Breaking Down Sun Salutation A. In this post, I dive into the most common flow in yoga — why we do it and how to do it!
Sun Salutation A, Surya Namaskar A in Sanskrit, is used to warm up the body for our yoga practice. The root “nama” means “to bow,” which can be inferred to as “to let go.” Sun A allows us to let go of our day, our thoughts and what we are holding onto and completely surrender into our space on our mat. It allows us to release our burdens and tap into our body and our breath. It energizes our mind while stretching and strengthening our muscles and completely balances the body through a sequence of opposing actions. You may have heard your teacher instruct “Sun A” countless times but you may not have known what it really meant. I didn’t understand its importance and sequence until I started yoga teacher training. You can learn more about my yoga journey here. If you take a vinyasa class regularly, you most likely flow through your Sun A all of the time, maybe without even realizing it!
Since Sun A is often used to warm up the body in a vinyasa class, it can be easy to go through the motions once they begin to feel easier over time. I know that if I let my mind wander during Sun A in my own practice, I forget to really engage my muscles and my core and I end up flowing through the motions without building strength. I highly recommend starting your day with a few Sun A’s. You don’t need to practice an hour long flow to warm up. Sun A’s are a great way to balance the body first thing in the morning, notice how your body feels that day and take a few minutes to move mindfully with the breath. Below, I broke down Sun Salutation A and its poses so you can gain a better understanding of how to activate your muscles and get the deepest benefits out of the short but powerful sequence!
Mountain pose with raised arms and gaze at fingertips
Inhale as you lift your arms overheard and gaze at your fingertips. Plant your feet together and evenly distribute your weight on each foot. Lift up on your knee caps to engage your quadriceps. Stack your shoulders over your hips. Pull your belly button in toward your spine to engage your core and lift your ribcage away from your pelvis. Breathe here for 10 breaths, beginning to calm your mind.
Forward fold
From mountain pose, take a deep breath in and exhale as you fold forward. Bend your knees slightly and lay your torso over your thighs. Stack your hips over your ankles, gently shifting your weight onto the balls of your feet. Extend your hands down next to your feet or in front of you. Gently begin to straighten your legs a little more with each breath, pulling up on the knee caps. Release your head and neck and let them fall heavy down toward your mat. Breathe here for 5-10 breaths.
Halfway lift
Inhale, lift your spine in line with your hips. Reach the crown of your head toward the top of your mat as your tailbone reaches back. Press your palms onto your shins or place your hands on the floor beside your feet. Wrap your shoulder blades firmly down your back. Internally rotate your inner thighs toward the back of your mat. Extend your gaze down and slightly ahead of your mat so there is no crunching in the back of the neck. Breathe here for 5-10 breaths. After your final inhale, exhale and forward fold.
High plank
Inhale, plant your palms into your mat and step your feet toward the back of your mat hip width distance apart. Press your heels toward the back of your mat and gaze downward. Stack your shoulders over your wrists so that your torso is parallel to the floor and press your mat away from you, keeping a slight bend in the elbows. Pull your shoulder blades down your back and spread them away from your spine. Pull your belly button in toward your spine to engage your abdominals. Breathe here for 5 breaths.
Low plank
Inhale, exhale bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle, keeping them closely hugged into your sides. Firm your legs and abdomen and keep your heels pressed toward the back edge of your mat you as your crown reaches toward the front. Gaze slightly ahead of your mat and keep your body in one straight line, avoiding sinking at the hips or lifting your butt. Try to breathe here for 5 breaths; if you are working on building strength here, drop down onto your knees and hold for 5 breaths.
Upward facing dog
Inhale, drop your tailbone and pubic bone toward the ground as your torso lifts. Press your palms into your mat, plant your wrists next to your hips and stack your shoulders over your wrists. Press into the tops of your feet, keeping your thighs firm and lifted off your mat. Tilt your head back slightly, keeping your gaze straight in front of you, careful to avoid crunching in the neck. Breathe here for 5-10 breaths.
Downward facing down
Inhale, exhale as your roll over the tops of your feet and send your heels down toward your mat, hip width distance apart. Press your hips up and back, lifting your sitting bones up toward the ceiling. Spread your fingers wide on your mat and press into your palms, keeping your hands slightly in front of your shoulders. Internally rotate your inner thighs toward the back of the room and firm your shoulder blades down your back, drawing them toward your tailbone. Press into your pointer fingers and thumbs to take any strain out of your wrists. Gaze towards your belly button and breathe here for 10 breaths.
For a great warm up, complete Sun Salutation A once slowly, holding each posture for 5-10 breaths. Then, flow though your Sun A two or three additional times, flowing one breath per movement to begin building heat in the body. I love practicing Sun A to check in with my body and notice any areas of tension or tightness that may be present. It’s one of my favorite ways to bring awareness to my body and breath and bring peace and mindfulness into my day.
Do you practice Sun A? Let me know in the comments below!