Surya Namaskar: 12 Yoga poses for weight loss

Sobiya N. Moghul,Health Me Up | Jan 5, 2015, 12.00 AM IST

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Surya Namaskar: 12 Yoga poses for weight loss (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

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Sun Salutation is considered a complete body workout. Yoga experts say that doing 12 sets
of Surya Namaskar translates into doing 288 powerful yoga poses in a span of 12 to 15
minutes.
A workout for 'busy bees'
Facing a time crunch? Want to feel fit but don't know how? Welcome to the world of Surya
Namaskar. Literally translated as sun salutation, Surya Namaskar comprises a sequence of
12 yoga postures. The best part about Sun Salutation is that it works well for those 'super
busy' people who often complain about not being able to do yoga because of a time crunch.
Doing at least 12 sets of Sun Salutation, preferably at sunrise, at a fast pace provides a good
cardiovascular workout. If done at a slower pace, these postures help tone the muscles and
can be relaxing and meditative. Moreover, it allows you to enjoy the stretch and makes the
body more flexible.
Though pretty much an exercise in itself, Sun Salutation forms an excellent link between
warm-ups and intense yoga postures. Start your early morning yoga routine with some
warm-up stretches to ease out body stiffness. You can then do a few rounds of Sun

Salutation to help increase body flexibility and also prepare the body to stretch more during
the intense yoga posture sequence.
Sun Salutation is considered a complete body workout. Yoga experts say that doing 12 sets
of Surya Namaskar translates into doing 288 powerful yoga poses in a span of 12 to 15
minutes.
Why Sun Salutation is good for you?
But that's not all. Regular practice of Sun Salutation offers a lot of interesting benefits for
every part of the body. These powerful yoga poses have a great impact on the heart, liver,
intestine, stomach, chest, throat, and legs - the whole body from top to bottom. It purifies
the blood and improves blood circulation throughout the body and ensures proper
functioning of the stomach, bowel, and nerve centres. Practicing Sun Salutation daily helps
balance the three constitutions - Vata, Pitta and Kapha - that the body is made up of.

Surya Namaskara- A complete Yoga for Every one

Main Advantages of performing Surya Namaskara Daily:

Beneficial for the health of digestive system.Regular practice of

Surya Namaskara helps to improve the digestive system. It stretches
the abdominal muscles and helps to lose excessive belly fat and gives
flat stomach.

Ideal exercise to cope with insomnia.Regular practice of Surya

Namaskara calms the mind and helps to get sound sleep. Thus it helps
in controlling insomnia and other related diseases

Practice regulates irregular menstrual cycles. Practicing Surya

Namaskar ensures the easy childbirth. It helps to decrease the fear of
pregnancy and childbirth.

Surya Namaskar practice boosts blood circulation and helps to

prevent hair graying, hair fall, and dandruff. It also improves the
growth of hair making it long.

Regular practice of Surya Namaskar helps to lose extra calories

and reduce fat. It helps to stay thin. Practicing Surya Namaskar is the
easiest way to be in shape.

Sun salutation exercise helps to add glow on your face making

facial skin radiant and ageless. It is the natural solution to prevent
onset of wrinkles.

Regular practice of sun salutation boosts endurance power. It gives

vitality and strength. It also reduces the feeling of restlessness and
anxiety.

The back muscles are toned up and strengthened to a great extent

and the spine and arms become stronger

It regulates the respiration system and improves lungs functionality

Procedure to perform Surya Namaskara: Surya Namaskara consist of

12 postures. Ideally Surya Namaskara should be done total 13 times
along with Surya Namaskara Mantras given below chanting one mantra
before starting each cycle of yoga postures.
1. Aum Mitraya Namah
2. Aum Ravayre Namah
3. Aum Suryaya Namah
4. Aum Bhanave Namah
5. Aum Khagaya Namah
6. Aum Pushne Namah
7. Aum Hiranyagarbhaya Namah
8. Aum Marichaye Namah
9. Aum Adityaya Namah
10. Aum Savitre Namah
11. Aum Arkaya Namah
12. Aum Bhaskaraya Namah
13. Aum Shri Savitra Surya Narayanaya namah

Step1: Stand straight with your feet together and palms folded at the chest as if in
prayer. Your toes can be slightly apart but the heels should be as close as possible.
Step 2:Raise your arms above your head and stretch back as much as possible to
bend your spine backwards while inhaling air. Your abdomen should be stretched
to the maximum limit and your biceps should be touching your ears with your
hands parallel.
Step 3:Bend forward, go down and touch your toes with your fingertips. Dont
bend your knees and try to touch your knee with your forehead. When you do this,
your stomach is compressed, so exhale.
Step 4:take your right leg back and stretch it while balancing it on the toe and keep
your left leg folded in front of your chest. Keep your palms straight on both sides
of the left foot on the ground. Look up and inhale.
Step 5:Take back the left leg as well and keep both the feet together while raising
your hip from the ground and balancing yourself on all fours. You will look like an
inverted V. Exhale while you do this posture.
Step 6:Slowly come down and rest your palms next to your shoulders, your knees
touching the ground but your waist and hip slightly raised above so that they dont
touch the ground. Your face should also be downward facing and hold your breath
during this.
Step 7:Lower your waist and raise your torso, making your arms straight and
balancing yourself. Feel your spine bend and the abdomen stretch. Inhale when
you do this and look straight.
Now, again raise your hip and balance yourself on all fours. Looking like an
inverted V. Exhale while you do this.
Step 8:Bring the left leg forward and fold it so that the knee reaches your chin and
look up. Keep the right leg behind as before and stretch. Inhale when you do this.
Step 9: With your palm at your toes, raise yourself up so that your forehead
touches the knees and your spine bends forward. Exhale in this posture.
Step 10:Get up very slowly and take your arms above your head and stretch
backwards while inhaling.
Step 11:Then come back to the first position with your arms folded and relax while
breathing normal.
Step 12:Repeat the series with the other leg.