SUN SALUTATION A / Surya Namaskar A

1. Start in mountain pose (Tadasana). Begin on your yoga mat in mountain pose, rooting all four corners of your feet to the ground, stand tall, and roll your shoulders back. Become aware of your breath as you bring your hands into prayer position.

2. Move into upward salute (Urdhva Hastasana). Inhale and bring your hands above your head into upward salute with pinky fingers in and palms facing each other. Hold for a breath or two.

3. Bend into standing forward fold (Uttanasana). On an exhalation, enter this standing forward bend by bringing the hands through the heart center or swan diving gracefully with arms extended and knees bent. Hold for a breath or two.

4. Lift into half-standing forward fold (Ardha Uttanasana). Inhale and lift halfway up, flattening the spine, engaging the core, looking down, and bringing the fingertips to the floor in front of you or your shins (whichever is most comfortable).

5. Step into low plank pose (Chaturanga Dandasana). Exhale and bring your hands to the mat and step back into this plank pose (also known as four-limbed staff pose) by tucking your toes and pressing the heels back, with the shoulders directly above the wrists. If you do not have enough strength to hold staff pose, you can drop your knees to the ground.

6. Move into upward-facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana). Inhale and move into upward-facing dog. Keep your knees off of the mat, tucking your toes, and pressing into your hands to extend your chest forward. Push your shoulders back and down, maintain a neutral forward gaze. Open up through the heart. Hold for a breath or two your first round.

7. Come into downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). On an exhalation, lift your hips and come into downward-facing dog pose. Press the heels towards the mat (it’s acceptable for them to contact the ground), let your head hang heavy, and press firmly into your hands to lift the shoulder blades up and back.

8. Step into half-standing forward fold (Ardha Uttanasana). On an exhalation, walk, step, or hop forward onto the mat, so your feet meet your hands. Inhale and lift halfway up, flattening the spine, and engaging the core. Looking down, bring your fingertips to the floor in front of you or your shins.

9. Bend into standing forward fold (Uttanasana). On an exhale, forward fold either by bringing the hands through heart center or swan diving gracefully with arms extended and knees bent. Hold for a breath or two your first round. During every sequential round, continue to focus on linking breath to movement.

10. Raise into upward salute (Urdhva Hastasana). Inhale and bring your hands above your head, pinky fingers in and palms facing each other.

11. Return to mountain pose. Exhale, and bring your hands up into Anjali mudra (hands to heart centre). Press your thumbs into the sternum, each palm and fingertip pressing against its counterpart with equal force, with your fingers spread wide. You can repeat the sequence with the opposite foot leading the way to complete one round. You can perform as many rounds as you wish to warm up the body.

Sun Salutation B

1. Start in mountain pose (Tadasana). Begin on your yoga mat in mountain pose, rooting all four corners of your feet to the ground, stand tall, roll your shoulders back, and maintain awareness of your breath.

2. Lean down into fierce pose (Utkatasana). Inhale and lift your arms above your head, bend your knees, and lean back and down, like you are sitting in a chair. Engage the core, keep the back of the neck long, and shoulders back and down. Stay here for a breath or two during the first round. Aim to link your breathing to the movement on subsequent rounds.

3. Bend into standing forward fold (Uttanasana). On an exhalation, enter this standing forward bend by bringing the hands through the heart center or swan diving gracefully with arms extended and knees bent. Hold for a breath or two.

4. Lift into half-standing forward fold (Ardha Uttanasana). Inhale and lift halfway up, flattening the spine, engaging the core, looking down, and bringing the fingertips to the floor in front of you or your shins (whichever is most comfortable).

5. Move into low plank pose (Chaturanga Dandasana). Inhale and come into a plank pose (also known as four-limbed staff pose) by bringing your right foot back to meet the left with both of your palms shoulder-width apart to support your weight.

6. Move into upward-facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana). Inhale and move into upward-facing dog. Keep your knees off of the mat, tucking your toes, and pressing into your hands to extend your chest forward. Push your shoulders back and down, and maintain a neutral forward gaze. Open up through the heart. Hold for a breath or two during your first round.

7. Come into downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). On an exhalation, lift your hips and come into downward-facing dog pose. Press the heels towards the mat (it’s acceptable for them to contact the ground), let your head hang heavy, and press firmly into your hands to lift the shoulder blades up and back.

8. Enter warrior I pose (Virabhadrasana I). Step forward with your right foot. Spin your back heel out to a 45-degree angle, square your hips to the front of the room, firm your back leg, and bend the front knee at a 90-degree angle. Bring the hands above the head, pinky fingers faced towards each other, palms facing in. Stay here for a few breaths during the first round.

9. Move back into low plank pose (Chaturanga Dandasana). Inhale and come back into plank pose by bringing your right foot back to meet the left with both of your palms shoulder-width apart to support your weight.

10. Enter upward-facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana). Inhale and move into upward-facing dog. Keep your knees off of the mat, tucking your toes, and pressing into your hands to extend your chest forward. Push your shoulders back and down, and maintain a neutral forward gaze. Open up through the heart. Hold for a breath or two during your first round.

11. Come back into downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). On an exhalation, lift your hips and come into downward-facing dog pose. Press the heels towards the mat (it’s acceptable for them to contact the ground), let your head hang heavy, and press firmly into your hands to lift the shoulder blades up and back.

