How to Do the Surya Namaskar

Co-authored by Ellen East and Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: September 26, 2023 Approved

The Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) is a series of 12 yoga poses meant to give praise to the sun. Traditionally, you do these poses in the morning to greet the rising sun and celebrate the start of a new day. After you move through the poses, go back through the same poses in the opposite direction until you return to your beginning pose. The Surya Namaskar A is just one of many variants on this sequence.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Opening the Surya Namaskar

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1
Start with the mountain pose. This pose is also known as the Tadasana Namaskar. Stand up straight and tall with your feet planted firmly on the floor, hip-distance apart. Balance your weight evenly on both feet. Let your hands hang at your sides with the palms facing forward and the fingers open, in a receiving position.^{[1]
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- Alternatively, you can bring your hands together in front of your chest in a prayer position. Press the tips of your thumbs against your sternum, over your heart chakra.^{[2]
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- Once you are in the mountain pose, breathe slowly and steadily, and focus on finding your center.^{[3]
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2
Raise your arms in an upward salute (Urdhva Hastasana). Inhale deeply and look upward. Slowly raise your arms above your head with the palms together and your fingers pointing straight upward. Push your hips forward a little so that you enter a slight backbend.^{[4]
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- Keep your shoulders back and down while you are in this pose.
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3
Move into a standing forward bend (Uttanasana). Exhale and bend forward at the hips, keeping your back and legs straight. If you can, bring your chest against your thighs and aim the crown of your head at the floor. Place your hands flat on the floor, or rest them on a block if you cannot reach the floor.^{[5]
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- Try to line your fingertips up with your toes, with your hands positioned on the outsides of your feet.
- Keep your back as straight as possible while you are in this pose. Your back should not be rounded.
4
Enter a half-standing forward bend (Ardha Uttanasana). Inhale and slowly slide your hands up along your shins. Raise your head so that you are looking slightly forward and unbend slightly at the hips so that your chest is no longer resting against your thighs. Keep your back flat and straight. Create a triangle between your feet, head, and hips.^{[6]
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- Alternatively, you can keep your fingertips resting on the floor for this pose.^{[7]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Moving through the Middle of the Routine

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From the half-standing forward bend, slowly return to your previous position. Slide your hands back down your shins so that you are grasping your ankles. Make sure to keep your back straight as you bend forward and rest your chest against your thighs.^{[8]
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2
Get into a plank pose. Inhale and place your hands flat on the floor. Carefully step back with both feet, one foot at a time, extending your legs straight out behind you with your toes curled under you. Keep your arms straight and your shoulders directly above your wrists, and keep your back straight and flat.^{[9]
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- Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, and your feet should be hip-distance apart.
3
Lower yourself into a low pushup. This is also known as the 4-limbed staff pose or Chaturanga Dandasana. Exhale and bend your arms at the elbows so that your torso is parallel to the floor. Push back through your legs into your heels, keeping your legs straight out behind you.^{[10]
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- If you’re not strong enough to do a low pushup, lower yourself down so that your knees, chin, and chest are on the floor.
4
Inhale and enter an upward dog pose (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana). Push your toes out behind you so that the tops of your feet are resting flat on the floor. Keeping your arms straight and your hands resting flat on the floor, raise your head and push your chest forward and your shoulders back so that you enter a backbend.^{[11]
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- Allow your shins to rest on the floor, but try to keep your thighs and hips slightly elevated.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Returning to the Opening Pose

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1
Get into a downward dog pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Exhale and roll your feet back onto your toes, keeping your legs straight out behind you. Let your head hang down and move your hips up and back, pushing through your shoulder blades. Keep your hands flat on the floor and your arms straight.^{[12]
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- Keep your back and legs straight and aim your hips directly at the ceiling.
From the downward dog position, inhale and step forward with one foot, then the other. Move your feet so that they are in line with your hands and closer to the front of the mat. Keep your legs and back straight, and bend at the hips.^{[13]
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3
Inhale and move back into the upward salute. Slowly straighten up until you are standing upright, then raise your arms above your head, turning your gaze upward. Keep your hands facing each other or touching, palm to palm. Push your hips forward and your shoulders back so that you enter a slight backbend.^{[14]
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- Keep your knees very slightly bent during this pose.
4
Exhale and return to the mountain pose. Slowly lower your arms and straighten your back. Let your hands hang at your sides in the forward-facing receptive position, or hold them in front of your chest in the prayer position. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed between both your feet.^{[15]
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- This will return you to the original pose and bring the Surya Namaskar sequence full circle.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Is Surya Namaskar enough exercise?

Ellen East
Yoga Instructor
Ellen East is a Certified Yoga Instructor based in Hartwell, Georgia. She has been a yoga practictioner for over 25 years, and owned and operated her own yoga studio, Studio 4 WholeHealth, from 2017 through 2021. She received her 200RYT certification from Yoga Alliance. She became a Certified Health Coach with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2018. Ellen is an entrepreneur, simultaneously pursuing hospitality businesses in tandem with her yoga teaching career. She currently owns and operates The Beacon, a bed and breakfast located on Lake Hartwell in Hartwell, Georgia. She continues to teach, offering yoga classes and events at The Beacon.

Ellen East

Yoga Instructor

Expert Answer

If you're short on time, Surya Namaskar can be a complete workout. Doing a few rounds every morning strengthens the entire body, stimulates the nervous system, and improves flexibility and balance.

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Question

How can you decrease your stomach fat with yoga?

Zora Degrandpre, ND
Natural Health Doctor
Dr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.

Zora Degrandpre, ND

Natural Health Doctor

Expert Answer

There are a number of yoga poses that can help decrease stomach fat, especially those that work the abdominal area. Combine yoga with a healthy diet and increased physical activity in general to decrease stomach fat.

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Question

What is surya namaskar?

Zora Degrandpre, ND
Natural Health Doctor
Dr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.

Zora Degrandpre, ND

Natural Health Doctor

Expert Answer

The surya namaskar is a set of 12 exercises or poses (asanas) done together in the morning. It is known as the "Sun Salutation" because it is a way of starting the day with the sun. If you have a dog or a cat, you have probably seen their early morning stretch; the surya namaskar is very much like that and is derived from the art of Yoga.

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