Types of Surya Namaskar
Over the centuries, Surya Namaskar has evolved and its poses have varied in several styles and variations. Moreover, it’s a yogic kriya that has never diminished, only expanded. In fact, Surya Namaskar is integrated into various kinds of yoga styles.
1. Ashtanga Surya Namaskar: In the Ashtanga Surya Namaskar series, sun salutations have two forms. -Type A and B. Type A consists of 9 vinyas and kind B consists of seventeen vinyas.
2. Hatha Surya Namaskar: It is performed through 12 spinal postures that put deep emphasis on respiration. This is one of the widely practiced kinds of Surya Namaskar and doubtless the best.
3. Iyengar Surya Namaskar: Iyengar Surya Namaskar is comparable to Hatha practice, but here the emphasis is a little more on pace and energy, being performed at a faster pace than other varieties of Surya Namaskar.
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How to Do Surya Namaskar – Hatha Style
In this section, let’s take a while to explore the 12 classic poses of traditional Hatha Surya Namaskar.
Pose 1 – Prayer Pose (Pranamasana)
Execution:
- Start by standing straight in front of the mat along with your feet together and your arms loose along your sides.
- Now close your eyes and fold your hands in the course of your chest. Relax your whole body.
Benefits:
- This pose relaxes the nervous system and helps improve balance. It also helps relieve stress and anxiety.
Pose 2 – Raised Arms Pose (Hasta Uttanasana)
Execution:
- Hasta Uttanasana begins with a deep exhalation
- Then take a deep breath as you extend your arms forward and lift them above your head.
- Look up and stretch your body back barely, pushing your pelvis forward.
- Exhale. (Concentrate on the inhale as you bend backwards and on the exhale as you bend forward.)
Benefits:
- Stretches and tones the abdominal muscles.
- It extends the entire body from the heel to the guidelines of the toes.
Pose 3 – Hand to Toe Pose (Hasta Padasana)
Execution:
- Exhale and start to bend forward and to the knees; keep your spine long as you go forward.
- Hands on the ground, touch the ground along with your fingertips only.
- Bend your knees enough in order that your chest can rest against your thighs and your head touches your knee. Hold this position for just a few seconds.
Benefits:
- It stretches the spine and makes it more flexible.
- It also stretches the hamstrings and strengthens the muscles within the legs, arms and shoulders.
Pose 4: Rider Pose – Ashwa Sanchalanasana
Execution:
- Then take your right leg back, resting only in your knee and comfortably tucking your toes in.
- At the identical time, bend your left knee, leaving your foot flat on the ground.
- Press your fingertips or palms to the ground, throw your arms back and slowly look up.
Benefits:
- Strengthens the muscles of the legs and spine.
- Relieves indigestion and constipation.
Pose 5 – Mountain Pose (Parvatasana)
Execution:
- Exhale slowly, on top of things, place your palms on the ground and produce your left foot past your right, lift your hips into the air.
- Extending your spine, bring your arms to your ankles. Take just a few breaths.
Benefits:
- It improves posture and calms the mind.
Pose 6 – Ashtanga Namaskar
Execution:
- As you exhale, bend your knees to the bottom, keeping your toes curled underneath, lower yourself while moving your head forward on the ground.
- Keep your elbows near your sides; supplying you with more strength.
- Now as you construct more strength on this transition, you’ll be able to lower your chest while keeping your hips and abs within the air.
Benefits:
- It improves the flexibleness of the back and spine.
- It strengthens the back muscles and relieves increasing tension.
Your chin, chest, each feet, each knees, and each hands work in a single pose.
Pose 7 – Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Execution:
- Keep your hands and feet exactly where they’re. And inhale.
- Move forward and lift your chest like a cobra.
- Turn your arms back, bend your elbows and squeeze them back together.
- Slowly look up.
Benefits:
- It improves flexibility and well-being.
- It stretches the arms, chest, back, leg muscles at the identical time.
Pose 8 – Mountain Pose (Parvatasana)
Execution:
- As you exhale, curl your toes. (same as item 5)
- Press back into the inverted V position, lengthening your spine, bringing your shoulders closer to your ankles. Take just a few breaths here. As you exhale, lift your hips toward the sky and press your palms into the bottom.
Benefits:
- Increases blood flow to the spine area.
Strengthens the muscles of the legs and arms.
Pose 9 – Horseman Pose (Ashwa Sanchalanasana)
Execution:
- Move your left foot forward between your hands and push your pelvis forward. Raise your torso and tilt your head back, arching your back and looking out up on the sky (same as in position 4).
Benefits:
- Provides flexibility to leg muscles and tones deep core muscles.
