What is Surya Namaskar?
Surya Namaskar asana is a traditional Indian practice to respect the sun as it is the source of all life. It is of great importance in Hinduism as the God of the sun is believed to be the creator of the universe. Sun Salutation benefits human health in regular practice just like
hatha yoga,
morning yoga, and
yoga Nidra. Surya Namaskar is a Sanskrit name that has a specific set of twelve yoga asanas.
How Effectively Can We Do Surya Namaskar Workout at Home?
Facing the sun and performing this is seen to give better benefits to an individual. Many visual records are available through various media to the people teaching how to perform a Sun Salutation effectively in our own space. Doing Sun Salutation at home helps a person prevent wasting their time and energy going to a yoga studio and getting fit.
Who Can Do Surya Namaskar Workout?
Surya Namaskar benefits all groups of people, and there is no restriction on age. It is vital for kids and teenagers as they near puberty as it manages the well-being of the glands like adrenals, pituitary, and thyroid. The ideal age to start practicing Namaskar positions is seven. Furthermore, it is the best form of yoga asanas for senior citizens as it is not strenuous to perform.
Who Should Avoid Surya Namaskar Workouts?
There are a particular set of people who should refrain from practicing Sun Salutation, and they are:
Patients with a hernia problem should never perform it.
Pregnant women must not perform Surya Namaskar after their first trimester.
People who have back problems and spinal health issues should not do Surya namaskar at any point in time.
Patients with high blood pressure should stay away from this practice.
Women should temporarily take a break during their menstrual cycles.
Disadvantages of Doing Surya Namaskar Workouts
Surya Namaskar stimulates every system in the body, but there are disadvantages if it is not done correctly, and they are:
· The 2nd posture in the Surya namaskara needs to be done with care such that the neck does not float back as this will cause severe damage to the neck muscles.
· When doing the 3rd posture, do not bed down inappropriately without stretching as this will give rise to back problems.
· The 4th posture must be performed without pressure and weight on the fingers, or else there are more chances of the fingers getting injured. Instead, put the pressure on the palms.
· While performing the 5th posture, the abdomen should not be attached to the ground. The hips also must not be lifted too high as it will put an unnecessary force on the lower back and bring about spine problems.
· Always the Surya namaskara must be performed under the guidance of a trained yoga teacher while learning how to do it.
· When done outdoors, overexposure to the sun might cause skin rashes and other skin problems.
Dos & Don'ts
The Surya namaskar dos and donts are:
Always involve your body, mind, and breathing throughout the session.
Please warm up for three to five minutes before starting the Surya namaskar steps.
Start with one of the two modules and then switch to the next module. Once you become an expert, you can combine both the modules and practice.
Allot 30 to 45 minutes of your time to get the best results.
Gradually do Surya namaskar steps and do not hurry with the moves.
Start performing by doing one set and then make it two, three, six, and twelve over a period.
Don't stretch your body beyond your limits while taking up Surya namaskar online class.
One can perform Surya namaskar poses in accordance with the time available. This means one can do more minor sets on the weekdays and more on the weekends.
One can do it in the morning and evening. Morning hours must face the rising sun, and evening practice must face the setting sun.
Shavasana must be done for ten minutes, preferably after every 12 poses of Surya namaskar.
One must do it only on an empty stomach or after two hours after any meal.
Surya namaskar yoga must not be done on the bare floor, and one must essentially use a mat.
Meals should be consumed at least twenty minutes after the session.
Things Required to Do Surya Namaskar Workout if You Are at Home & Gym?
The things that are primarily needed to perform Surya namaskar irrespective of the place are:
· Yoga mat
· Instruction audio
· Sunlight
· Outdoor space
· Towel
· Water bottle
· Relaxing ambiance
· Peaceful atmosphere with less noise
How many Surya Namaskar should be done in a day?
