Surya Namaskar A, or Sun Salutation A, is the opening sequence of the Ashtanga Vinyasa system codified by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. Sun salutations themselves are far older — they trace back through Hatha Yoga texts and Vedic sun veneration — but the specific nine-vinyasa form practiced today comes from the Ashtanga lineage, where it serves as the warm-up and rhythm-setter for every primary series.

The sequence links nine positions to nine breaths. Each movement is tied to either an inhale or an exhale, so the breath becomes the metronome and the body learns to move in time with it. Traditionally you repeat the sequence five times in a row, building heat, synchronizing breath and movement, and preparing the joints for the rest of the practice.

This guide is for beginners and anyone returning to yoga who wants the full traditional form with safe modifications. You don't need flexibility, strength, or prior experience — just a few feet of floor space and a willingness to move with your breath.

What You Need

  • A yoga mat (optional but helpful for grip and joint padding)
  • A few feet of clear floor space
  • Comfortable clothes you can move in
  • An empty stomach — wait at least 2 hours after eating

Before You Start

No prior yoga experience needed. If you have wrist, shoulder, or low back injuries, read the troubleshooting section first and use the modifications. Practice in the morning if possible — Surya Namaskar means 'sun salutation' and is traditionally done facing east at sunrise.

Steps

  1. 1
    Step 01

    Start in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), then inhale to Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)

    Stand at the front of your mat with your big toes touching and heels slightly apart. Press evenly through both feet, lengthen your spine, and let your arms hang at your sides. This is Tadasana, the starting and ending point of the sequence. On a slow inhale, sweep your arms out to the sides and overhead, palms touching above you. Lift your gaze toward your thumbs without crunching the back of your neck. This is Urdhva Hastasana.

    Tip: Keep your shoulders sliding down away from your ears as your arms reach up. The lift comes from the side body, not from scrunching the shoulders.
  2. 2
    Step 02

    Exhale and fold forward into Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)

    On a long exhale, hinge from your hips and fold forward over your legs. Bring your hands toward the floor on either side of your feet. Bend your knees as much as you need to — the goal is a long spine, not straight legs. Let your head hang heavy.

    Tip: If your hamstrings are tight, keep a generous bend in the knees. Forcing straight legs rounds the low back and is the fastest way to tweak it.
  3. 3
    Step 03

    Inhale to Ardha Uttanasana (Half Lift) with a flat back

    On an inhale, lift your chest halfway up so your back is flat and parallel to the floor. Slide your fingertips to your shins or press your palms to the tops of your thighs. Lengthen the crown of your head forward and draw your shoulder blades down your back.

    Tip: Think of the half lift as making space along your spine, not as lifting your head. Eyes look about a foot in front of your toes.
  4. 4
    Step 04

    Exhale and step or jump back to Chaturanga Dandasana (Low Plank)

    On an exhale, plant your palms beside your feet and step both feet back to a high plank, then lower halfway down with your elbows hugged tight to your ribs. Your shoulders should hover at the same height as your elbows, no lower. Keep your body in one long line from heels to crown.

    Tip: Beginners: drop your knees to the floor before lowering, then press into the next pose from there. This builds the strength to do full chaturanga safely over time.
  5. 5
    Step 05

    Inhale to Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog) or Bhujangasana (Cobra)

    On an inhale, roll over your toes (or press the tops of your feet down) and straighten your arms, lifting your chest forward and up. In full upward dog, your thighs lift off the floor and only your hands and the tops of your feet touch down. For cobra, keep your hips and thighs on the floor and bend your elbows so your chest lifts to a comfortable height. Open across the collarbones and draw your shoulders away from your ears.

    Tip: If you feel any pinching in your low back, drop down to cobra with bent elbows. Cobra is the safer beginner option and builds the same back-body strength.
  6. 6
    Step 06

    Exhale to Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) — hold for 5 breaths

    On an exhale, tuck your toes, lift your hips up and back, and press into an inverted V shape. Spread your fingers wide and press the floor away. Let your head hang between your arms. This is the rest pose of the sequence — stay here for 5 full breaths, lengthening through the spine and softening the heels toward the floor (they don't need to touch).

    Tip: Bend your knees as much as you need to find length in your spine. A long back matters more than straight legs. Keep your ears between your upper arms, not dropped toward the floor.
  7. 7
    Step 07

    Inhale and step or jump forward to Ardha Uttanasana

    On the next inhale after your fifth breath, look between your hands and step or lightly hop both feet forward to the top of the mat. Land between your palms, then lift your chest into the half lift again — flat back, fingertips to shins, eyes looking forward.