- Strengthens the spine.
Pose 10: Hand to Toe Pose – Hasta Padasana.
Execution:
- Exhale, keep your right foot in front, bringing your legs together (same as in position 3).
- Bend your knees enough in order that your chest can rest against your thighs and your head touches your knee.
Benefits:
It improves blood circulation, stretches the muscles of the body and makes the spine more flexible.
Pose 11 – Raised Arms Pose (Hasta Uttanasana)
Execution:
- Take a deep breath, then extend your arms forward and lift them above your head (same as position 2)
- Look up and stretch your body back barely, pushing your pelvis forward.
- Exhale.
Benefits:
- Improves respiratory function, lower back pain and fatigue. It also aids digestion.
- It expands the chest, which leads to a full uptake of oxygen.
Pose 12 – Standing Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Execution:
- Then, finally, exhale and return to the prayer position (same as position 1).
- Lower your hands, slowly and steadily.
Benefits:
- It strengthens the thighs, knees and ankles and improves posture.
- Strengthen your hips and abs and improve your agility and blood circulation.
These 12 postures, when practiced, make up one cycle of Surya Namaskar. Ideally, by doing 12-15 cycles a day, you’ll get all the advantages your body requires, keeping you fit and healthy for a greater tomorrow.
- Dosh Balance: Pita, Kapha and Vata are three doshas that may turn out to be out of balance for a wide range of reasons. This is greatly influenced by the weather, food, day by day bad activities, stress at work and depreciated sleep. However, you’ll be able to maintain your dosha by practicing Surya Namaskar day by day.
- Weight Loss Booster: Simply stretching your abdominal muscles will certainly make you lose extra calories with Surya namaskar. It also manages the secretions of thyroid hormones which are accountable for weight gain.
- Improves Mental Health: Surya Namaskar is of great importance for enhancing concentration and relaxing the mind while reducing drowsiness, somatic stress, worry and negative emotions. It will help revitalize the brain by engaging the spinal cord. A day by day 15-minute practice can bring great results to your brain.
Note HealthifyMe
Surya Namaskara is a strong practice where each of the 12 steps has its own merits. It is best to do it at sunrise on an empty stomach. In addition to physical advantages, it reduces stress and revitalizes.
Application
The physical advantages of Surya Namaskar are quite a few. This yogic kriya in 12 positions lubricates all of the joints of your body, synchronizing along with your breath for higher physical health and mental focus. Regular practice of the 12 rounds of Surya Namaskar not only gives you tremendous advantages to find who you’re but additionally keeps your body healthy and fit from the within out!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What are the 12 steps of Surya Namaskara?
Surya Namaskar starts with Pranamasana (Prayer Pose), then Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms Pose), then Hasta Padasana (Palm to Feet Pose), Parvatasana (Mountain Pose), Ashtanga Namaskara (Eight Limb Pose), Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), on the other hand Parvatasana (Mountain Pose), Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Rider Pose), Hasta Padasana (Palm to Toe Pose), Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Hands Pose) and eventually Tadasana (Standing Mountain Pose).
Q. How much Surya Namaskara needs to be done in a day?
If you’re a beginner, do that 4 or five times a day. As you practice, you’ll be able to increase the variety of sets. However, when you experience any discomfort or pain, seek the advice of your doctor immediately.
Q. What are the advantages of Surya Namaskara?
Regular practice of surya namaskar could be useful to you in some ways. It can enable you to reduce weight, strengthen and tone muscles and joints, improve digestive function, improve respiratory health, and manage stress.
Q. Can I lose 10 kg with Surya Namaskara?
Yes, it may enable you to reduce weight, but steadily. Losing 2 kilos a month known as a healthy weight reduction schedule. Because 1 surya namaskar leads to a lack of 13.90 calories. However, relying solely on weight reduction isn’t ideal. There are many aspects that together will enable you to reduce weight healthily, similar to a balanced eating regimen, higher sleep cycle, less stress, etc.
Q. What is the most effective time for Surya Namaskar?
Surya Namaskar could be practiced at any time of the day. However, sunrise is taken into account the right time because the morning sun refreshes the body and mind.
Bibliography
- A comprehensive study of the results of Surya Namaskar on cardiorespiratory endurance
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331277345_A_Comprehensive_Study_On_Effect_Of_Surya_Namaskar_On_Cardio-respiratory_Endurance - Insights into Surya Namaskar from its origin to application towards health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8814407/
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Reviewed by – Shamlee Pathare, Masters in Yoga Therapy
Medical Assessment: Dr. Poonam Sharma
Last Updated: Sumita Thomas (Date: April 9, 2023)
