Elevate Your Health And Fitness With 12 Steps Of Surya Namaskar

Starting your morning with the right mindset and freshness can make all the difference. Nothing beats positive thinking and a little push from a refreshing yoga session. Surya Namaskar is considered the ‘ultimate asana’ because it combines 12 asanas in one exercise. These asanas are performed cyclically and can exercise the entire body. While doing the Surya Namaskar, you strengthen your back and abdominal muscles. It also stretches the abdominal organs and ventilates the lungs.

Yoga can be your way out whenever you feel overwhelmed by ongoing distractions. Today, Kamya Sidana, a certified yoga instructor, takes you through Surya Namaskar and the benefits of its twelve poses to help you stay active and flexible.

What is Surya Namaskar?

Surya Namaskar, literally meaning ‘hello to the sun,’ is a sequence of twelve powerful yoga postures. It is considered a practise of paying respect to the sun, the world’s ultimate energy source. In addition, this posture is vastly popular as a cardiovascular exercise that positively affects the mind and body.

When to do Surya Namaskar?

Surya namaskars are best done in the morning, facing the sun for a refreshing experience. Each body movement is synchronized with breathing, exhaling at folds, and inhaling at every stretch or as you lengthen the body. It is widely recommended that the yoga sequence be performed on an empty stomach to maximize the benefits of Surya Namaskar.

12 steps of Surya Namaskar

Each cycle of Surya Namaskar consists of two sets of 12 yoga poses. There are various ways to perform Surya Namaskar. For the finest outcomes, staying with one particular version and practising it frequently is advised. Here are the 12 steps of Surya Namaskar.

Step 1: Pranamasana

Pranamasana is a standing posture where you align your feet closely and stand upright. As you inhale deeply, raise your hands sideways while keeping your shoulders relaxed and expanding your chest. Exhale gently and join your palms together in front of your chest. It is an expression of gratitude for all things in life.

Step 2: Hasta Uttanasana

Take a deep breath and slowly lift your hands upward while keeping your palms together. To relax your body, slightly slant your back. Keep your ears and biceps close together. The step signifies the welcoming of happiness and freedom into life.

Step 3: Hasta Padasana

Exhale and gradually bend forward, folding from your waist. Focus on bending the upper portion of your body and keep your spine straight as you lower yourself toward the ground. Hasta Padasana helps balance the mind and improves digestion.

Step 4: Ashwa Sanchalanasana

Inhale deeply as you stretch your body parallel to the floor. Extend your arms along your sides and bring your right knee towards the right side of your chest. Arch your back gently and look upward, simultaneously extending your left leg behind you, developing confidence and willpower with the pose.

Step 5: Dandasana

Keep the body parallel to the ground, inhale, and stretch the right leg backwards, aligning it with the left leg. Experience the relaxation the pose brings while reducing stress.

Step 6: Ashtanga Namaskara

Gently lower your knees toward the ground while exhaling deeply. Keep your hips elevated and lower your chin to the ground, maintaining a slight arch in your back. This pose improves your awareness of the world around you.

Step 7: Bhujangasana

Also called the Cobra Pose, align your torso and chest to the floor. Your midsection and legs stay flat while supporting the body using the hands. Make sure not to put your weight entirely on the arms and enjoy the strength-building of the pose.

Step 8: Parvatasana

Raise your midsection slowly while keeping your feet and palms in place. Release your breath gently while maintaining your posture. Parvatasana helps stabilize the body.

Step 9: Ashwa Sanchalanasana

Return to the pose by bringing your right foot forward and placing it next to your left foot, enhancing strength and balance. Maintain this position as you breathe in.

Step 10: Hasta Padasana

Holding the left foot adjacent to the right foot, steadily bring the left foot forward while exhaling. Keep your hands in the same place as you lift yourself.

Step 11: Hasta Uttanasana

Lift your hands and take a deep breath. Bend backwards slowly. The stretching of the chest here improves breathing.

Step 12: Pranamasana

Relax your body and breathe out while maintaining the Namaskar mudra. The cycle is now finished, ending with gratitude for all the energy you have gained.

Benefits of doing Surya Namaskar daily

Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation, is the practise of paying respect to the sun with several physical and mental health benefits such as:

• Full-body workout:

Practising Surya Namaskar for 10 minutes daily can burn more calories than swimming for 10 minutes. It is an effective cardiovascular workout for losing belly fat and strengthening ab muscles.

• Improved digestion and blood circulation:

Surya Namaskar helps fight indigestion and constipation by stretching the abdominal organs. It also boosts blood circulation by lowering blood sugar levels. The breathing asanas in this exercise help detoxify the body and improve lung health.

• Psychological benefits:

Surya Namaskar works on the endocrine gland and mainly the thyroid gland. It can help boost mental health by preventing anxiety and insomnia. It also improves memory and the nervous system.

These twelve Surya Namaskar steps have multiple other benefits, which include the following:

• Promotes cardiovascular wellness
• Activates the nervous system
• Aids in muscle stretching, flexing, and toning
• Helps in controlling weight
• Improves immune system performance
• Improves cognitive abilities
• Enhances general health, builds muscle, and calms the mind

Surya Namaskar is best done at sunrise. It helps get your day off to a bright start. However, if you miss the morning workout, you can take ten minutes during your day for this exercise, too. You must always do the Surya Namaskar on an empty stomach, which is another reason it is a good exercise in the morning. Practise the 12 steps of Surya Namaskar and freshen up your mind and body for a productive and focused day ahead.

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You may also be interested in the following blogs:

• 3 Types Of Asanas – Tadasana, Padmasana, Uttanasana – And Their Benefits
• Yoga For Energy: 4 Exercises To Improve Your Strength And Flexibility

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