Yoga sun salutation poses include a variety of well know postures that are iconic within the yoga world and practiced globally.
The combination of poses that both stretch and strengthen the body can be a practice in and of itself.
In this article we’ll take a look at the ins and outs of practicing sun salutation poses as well as:
- What are sun salutations?
- Yoga sun salutation pose library
- Sun salutation sequences
- Yoga sun salutation pose modifications and benefits
What are Sun salutations?
Also known as Suryanamaskara meaning sun (surya) greeting or salute (namaskara), yoga sun salutation poses are a central part of modern yoga as characterized by Krishnamacharya and his students Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar.
Sun salutations are a central feature of Pattabhi Jois’ set Ashtanga series which has inspired a variety of Vinyasa and flow styles of yoga.
The individual poses of sun salutations are linked so that they create a fluid sequence of one breath per movement using ujjayi pranayama and they are a great way to warm up the body.
Yoga Sun Salutations library – 10 Poses
There are different sun salutation sequences which we’ll get to shortly but let’s take a closer look at the yoga sun salutations pose library and how to do them.
- Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
- Ardha Uttanasana (half way lift)
- Utkatasana (chair pose)
- Phalakasana (Plank Pose)
- Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose)
- Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
- Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
#1: Tadasana
Tadasana | Mountain Pose
All sun salutation sequences begin with tadasana.This standing pose often focuses on grounding through the feet and coming back to the breath.The hands are often placed by the side of the body or in a mudra called Anjali.
Benefits and Modifications
- Tadasana is a grounding and interoceptive pose that is pretty accessible for most people.
#2: Urdhva Hastasana
Urdhva Hastasana | Upward Salute
From tadasana, the arms reach over the head making the body very long.The arms can reach out to the sides and up or straight forward and up.There will often be a backbend at the top of the movement to stretch the front body.
Benefits and Modifications
- Urdhva hastasana helps to stretch out the entire front body.
- Some arms don’t like going overhead so it’s worth raising the arms only as far as the chest doesn’t pop forward.
#3: Uttanasana
Uttanasana | Standing Forward Bend
From Urdhva hastasana the body folds in half over the legs.The legs can be straight with a “swan dive” motion forward or there can be a bend in the knees if the hamstrings are tight and the lower back needs some support.
The hands come to the floor with knees bent or straight.The weight of the head acts as traction for the spine and the back body is stretched.
Benefits and Modifications
- Uttanasana lengthens the hips, hamstrings and calves and can relieve some tension through the spine through gravity.
- For those with lower back or sacroiliac issues give this one a miss or be sure to bend the knees.
#4: Ardha Uttanasana
Ardha Uttanasana | Halfway lift
The lower body remains in uttanasana while the upper body lifts around halfway up. There are two approaches: keep the tips of the fingers on the floor and lift the upper body or lift the hands up onto the shins so that the torso is parallel to the floor.
Benefits and Modifications
- This half lift is a great way to strengthen the spine if truly lifting halfway and a great way to mobilize the hips.
#5: Utkatasana
Utkatasana | chair pose
From tadasana the knees bend, the hips move back, and the arms raise. The lower body resembles the shape of sitting in a chair while the arms reach up overhead. The weight of the feet favors the heels, and the knees generally stay behind the toes.
Benefits and Modifications
- Chair pose is an excellent whole-core strengthener. It works the back, hips, legs and feet.
- To modify this one avoid going as low in the legs but keep the upper body form.
#6: Phalakasana
Phalakasana | Plank Pose
This pose is often entered via adho mukha svanasana or from a uttanasana. The wrists are directly under the shoulders while the legs are stretched back behind with the toes tucked.
Benefits and Modifications
- Plank pose is another all-around strengthener including the upper body.
- A great alternative is to keep the knees on the floor but to maintain form through the upper body and core.
#7: Chaturanga Dandasana
Chaturanga Dandasana | Four-Limbed Staff Pose
Arguably the most challenging sun salutation poses within the repertoire, chaturanga dandasana is usually performed after plank pose or by jumping back from ardha uttanasana. The pose is essentially the same as plank pose but with the elbows bent while remaining close to the body.
It requires a significant amount of strength to perform correctly as well as skill. Often considered a transitionary pose this is a tough one even if it is usually only held for one breath.
Benefits and Modifications
- Chaturanga dandasana strengthens the core (including the back) and requires a good deal of strength in the upper arms specifically working the deltoids, triceps, and the muscles of the rotator cuff.
- This pose, like plank pose can be performed with the knees down.
#8: Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana | Upward-Facing Dog Pose
Upward-facing dog tends to be approached from plank pose or chaturanga. The arms are straight and over the wrists while the pelvis drops, and the knees remain off the floor creating a backbend or back arch. The toes can remain tucked or flip over to stretch the front of the ankle.
