskar A vs B; B adds Warrior I). Move within pain-free range and keep the spine safe throughout.
Key facts
- One movement per breath; repeated for multiple rounds.
- Surya Namaskar A: ~10–12 linked positions per round.
- Functions as dynamic warm-up and the core of Vinyasa flow.
- Variant B adds chair pose and Warrior I.
Connections
- pose-downward-dog / pose-plank / pose-chaturanga / pose-cobra — component postures.
- mobility-flow-overview — related movement-flow concept.
- warm-up-types — use as a dynamic warm-up.
Educational content only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional for individualized guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy, or medical conditions.