Surya Namaskar A step by step
The twelve-position sun salutation, one movement per breath, with what each position is actually doing.
Surya Namaskar is the sequence almost every Indian practice starts from, and the one most people learn by copying rather than by understanding. It is twelve positions arranged so that each one undoes the one before it: a backbend answered by a forward bend, a lengthening answered by a compression. One breath moves you between positions — inhale to open and lift, exhale to fold and close. The Compendium of Physical Activities lists Surya Namaskar separately from Hatha yoga at a higher energy cost, and this is why: it never stops moving.
The sequence
Every pose name links to its full page — steps, muscles worked, common mistakes and who should skip it.
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1
Prayer Pose Prārthanāsana
3–5 breaths
Stand at the front of the mat, palms together at the chest. Settle the breath before the first movement.
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2
Raised Arms Pose Hasta Uttānāsana
1 inhale
Inhale: sweep the arms overhead and lift the chest into a small upper-back arch.
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3
Standing Forward Bend Uttānāsana
1 exhale
Exhale: fold forward from the hips with the knees as bent as they need to be.
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4
Equestrian Pose Aśva Sañcālanāsana
1 inhale
Inhale: step the right foot back into a lunge and lift the chest.
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5
Plank Pose Phalakāsana
1 breath
Hold the breath out or exhale: step the left foot back to a plank, body in one line.
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6
Eight-Limbed Pose Aṣṭāṅga Namaskāra
1 exhale
Exhale: lower the knees, chest and chin, keeping the hips lifted.
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7
Cobra Pose Bhujaṅgāsana
1 inhale
Inhale: slide forward and lift the chest into a low cobra with the elbows bent.
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8
Downward-Facing Dog Pose Adho Mukha Śvānāsana
1 exhale, then hold 3–5
Exhale: lift the hips back and up into a downward-facing dog.
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9
Equestrian Pose Aśva Sañcālanāsana
1 inhale
Inhale: step the right foot forward between the hands.
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10
Standing Forward Bend Uttānāsana
1 exhale
Exhale: step the left foot to meet it and fold.
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11
Raised Arms Pose Hasta Uttānāsana
1 inhale
Inhale: rise with a long spine and sweep the arms overhead.
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12
Prayer Pose Prārthanāsana
1 exhale
Exhale: hands back to the chest. That is one round — start the next one leading with the left leg.
Before you start this sequence
- Read the cautions on the individual pose pages. Between them, the poses here rule themselves out for pregnancy, high blood pressure, glaucoma, and neck, knee, shoulder and wrist injuries — the details differ pose by pose.
- A sequence is an order, not a prescription. Leave out anything that hurts and the rest still works.
- If you are pregnant, recently post-surgical, or managing a health condition, get your doctor's view before starting, and learn from a qualified teacher in person.
General information only — not medical advice. Some asanas are unsuitable during pregnancy, injury or specific conditions. Learn from a qualified teacher and stop if anything hurts.
Notes on practising it
One round is twelve positions and takes roughly thirty to forty seconds at a steady breath. Three rounds is a warm-up; twelve rounds is a practice on its own. Alternate which leg steps back so both sides get the same work.
The energy figure above uses the standard ACSM relationship — MET × 3.5 × body mass in kilograms ÷ 200 kcal per minute — with the MET value taken from the nearest published code in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. The full working is on the method page, and the wider activity dataset is at BurnLab.
Questions
How long does the Surya Namaskar A sequence take?
About 10 minutes for 12 poses at the stay times listed. Suggested volume: 3–12 rounds. At 3.3 MET — the nearest published code in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities — that is roughly 40 kcal for a 70 kg adult.
Do I have to do the poses in this order?
The order is the point. Sequences are arranged so that each pose prepares the next one and answers the one before it — a backbend followed by a forward bend, a long hold followed by something that unloads it. Reordering them is fine once you know why they sit where they do.
Is the Surya Namaskar A sequence suitable for beginners?
Yes. Every pose in it is a beginner-level shape with an accessible version, though you should still read each pose's own cautions — a beginner pose can still be wrong for a specific pregnancy, knee or neck.
What do I need for it?
A mat, and for several poses a block and a strap — a folded blanket and a belt do the same job. Nothing here needs a studio.
Other sequences
Asana names are traditional. Every step, benefit and caution on this page is written for YogaPath rather than reproduced from any book, studio or other library — see how this site is written. Energy figures derive from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. General information only — not medical advice. Some asanas are unsuitable during pregnancy, injury or specific conditions. Learn from a qualified teacher and stop if anything hurts.