The Sun Salutation — Surya Namaskar — is the first flow most beginners learn. It links twelve simple positions into one smooth, breathing sequence. You will meet it at the start of nearly every class, used to warm the body before anything harder. It is also the easiest sequence to rush. This is the calm, clear version: the twelve steps in order, the breath that ties them together, the common mistakes, and how to make it work for your body today.
This is general guidance, not medical or personalised instruction — see a qualified teacher for hands-on help.
Sun Salutation at a glance
| Sanskrit | Surya Namaskar A |
| Level | Beginner-friendly (the classic first flow) |
| Type | Flowing sequence · gentle full-body warm-up |
| Positions | 12, moving one breath at a time |
| Targets | Whole body — spine, hips, shoulders, hamstrings, arms |
| Time | About 3 minutes per round; start with 3 rounds |
| Props | Blocks under the hands; a non-slip mat helps a lot |
What a Sun Salutation sequence actually is
A Sun Salutation is a short sequence of poses, done in a set order, one movement per breath. You flow from standing, down to the floor, and back up to standing — that whole round is one Sun Salutation. Repeat it a few times and the body is warm and ready.
The version below is Surya Namaskar A, the simplest and most common one. It is the building block of vinyasa, the style where breath and movement move together. Learn this rhythm well and most other flows will feel familiar.
You may also see a classic Hatha version called the 12 poses of Sun Salutation, which uses a low lunge, a knees-chest-chin pose, and Cobra. That is a slightly different sequence from the vinyasa Surya Namaskar A taught here — both are valid, and A is the one you will meet in most modern classes.
How to do Sun Salutation A: the 12 steps
Move slowly the first few times and learn the order before you worry about speed. Each position lasts one breath, except Downward Dog, where you pause and breathe. The breath cue is in brackets.
- Tadasana — Mountain Pose. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides. Settle for three breaths.
- Urdhva Hastasana — Upward Salute (inhale). Sweep the arms overhead, palms together. Lengthen up; don't crunch the lower back.
- Uttanasana — Forward Fold (exhale). Hinge from the hips and fold over the legs. Soften the knees as much as you need.
- Ardha Uttanasana — Half-Lift (inhale). Lift the chest halfway, hands to the shins, back long and flat.
- Chaturanga — Low Plank (exhale). Step or float back to a plank, then lower halfway with the elbows hugging the ribs.
- Urdhva Mukha Svanasana — Upward Dog (inhale). Roll over the toes and lift the chest, shoulders down away from the ears.
- Adho Mukha Svanasana — Downward Dog (exhale). Tuck the toes and lift the hips up and back. Hold here for five slow breaths.
- Step or hop forward (exhale). Bring the feet between the hands. Land softly, knees a little bent.
- Ardha Uttanasana — Half-Lift (inhale). Lift the chest halfway again, spine long.
- Uttanasana — Forward Fold (exhale). Fold back over the legs, head heavy.
- Urdhva Hastasana — Upward Salute (inhale). Rise all the way up, sweeping the arms overhead.
- Tadasana — Mountain Pose (exhale). Lower the arms. Stand still for three breaths — that's one round.
Common beginner mistakes
- Rushing the breath. The most common one. The breath sets the pace, not the other way around. If you are panting, slow down or do fewer rounds.
- Locking the knees in the Forward Fold. Tight hamstrings round the back. Bend the knees freely and keep the spine long instead.
- Letting the hips sag in Chaturanga. Drop your knees to the mat and lower halfway with a straight line from head to knees. A clean knees-down version beats a sagging full one.
- Dropping the head and shoulders in Down Dog. Press the floor away, lift the hips, and let the head hang freely — see the full Downward Dog guide for the details.
- Jumping onto stiff legs. If you hop the feet forward, land softly with bent knees. When in doubt, step instead.
- Holding the breath. It happens the moment a pose gets hard. Keep it slow and steady the whole way through.
Sun Salutation A vs B
You will hear about two versions. Start with A — the twelve steps above. It is shorter, has no deep leg work, and lets you learn the breath rhythm first.
Sun Salutation B adds Chair Pose (Utkatasana) at the start and a Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I) on each side in the middle. It is longer and works the legs much harder. Move to B once A feels smooth and steady — usually after a month or so of regular practice.
