In Vinyasa Flow yoga, the Sun Salutation is frequently used for many reasons:
- It warms you up and gets you breathing
- You stretch and strengthen several muscles at once
- Different poses can be smoothly integrated (the ‘flow’ bit)
For those who would like to remember this sequence quickly, here it is a quick version:
- Stand (grounding feet)
- Arms over head (reach high)
- Bend forward (bend knees if needed)
- Hands on ground, walk back to Plank
- Upward dog (squeeze glutes, push chest forward)
- Downward dog (push bum to sky)
- Step/jump feet to front of mat to meet hands
- Bend forward
- Arms over head
- Stand
Tips
- Try to do 3 – 5 when you wake up
- Focus on the breath (inhale and exhale through nose)
- Draw in your lower belly, supporting lower back
I can give more explanation but many of my students would like a quick way to remember this sequence.
Thanks to my lovely model, Tim, doing the salutations in Cornwall in the misty sunlight.