Sun Salutation Yoga Exercise:
The Synonyms: Sun salutation is also known as "suryanamaskar" or "salute to the sun".
The name 'sun salutation' is actually a literal English derivation of the Sanskrit name - 'suryanamaskar'. 'Surya' means sun and 'namaskar' is a courteous Indian form of greeting done by apposing the two palms of hands in front of your face.
The Method Sun salutation is basically a set of stretching exercises. It is a series of steps meant to mobilize each joint to the maximum and stretch nearly all the major muscle groups in the body.
The sun salutation name may suggest that it has to be done at some special time of the day but there is no such bondage - it can be done at any time and at any place provided your you have not eaten anything heavy in the past 4 hours. It is a ideal exercise that can fit into any schedule comfortably.
Sun salutation steps:
1) Bring your palms together in prayer position and Exhale slowly.
2) Then inhale and raise your arms overhead, keeping your palms together.
3) Exhale and bend forwards till your hands touch your feet (can be quite difficult for beginners - do it to the limit of your flexibility - the results will improve as you continue doing sun salutation daily).
4) Then inhale, step the right leg back, arch your back and lift your chin keeping your hands on the ground supporting your weight.
5) Then exhale and step the left leg back into plank position. Keep your spine and legs in a straight line and support your weight on hands and feet and then do a regular push up (this too can be quite a problem - doing sun salutation daily can overcome it).
6) Then Inhale and stretch forward and bend your back keeping your arms straight supporting your body weight.
7) Then slowly exhale, curl your toes under, press down into your heels, and lift your hips (sort of forming a mountain).
8) Then inhale, move your left leg back, with the top of the foot stretched out flat on the floor, and lift your chin - like the fourth step - with the opposite leg.
9) Exhaling slowly, bend forwards until your hands touch your feet.
10) Then Inhale, stretch your arms over your head and slowly bend backward at the waist.
11) And finally come back to neutral standing position and exhale - Congratulations, you have done one cycle of sun salutation.
As with all other yoga exercises the sun salutation should be done correctly in order to achieve maximal benefits. Doing the sun salutation incorrectly can lead to injuries in multiple joints and as you are not aware of the small amounts of damage that you accrue over time, it can lead to premature osteoarthritis.
If you a traditionalist you should know that the sun salutation originated as a prostration before the sun and as the name 'sun salutation' suggests, is done at the dawn while facing the rising sun. But no hard and fast rule applies - the exercise can be done at any time.
Sun salutation is also famed as being a sure shot way of losing weight, albeit gradually.
If you are in need of weight loss and don't mind giving in a bit of time, the sun salutation is the exercise for you. It not only leads to gradual weight loss but also leads to an increase in your basal metabolic rate which does not let you gain weight in the periods when you tire of the exercise. An added benefit is the general upliftment of the mind which comes with all yoga exercises.
A word of caution is that don't try the sun salutation without proper instructions. A personal instructor would be best, but they come expensive. If you are short on resources go in for an e-course manual available at - The International Yogalyam
