What is Surya Namaskar and its benefits?

Many people all over the world are connected with yoga, and they do many different types of yoga posture (asanas) daily. Surya Namaskar is also done under Yoga.

It’s believed that the body gets energy from the universe while performing Surya Namaskar or Salute to the Sun or Sun Salutation, which is beneficial for physical and mental health.

Let’s know about Surya Namaskar and its health benefits in detail, here…

What is Surya Namaskar?

Surya Namaskar is a type of physical activity that is done at the time of sunrise. In Hindi, the sun called Surya, and the salutation called Namaskar, hence this activity is called Surya Namaskar.

A class of yoga postures is done in a continuous flow order at sunrise time to improve the body flexibility and muscle strength, known as Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation.

In Hinduism, the sun worshiped as the god so, during this exercise, the Sun God is worshiped and this exercise is performed under a few steps or postures.

These all steps or postures have different names and they’re done in different ways during performing Surya Namaskar. This practice or exercise can be performed by people of all age groups.

And, those who do this practice regularly, their body remains always healthy and their mind remains cam.

How to do Surya Namaskar?

To do Surya Namaskar, follow these steps…

1. To do Surya Namaskar, first of all, you stand up straight and join your hands, then take a deep breath and keep the shoulders loose, now while breathing in, raise your hands and exhale while taking a breath.
2. Next, the hands are lifted up with breathing, and the hands are placed near the ears, during this step, the entire body is to be pulled upward.
3. Next, bending your body forward and exhaling, keep the hands on the ground near the toes of the feet.
4. Then next, the right leg is held back and the knee of this leg is touched on the ground. Simultaneously the face has to be moved up and up.
5. Same as above, now the left leg time…
6. Now time to Lying with keeping the face toward the ground, at that time put your both hand on the ground, and slowly your hips have to be raised upwards. Remember that during this time the chest and chin should be touched from the ground.
7. In the next step, the upper part of the body remains lifted and the rest remains attached to the ground. Your body is lifted up with the help of your hands.
8. Next step, only hands, and feet are a touch on the ground and the rest of the body is up. In this posture, the weight of the entire body is on the hands and feet.
9. In the end, the last step stands upright and relaxes the body.

All steps can easily be followed by seeing postures in the image below…

Surya Namaskar Postures Names

To get the real health benefits of Surya Namaskar, it’s important to perform the exercise in steps systematically with a clear and focused mind.

There are 12 poses or postures of Surya Namaskar, you can easily understand these poses in the above image, Respectively the names of its postures mentioned below as…

1. The Prayer Pose (Pranamasana)
2. The Raised Arms Pose (Hasta Uttanasana)
3. The Standing Forward Bend Pose (Hasta Padasana)
4. The Lunge Pose (Ashwa Sanchalanasana)
5. The Plank Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)
6. The Eight Limbed Pose (Ashtanga Namaskar)
7. The Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
8. The Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
9. The High Lunge Pose (Ashwa Sanchalanasana)
10. The Standing Forward Bend (Hasta Padasana)
11. The Raised Arms Pose (Hasta Uttanasana)
12. The Prayer Pose (Pranamasana)

Precautions during this exercise

While doing Surya  Namaskar, it is necessary to take a little care and if possible, learn it well before doing. First learn all steps from someone who teaches yoga, and only then start doing it by yourself.

Women are advised by medical experts, not to do this activity during menstruation, it’s can harmful during these days.

Often people take bath immediately after doing this exercise, which is wrong and it’s said that people should take bath after doing this exercise for at least 15 minutes and more.

Every step done under this exercise should be done properly, you should know breath is to be done while doing which pose and at what time you have to exhale.

If a person has any type of injury & physical health issues or if there is any problem in his spine, then he should not do this exercise.

What does Surya Namaskar do to your body?

The Ultimate Asana Surya Namaskar strengthens our back and muscles, brings down the blood sugar level, and improves blood circulation and metabolism, also ensures a regular menstrual cycle for women.

This exercise activates each part of our body which means it has the best impact on the heart, liver, throat, chest, legs, intestine, and stomach.

There many other health benefits of yoga poses of this exercise, these are…

It’s Benefits

• It strengthens the whole body and improves your health.
• This exercise improves the immunity system.
• It improves the flexibility of the body.
• It maintains the cardiovascular system.
• Also, aids in developing a muscular body.
• It improves the strength of muscles and increases endurance.
• By doing this exercise we can revive the nervous system.
• It also helps in weight loss.
• Practicing it makes a positive impact on the cognitive function of the brain, and is also relaxing the mind.
• It also improves skin and hair health.

Only one time in morning, and do all postures daily.

1 set of surya namaskar = 12 asanas (poses or postures)

Sunrise time in the morning (~6am)

Don’t drink water immediately before and after doing Surya Namaskar.

There are 12 poses or asanas in Surya Namaskar Exercise.

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