If you’re looking to lose weight, you may have heard that performing Surya namaskar can help you to weight loss. But do they work?
And more importantly, should you bother doing them?
In this post, we’ll take a look at the sun salutations and see if they’re really worth your time if you’re looking to lose weight.
What is Surya namaskar
Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation, is a traditional asana performed to greet the Sun or to start their new day with the positive vibes. Sun Salutation is also known to have an immensely positive impact on the body and mind.
Sun Salutation can be done best on the morning with the empty stomach. It takes very low cost of energy but listen to me it is very effective and help you weight loss as you do regularly with proper diet and nutrition.
Surya namaskar is a sequence of 12 different asanas. It is cardiovascular workout that consists of almost every body part connected with jumping, stretching and movements of body parts.
As I told you that it is very effective workout, do it regularly to get the maximum benefit.
Benefits for Surya namaskar
- Over all body workout or total workout
- It’s very convenient.
- It helps in improving metabolism
- It burns most of the calories
- Improves in digestion
Steps for Surya namaskar or sun salutation
1. Pranam asana (Prayer pose)
Stand straight with your feet is under your hips and keep your feet together and distribute your weight with both the legs equally. Keep your chest relaxed and you should not feel any pressure in your shoulder. It is like the namaste pose in Hindu religion.
2. Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose)
Now breathe in and lift your arms up and curve your back as shown. Keeps your biceps closer to ears. While doing this remember to breathe in or inhale. This pose will stretch your body and make you feel good. You have to make sure that you do not bend too much towards the back as this might be uncomfortable for the pelvis.
3. Hastapadasana (Standing forward bend)
Now breathe out or exhale and bend forward from your waist. Make sure that your spine should be straight and erected. Bring your hands down and try to touch your feet. Make sure that you don’t push aggressively, to touch down your feet. Do it as you feel comfortable and you can also bend your knees to touch your feet.
This asana will help the blood to circulate in full body with right manner. It also helps you to release unwanted gases formed in the body. This toxic air is not good for your body hence Hastapadasana helps you to release it.
4. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)
Now, in this step you have to breathe in and push your right leg as far as possible and make sure that your left leg is parallel and between your arms and palm respectively as shown.
Your knee of the right leg should be touched to the floor and your neck up and facing to the sun.
5. Dandasana (Stick pose)
Breathe out or exhale and bring your left with right leg and your arms should be straight like in pic shown above. Your arms should be at the equal distance with the neck.
You should not to look forward or upward, you have to look downward as shown while doing this, many people do it wrongly. As it can cause injury in your neck.
6. Ashtanga Namaskar (Salute with eight parts or points)
Now, in this step you have bring your knees and chest down to the floor, as shown and then exhale. Slightly take your hips up and forward as shown. Rest up your chin and your body.
This way your both feet along with your knees, your hands, chest, and chin, all eight parts of your body will be touching the floor.
This is the most complex asanas in all the 12 asanas.
7. Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
Now, look forward and chest up as shown above. It is like the cobra pose, you may have also heard about this asana, it is very popular asanas. Inhale and make a moderate effort to push your chest forward. Now exhale & make a light effort to push naval down.
You should remember not to stretch aggressively, as it can cause back injury.
Your shoulders should be making a proper distance from the ear. And your elbows might bend in this posture. And look up to the sky or sun.
8. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward facing dog pose)
Now, breathe out and lift your hips as well as tail bone like the mountain or like downward facing dog pose. Create an inverted V shape by keeping your chest downwards.
try to stretch your lower leg part slowly and gently. Make sure you don’t stress yourself for stretching to keep it safe and relaxing.
9. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)
Now come back with Equestrian pose with breathing in, but with right leg this time. Bring your left knee down to the ground and press your hips down and then look up in the sky or at the sun.
The most important thing to remember while performing the Ashwa Sanchalanasana yoga is to keep your body straight and your shoulders should be at an equal distance.
The breathing process should be done slowly and gently and the stretch should be mild too soft to achieve maximum benefits and relaxation.
10. Hastapadasana (Standing forward bend)
Now come back with the Hastapadasana by breathing out and bringing left leg forward. You can bet your knees if you feel discomfort.
Now since you are in the right pose for this yoga, try to touch your leg knees with your nose. While doing so, make sure you breath-in very gently.
11. Hastauttanasana (Raised arms pose)
Now come back with the Raised arm pose while breathing in and roll your spine up and hips slightly outward.
To avoid any discomfort, ensure that you have to keep your hands stretched and make the movement in an equilibrium state.
12. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
Tadasana or mountain pose is the last asana of Surya namaskar. In this you have to exhale and then keep your body straight like mountain and your hands are in the praying position as shown.
Conclusion
Yoga is a very good physical and mental wellness exercise. One should practice it on a daily basis. If you have any medical condition, then you should either consult your doctor or your yoga instructor before performing any kind of yoga. Surya Namaskar has many pros to heal the mind, body, and soul. It also gives us freshness in the morning. You can assume it as a full-body stretch in the meditation way.
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