I’ve seen many people say ‘fitness is my passion’ but have never tried doing yoga. Why? Did you know that yoga is one of the most relaxing and fun way to be fit? Every Asana, every movement builds up the strength in your muscles and relaxes your mind and body. Yoga helps build flexibility and strength. When you hold a pose for a long time, you realize that your balance has also improved which surely gives you the confidence to continue practicing yoga for a healthier life.
It is said that yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuji” which means union. In simple terms, it’s the union of your body, mind and soul. Oh also, an Asana is a body posture which starts with simple poses but with time and experience, it can get more complex and interesting. In this article, I’ll mainly be talking about Surya Namaskar/ Sun Salutation.
Surya Namaskar is a powerful force in practicing yoga. It consists of 12 yoga poses. It has a very positive impact on the mind and body, it’s also a great cardiovascular workout. There are many benefits of practicing this workout, it mainly helps with stimulating the nervous system, helps in flexibility, is an amazing solution to weight loss and improves cognitive functioning.

1) Pranamasana / Prayer pose :
Stand at the edge of your mat while keeping your foot together. As you inhale, lift both of your arms from the sides and while exhaling, bring your palms together and form a praying position.

2) Hastauttanasana / Raised arms pose :
The main purpose of this pose is to stretch your entire body so to do that you must breathe in, lift your arms up and then take it back while keeping your biceps close to the ears.

3) Hastapadasana / Standing forward bend :
While breathing out, bend forward from gbe waist but remember to keep the spine intact. After exhaling completely, bring your hands down and place them next to your feet.

4) Ashwa Sanchalanasana / Equestrian pose :
Push your right leg back but make sure to push it as far as you can and bring the right knee to the floor and look up but also keep in mind that the left foot is in between your palms.

5) Chaturanga Dandasana / Stick pose :
in and take the left leg back and bring the whole body to make a straight line.

6) Ashtanga Namaskara / Salute with eight joints :
Exhale while bringing your knees down to the floor, take your hips slightly back and slide forward. Make sure your two hands, two feet, two knees, chest and chin are on the floor.

7) Bhujangasana / Cobra pose :
For this pose, slide forward and raise your chest up to form a cobra pose. It’s advisable to keep your elbows bent and keep your shoulders away from your ears and look up the ceiling.

8) Adho Mukha Svanasana / Downward facing dog pose :
The inverted ‘V’ pose. Breathe out and lift your hips and the tailbone to make an inverted ‘V’. If it’s possible, try keeping your heels on the ground.

9) Ashwa Sanchalanasana / Equestrian pose :
Push your right leg back but make sure to push it as far as you can and bring the right knee to the floor and look up but also keep in mind that the left foot is in between your palms.

10) Hastapadasana / Standing forward bend :
While breathing out, bend forward from the waist but remember to keep the spine intact. After exhaling completely, bring your hands down and place them next to your feet.

11) Hastauttanasana / Raised arms pose :
The main purpose of this pose is to stretch your entire body so to do that you must breathe in, lift your arms up and then take it back while keeping your biceps close to the ears.

12) Tadasana / Mountain pose :
While exhaling, straighten your body and bring your arms down. Observing the sensations taking place in your body is the key point to master this pose.

Therefore, this completes Set 1. While doing Surya Namaskar, make sure to do 2 sets. For the second set, start with the left leg and bring the right foot forward in step 10.
The main purpose of doing yoga is to make sure you relax and enjoy this form of exercise. Always give yourself and your body enough time to adapt to this method and never rush into anything.