Modifications that make it easier
None of these are "lesser" versions. They are the right version for where your body is today.
- Tight hamstrings? Bend the knees in every forward fold, or rest your hands on blocks. The straight back matters more than straight legs.
- Sensitive wrists? Swap Upward Dog for Cobra — keep the hips and legs on the mat and lift only the chest. See the calm walkthrough in the Cobra Pose guide.
- Chaturanga feels too hard? Drop the knees to the mat first, then lower. Build the full version slowly.
- Step, don't jump. Stepping the feet back and forward is gentler on the knees and wrists, and just as good.
- Practise on a grippy mat. Hands and feet sliding apart is a real frustration in a flow. A mat with good grip makes a surprising difference, especially once you warm up and start to sweat.
Benefits of Sun Salutation
Done calmly, a few rounds of Sun Salutation warm the whole body — they loosen the spine, hips, shoulders, and hamstrings, and gently wake up the arms and legs. That is why teachers put it at the start of class: it prepares the body for everything that follows. As a moving practice that ties slow breathing to movement, it can also be a settling way to start the day. Reviews of the research link regular yoga to lower stress and cortisol, though the studies are small and mixed. Done regularly it can build a little strength and stamina, too — in one 24-week study, students who practised Sun Salutations six days a week improved their push-ups and sit-ups.
Treat it as a gentle warm-up and a moment to breathe, not a workout to win.
How many rounds, how often
Start with three rounds and add one a week, up to about ten. Quality beats quantity — three careful rounds do more than ten rushed ones. It is fine to practise daily; each round takes only a few minutes and is a complete little warm-up on its own. On a stiff morning, slow it right down rather than skipping it.
Where to go next
- New to all of this? Start with the Yoga for Beginners guide — the calm, no-pressure place to begin.
- Refine the key pose: Downward Facing Dog appears in every round, so it is worth getting right.
- Gentler backbend: swap Up-Dog for Cobra Pose while your wrists and back get stronger.
- Ready for more? Step up to Sun Salutation B — it adds Chair Pose and Warrior I for a stronger flow.
- Want something gentler? Try Sun Salutation C — low lunges and Cobra instead of Chaturanga, kinder on the wrists.
- Need a mat that grips? See the best yoga mats for beginners.
FAQ
How many sun salutations should a beginner do?
Start with three rounds and add one per week up to ten. Form matters more than count; ten sloppy rounds undo what three careful rounds build.
Sun Salutation A or B for beginners?
Start with A. It has twelve clear positions and no chair-pose entries, so the legs do not fatigue before the breath rhythm is set. Move to B after a month of A.
Can I do Sun Salutation every day?
Yes — it is a complete short practice. Daily rounds warm the spine, hips, and shoulders in about three minutes per round. If a day feels stiff, slow it down rather than skipping it.
What is the breath pattern in Sun Salutation?
One breath per position, inhaling on extension and exhaling on flexion. Inhale to Upward Salute, exhale to Forward Fold, inhale to Half-Lift, exhale through Chaturanga to Up-Dog, and so on. The breath sets the pace.
What does a Sun Salutation mean?
Sun Salutation is the English name for the Sanskrit Surya Namaskar. Surya means "sun" and Namaskar means "greeting" or "bow," so the name is close to a bow to the sun. The flow comes from India, where the sun was honoured as a source of light and life, and it was often practised at sunrise to greet the day. You can do it any time of day, though — not only at dawn.
What are the disadvantages of Sun Salutation?
It has a few. Because you repeat the same poses, rushing or doing too many rounds can strain the wrists, shoulders, neck, or lower back over time. Plank, Chaturanga, and Down Dog all load the hands and shoulders, which can ache if those areas are weak or sore. It is also not a complete workout on its own — it warms the body but does not cover everything. And it is not right for everyone — people with wrist, shoulder, or back injuries, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or those in later pregnancy should be careful or skip it. Go slow, modify, and stop if a pose hurts.
Can Surya Namaskar reduce cortisol?
It may help, but the evidence is limited. Cortisol is one of the body's main stress hormones. The slow, steady breathing during the flow is thought to calm the nervous system, which can lower stress signals. Reviews of yoga research link a regular practice to lower cortisol and stress, though the studies are small and mixed. There is no strong, sun-salutation-specific proof yet, so treat it as a promising sign rather than a guarantee.