12. Enter warrior I pose (Virabhadrasana I). Step forward with your right foot. Spin your back heel out to a 45-degree angle, square your hips to the front of the room, firm your back leg, and bend the front knee at a 90-degree angle. Bring the hands above the head, pinky fingers faced towards each other, palms facing in. Stay here for a few breaths during the first round.

13. Move back into low plank pose (Chaturanga Dandasana). Inhale and come back into plank pose by bringing your right foot back to meet the left with both of your palms shoulder-width apart to support your weight.

14. Enter upward-facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana). Inhale and move into upward-facing dog. Keep your knees off of the mat, tucking your toes, and pressing into your hands to extend your chest forward. Push your shoulders back and down, and maintain a neutral forward gaze. Open up through the heart.

15. Come back into downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). On an exhalation, lift your hips and come into downward-facing dog pose. Press the heels towards the mat (it’s acceptable for them to contact the ground), let your head hang heavy, and press firmly into your hands to lift the shoulder blades up and back.

16. Lift into half-standing forward fold (Ardha Uttanasana). Inhale and lift halfway up, flattening the spine, engaging the core, looking down, and bringing the fingertips to the floor in front of you or your shins (whichever is most comfortable).

17. Bend into standing forward fold (Uttanasana). On an exhalation, enter this standing forward bend by bringing the hands through the heart center or swan diving gracefully with arms extended and knees bent. Hold for a breath or two your first round. During subsequent rounds, practice linking your breath to the movements.

18. Lean down into fierce pose (Utkatasana). Inhale, lift your arms above your head, bend your knees, and lean back and down, like you are sitting in a chair. Engage the core, keep the back of the neck long and shoulders back and down. Link your breath to the movements in subsequent rounds.

19. Return to mountain pose (Tadasana). Return to mountain pose, then repeat the sequence with the opposite foot leading the way to complete one round. You may go through as many rounds as you wish to warm up the body.

Sun Salutation C

1. Start in mountain pose (Tadasana). Begin on your yoga mat in mountain pose, rooting all four corners of your feet to the ground, stand tall, roll your shoulders back, and maintain awareness of your breath.

2. Come into prayer pose (Pranamasana). Bring your hands together at your heart in Anjali mudra. The thumbs are pressed lightly against the sternum, and each hand is equally pressing against the other with fingers spread wide.

3. Inhale into upward salute (Urdhva Hastasana). Inhale and bring your hands above your head into upward salute with pinky fingers in and palms facing each other. Hold for a breath or two.

4. Bend into standing forward fold (Uttanasana). On an exhalation, enter this standing forward bend by bringing the hands through the heart center or swan diving gracefully with arms extended and knees bent. Hold for a breath or two.

5. Lift into half-standing forward fold (Ardha Uttanasana). Inhale and lift halfway up, flattening the spine, engaging the core, looking down, and bringing the fingertips to the floor in front of you or your shins (whichever is most comfortable).

6. Exhale into low lunge pose (Anjaneyasana). Exhale and bring the left foot back into a low lunge. Extend your arms out, then raise them above your head and hold for a few inhalations and exhalations.

7. Move into plank pose (Chaturanga Dandasana). Inhale and bring your hands down to the mat. Come into plank pose (also known as four-limbed staff pose) by bringing your right foot back to meet the left with both of your palms shoulder-width apart to support your weight.

8. Salute with eight parts (Ashtanga Namaskara). Exhale and bring the knees to the floor, slide forward, lift the hips slightly, and rest the chin and the chest on the floor.

9. Enter cobra pose (Bhujangasana). Inhale and press the feet, legs, and hips into the mat and lift the chest forward and chin off the mat, coming into a slight backbend. While in cobra pose, place little to no weight on your hands, and use the spine muscles to lift your chest.

10. Push into downward-facing dog pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Exhale and push yourself into downward-facing dog. Bring your hips up and back and allow your head to hang heavy between the hands.

11. Move into low lunge pose (Anjaneyasana). Exhale, then bring the right leg back into a low lunge. Extend your arms out, then raise them above your head and hold for a few inhalations and exhalations.

12. Step into half-standing forward fold (Ardha Uttanasana). On an exhalation, walk, step, or hop forward onto the mat, so your feet meet your hands. Inhale and lift halfway up, flattening the spine, and engaging the core. Looking down, bring your fingertips to the floor in front of you or your shins.

13. Bend into standing forward fold (Uttanasana). On an exhale, forward fold either by bringing the hands through the heart center or swan diving gracefully with arms extended and knees bent. Hold for a breath or two your first round. During every sequential round, continue to focus on linking breath to movement.

14. Move into upward salute (Urdhva Hastasana). Inhale and bring your hands above your head into upward salute with pinky fingers in and palms facing each other. Hold for a breath or two.

15. Come into prayer pose (Pranamasana). Bring your hands together at your heart. The thumbs are pressed lightly against the sternum, and each hand is equally pressing against the other with fingers spread wide.

16. Come back into mountain pose (Tadasana). Return to mountain pose, then repeat the sequence with the opposite foot leading the way to complete one round. You may go through as many rounds as you wish to warm up the body.