Watch these videos a few times and follow along to build muscle memory for completing two types of Sun Salutations. You can then feel confident going to your local vinyasa yoga class. Note that in a vinyasa yoga class, your teacher will start to play with these basic forms and sequences. Some teachers may have learned them slightly differently. Don’t let that throw you! Have fun with this! Once you have the motions down, the most important thing is to breathe. Bring that awareness into every movement.
Classical Sun Salutation
The second half of this video demonstrates how to use blocks throughout the sequence. Skip to 2:50 if you’d like to start there.
- Start in Mountain
- Inhale the arms up
- Exhale and fold softly
- Lift up to a flat back
- Step your right foot back to a lunge.
- Inhale lift the arms up
- Fold and step to plank
- Exhale lower to the knees and half chaturanga
- Inhale to a low cobra
- Exhale back to downward facing dog. Breathe.
- Exhale the right leg forward to lunge.
- Inhale the arms up
- Exhale fold.
- Step forward. Inhale and come to standing.
- Repeat leading with the left leg.
Sun Salutation A
This video covers several variations of Surya Namaskara A (Sun Salutation). It is similar to the Classical Sun Salutation, but it does not include the lunge and instead you will move straight to a plank. You will see options to add jumps which will make this a little more challenging and tap into the cardiovascular elements. With or without jumps, Sun Salutations are a great way to warm up the body, find your focus, and improve flexibility and strength. Knowing the different options will help you adapt to different teaching styles and sequences in your local yoga classes.
Located on King Street in Old Town Alexandria, our local yoga studio is a place to rest from all the craziness of DC. All are welcome. We serve those in Alexandria, Belle Haven, Del Ray, Annandale, Oxon Hill, and National Harbor, MD. We also provide massage therapy, prenatal massage, reiki. Contact us to learn more about rentals, kids’ yoga parties, teacher training, and teacher mentorship programs.