General benefits:

• Strengthening the back and balancing the metabolism.
• Stimulating and balancing all the systems of the body, including the digestive system.
• Practiced in a fast pace helps to burn fat and lose weight.

 

General precautions:

• The practice should be immediately discontinued if a fever, acute inflammation, boils or rashes occur due to excess toxins in the body. When the toxins have been eliminated, the practice may be resumed.
• It shouldn’t be practiced by people with high blood pressure, coronary artery disorders, or by those who have had a stroke, as it may overstimulate or damage a week heart or blood vessel system.
• It should be avoided in case of hernia and intestinal tuberculosis.
• People with back conditions such as slipped disc and sciatica should consult a doctor before the practice.
• Women should avoid it during the onset of menstruation, practice can be resumed towards the end of the period.

 

 

Position: 1 (Prayer Pose)

Instructions:

• Stand straight, bring your feet together and your palms together on your chest.
• Breathe normally.

 

 

Position: 2 (Standing Back Arch)

Instructions:

• Inhale and raise your both arms up above the head, bend the head, arms and upper trunk slightly backward, look up.

 

 

Position: 3 (Forward Bend)

Instructions:

• Exhale and bend forward from the hips.
• Touch the floor with your fingers or palms.
• Bring the forehead as close to the knees as is comfortable.
• Do not strain, keep the knees straight.

 

 

Position: 4 (Half Cobra Pose)

Instructions:

• Place your palms on the floor beside the feet, keep the arms straight.
• Inhale and bring your left leg back, drop your left knee on the floor and bend your right knee.
• In the final posture, the left foot, both hands, left knee and toes support the body.
• The back is slightly arched and the head faces forward, look upwards.

 

 

Position: 5 (Plank Pose)

Instructions:

• Hold the breath and from Half Cobra Pose bring your right leg back, straighten your knees and hands.
• Drop the hips until the body forms a straight line from the top of your head to your heels.
• Focus the gaze on the fixed point in front.

 

 

Position: 6 (Ashtanga Pose)

Instructions:

• Exhale and from Plank Pose lower your knees, chest and chin on the floor; the feet will come up on to the toes.
• In the final position only the toes, knees, chest, hands and chin (8 parts of the body) should touch the floor.
• The buttocks, chips and abdomen should be raised.

 

 

Position: 7 (Cobra Pose)

Instructions:

• Inhale, keep your hands beside your chest and slide the chest forward and raise first the head, the shoulders, then, straightening the elbows.
• Arch the back into the Cobra Pose.
• This will lower the hips and the buttocks to the floor.
• Bend the head back and look upward.

 

 

Position: 8 (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Instructions:

• Hold the breath, raise your hips up and lower the head between the arms so that the back and legs form two sides of a triangle.
• Keep the knees and hands straight.
• Push the heels and head towards the floor.

 

 

Position: 9 (Half Cobra Pose)

Instructions:

• Hold the breath and from Downward Facing Dog lean forward and bring your left leg forward.
• Place your palms on the floor beside the left foot, keep the arms straight.
• Drop your right knee on the floor and bend your left knee.
• The back is slightly arched and the head faces forward, look upwards.

 

 

Position: 10 (Forward Bend)

Instructions:

• Exhale and from Half Cobra Pose bring your right leg forward.
• Bend forward from the hips.
• Touch the floor with your fingers or palms.
• Bring the forehead as close to the knees as is comfortable.
• Do not strain, keep the knees straight.

 

 

Position: 11 (Standing Back Arch)

Instructions:

• Inhale and raise your both arms up above the head, bend the head, arms and upper trunk slightly backward, look up.

 

 

Position: 12 (Prayer Pose)

Instructions:

• Exhale and release your hands, bring the palms together on the chest.
• Stand straight with your feet together.
• This is one full round of Sun Salutation.

 

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Credit: Nika Karan

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