    Tip: If jumping feels chaotic, just step. One foot, then the other. The breath leads the body, not the other way around.
  8. 8
    Step 08

    Exhale and fold into Uttanasana

    On the exhale, release your chest back down toward your legs into the full forward fold. Let your head hang and soften your shoulders away from your ears. This is the same shape as step 2.

  9. 9
    Step 09

    Inhale and rise to Urdhva Hastasana, then exhale to Tadasana (Samastitihi)

    On a long inhale, sweep your arms wide and out as you lift your torso all the way up to standing, finishing with palms touching overhead. Then exhale and lower your hands through heart center or down to your sides, returning to a still Tadasana. This still standing position is called Samastitihi — equal standing — and it marks the end of one full round.

    Tip: Take one full breath in Tadasana before starting the next round. This is where the practice integrates.
  10. 10
    Step 10

    Repeat the full sequence 5 times, then rest

    Traditionally, Surya Namaskar A is repeated five times in a row before moving on to Surya Namaskar B. Beginners can start with 2 or 3 rounds and build up over time. After your final round, lie down on your back for at least a minute — even a short rest lets the breath settle and the practice land in the body.

    Tip: If you only have time for one practice, five rounds of Surya A plus a minute of rest is a complete morning yoga session. It warms the body, moves every major joint, and links breath to movement.

Expected Results

After one full round, most people feel warmer and more awake. After five rounds, the breath deepens, the heart rate climbs into a light cardio zone, and the spine, hips, shoulders, and hamstrings all open. With daily practice over 2 to 4 weeks, expect noticeably better mobility in the hamstrings and shoulders, more upper-body strength from the repeated chaturangas, easier breathing throughout the day, and a calmer, more grounded start to the morning.

Common Mistakes

  • Holding the breath through transitions — every movement should have either an inhale or an exhale tied to it. If you find yourself holding, slow the movement to match the breath, not the other way around.
  • Collapsing into chaturanga — dropping the chest below elbow height puts the shoulders in a vulnerable position. Lower with control to elbow height, or drop the knees first.
  • Locking the knees in down dog — straight legs feel impressive but compress the spine and pull on the hamstrings. Bend the knees generously and prioritize a long back.
  • Scrunching the shoulders up to the ears in upward dog and urdhva hastasana — keep the shoulder blades sliding down the back, away from the ears, in every pose.
  • Rushing through the sequence faster than the breath — if you can't sustain a long, smooth inhale and exhale, you're moving too fast. Slow the body down to the breath.

Troubleshooting

My wrists hurt in chaturanga or downward dog
Wrist pain is the most common beginner complaint. Spread your fingers wide, press through the knuckles of the index finger and thumb (not just the heel of the hand), and build strength gradually. Drop to your knees for chaturanga, use a folded towel under the heels of your hands for padding, or take fists or forearms in down dog while the wrists adapt.
My low back hurts in upward dog
Skip upward dog and substitute Bhujangasana (cobra) with bent elbows and your hips and thighs on the floor. Keep the lift small — chest only rises as high as it can without pinching. Engage your low belly and the backs of your legs to support the spine. If cobra still hurts, try sphinx pose on your forearms.
Chaturanga is too hard — I just collapse
Drop your knees to the floor before lowering. Knee-down chaturanga is the same shape with less weight, and it builds the strength you need for the full version. Alternatively, skip the lowering entirely and step from down dog directly back to plank or knees, then move on.

Variations

Surya Namaskar B is the longer counterpart, adding Utkatasana (chair pose) at the start and Virabhadrasana I (warrior 1) between the chaturangas — traditionally you do 5 rounds of A followed by 3 to 5 rounds of B. The Sivananda lineage uses a different 12-position sun salutation that includes a low lunge and an equestrian pose, which feels more devotional and less athletic. For a restorative version, do every transition on the floor: lying down for cobra, child's pose instead of down dog, and a seated forward fold instead of uttanasana — the breath pattern stays the same and the practice still warms the body without weight on the wrists.

Connections

Surya Namaskar A is the gateway sequence into the broader practice of yoga asana, and every position in it appears as a standalone yoga pose you can study and refine on its own. The breath-and-movement coordination at the heart of the sequence is itself a form of pranayama, and the rhythmic repetition makes Surya A a moving meditation when practiced with full attention.

Further Reading