Benefits and Modifications
- Upward facing dog is a backbend and therefore creates length in the front of the chest abdomen and psoas.
- Upward-facing dog is often substituted for cobra or locust pose.
#9: Adho Mukha Svanasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana | Downward-Facing Dog Pose
One of the most iconic poses of all time is considered a resting pose in this sequence and is one of the only poses to be held longer than one breath.
Unlike plank pose the wrists are in front of the shoulders and the heels are behind the hips. The knees can stay bent if the back of the legs are tight.
Benefits and Modifications
- The inverted V shape lengthens the back of the body and creates an interoceptive quality. While elongating the spine it can also stretch the hamstrings and calves.
- To modify the pose the lower body can remain in an all-fours position while the upper body is situated with the shoulder far behind the wrists in puppy pose.
#10: Virabhadrasana I
Virabhadrasana I | Warrior I
Warrior I is a standing pose lunge variation. It requires the practitioner to step one leg forward from downward facing dog and anchor the back heel. The upper body lifts out of the pelvis and the arms reach overhead. The pose is taught on both sides in one sun salutation cycle.
Benefits and Modifications
- The pose can be taught as a slight backbend, and it creates length in the hip flexors on the long leg side. Warrior one requires core strength and stretches the muscles of the hips.
- A good modification is to lift the back heel which can provide relief for discomfort in the lower back.
Yoga Sun Salutation Poses: 3 Sequences
#1: Half sun salutation
Half sun salutations form a cyclic sequence and are a great way to warm up the body in preparation for some of the more dynamic sequences. Let’s take a look at how the sequence is put together.
- Stand in mountain pose at the top of the yoga mat
- Inhale to reach the arms out wide to the sky with a slight backbend at the top of the movement into upward salute
- Exhale to fold forward over the legs in forward fold, knees bent or straight, hands to the earth
- Inhale to lift the upper body up with the fingers on the floor or hands on the shins in half forward fold
- Exhale to fold forward over the legs into forward fold
- Inhale press into the feet to reach the arms wide and overhead into upward saulte
- Exhale into mountain pose, hands in Anjali mudra (prayer pose)
#2: Sun salutation A
Sun salutation A adds in a few more of the poses we have looked at (chaturanga dandasana, urdhva mukha svanasana and adho mukha svanasana) and builds on the effort required.
- Stand in mountain pose at the top of the yoga mat
- Inhale to reach the arms out wide to the sky with a slight backbend at the top of the movement into upward salute
- Exhale to fold forward over the legs in forward fold, knees bent or straight, hands to the earth
- Inhale to lift the upper body up with the fingers on the floor or hands on the shins in half forward fold
- Exhale step or jump to four limbed staff pose
- Inhale into upward fog pose keeping the shoulders back and down
- Exhale take the hips up and back into downward dog pose and stay for three to five breaths
- Exhale to step or jump to forward fold pose
- Inhale ardha half forward fold pose
- Exhale forward fold pose
- Inhale press into the feet to reach the arms wide and overhead into upward salute pose
- Exhale into mountain pose, hands in Anjali mudra (prayer)
#3: Sun Salutation B
Sun salutation B is more demanding, especially the addition of Warrior I.It varies from sun salutation A by adding in utkatasana and virabhadrasana I.
- Stand in mountain pose at the top of the yoga mat
- Inhale and reach the arms forward and up while sitting the hips back into utkatasana
- Exhale to fold forward over the legs in uttanasana, knees bent or straight, hands to the earth
- Inhale to lift the upper body up with the fingers on the floor or hands on the shins in ardha uttanasana
- Exhale step or jump to chaturanga dandasana
- Inhale into urdhva mukha svanasana keeping the shoulders back and down
- Exhale transition through adho mukha svanasana and step the right foot forward
- Inhale turn and ground the back heel to virabhadrasana I
- Exhale chaturanga dandasana
- Inhale into urdhva mukha svanasana keeping the shoulders back and down
- Exhale transition through adho mukha svanasana and step the left foot forward
- Inhale turn and ground the back heel to virabhadrasana I
- Exhale chaturanga dandasana
- Inhale into urdhva mukha svanasana keeping the shoulders back and down
- Exhale take the hips up and back into adho mukha svanasana and stay for three to five breaths
- Exhale to step or jump to uttanasana
- Inhale ardha uttanasana
- Exhale uttanasana
- Inhale sit the hips down and reach the arms into utkatasana
- Exhale into tadasana, hands in Anjali mudra
Want to find out more?
If you’d like to find out more about the man behind the sequence of yoga sun salutation poses then check out the Biography and Teachings of Krishnamacharya.