One can do Surya Namaskar steps for twelve rounds per day, but only two rounds are advised for yoga for beginners. It has to be done on alternate days only during the initial stages, and then gradually, one can convert it to every day. Eventually, the number of rounds can also be progressively increased as doing this will hurt the body and severely affect the health. Twelve rounds will be six rounds on the right leg and six rounds on the left leg. The maximum number of times one should do it falls under the Namaskar dos and don'ts. Doing it beyond this limit will cause health problems to the individual and may cause permanent damage. So, one has to be very careful in deciding the limit for themselves.
What are the 12 poses of Surya Namaskar?
If you are wondering, how many types of Surya Namaskar are there, well they have 12 different poses/steps, which are:
Step 1 : Prayer Pose - Pranamasana
Prayer pose is the first and basic posture of Surya Namaskar. It relaxes the mind and soul, enhances body posture, creates mind-body balance, brings about awareness of the body and surroundings, and instills spiritual energy in the mind.
Step 2 : Raised Arms Pose - Hastauttanasana
This pose is done by taking a deep breath, and it is seen to improve digestion. The raised arms pose stretches the muscles in the abdomen and also tones the belly area. It helps expand the chest and rib cage to utilize the total intake of oxygen and the lungs thoroughly.
Step 3 : Standing Forward Bend Pose - Hastapadasana
A forward bend pose will be challenging for people who are heavier and obese. However, it increases flexibility, reduces fatigue and anxiety, and can calm the brain by relieving stress and mild depression. A standing forward bend pose will stimulate the kidneys, liver, stretch the calves, hips, and hamstrings. It also strengthens the thighs and improves digestion. Furthermore, it is very beneficial to treat menopause symptoms and all kinds of headaches and insomnia.
Step 4 : Lunge Pose - Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana
The lunge pose works on the lower body better, and it stretches the hips, rear leg portions, psoas muscles and strengthens muscles like hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and quadriceps. Most importantly, it is seen to alleviate sciatica pain, improve balance, and engage and stabilize the core muscles.
Step 5 : Plank Pose - Phalakasana
A plank pose is effective for different age groups to develop a healthy posture, create better balance, coordination and build core strength. It improves body metabolism, flexibility, mental health and prevents various infections and illnesses.
Step 6 : Eight Limbed Pose - Astavakrasana
An eight-limbed pose is complex and can be done regularly after the body becomes susceptible to various poses. It is a great posture to develop the arm balance, increase strength on the biceps, triceps, shoulders, arms, knees, abdomen, and chest. It improves stability and mobility for both the back and spine and relieves all kinds of backaches effectively.
Step 7 : Cobra Pose - Bhujangasana
This pose will resemble a cobra, and it will help in strengthening the spine and stretching the lungs, shoulders, abdomen, and lungs. It stimulates the abdominal organs and is the best therapy for asthma. Furthermore, a cobra pose will also help relieve stress and fatigue, open the lungs and heart, and treat sciatica. For lower body workouts, this pose is efficient to tone the buttocks region.
Step 8 : Downward Facing Dog Pose - Adho Mukha Shvanasana
This pose is done quickly with people who are flexible and at an advanced level of fitness. It is seen to tone the core, strengthen the bones and arms, improve blood flow to the brain, improve the body posture, and work the back of the legs.
Step 9 : High Lunge Pose - Ashta Chandrasana
This is the best pose for the lower body and legs as it massages the abdominal organs, improves functioning, and eventually strengthens the leg muscles. It induces and creates a balance of the nervous system and lengthens the spine when performed for one more time towards the end of the Surya Namaskar 12 steps.
Step 10 : Standing Forward Bend - Uttanasana
This is performed for one more time to be highly beneficial, and it is the usual procedure for doing a Surya Namaskar yoga.
Step 11 : Raised Arms Pose - Hasta Uttanasana
Raised arms pose repeated as a part of the Surya Namaskar 12 steps.
Step 12 : Prayer Pose - Pranamasana
This pose is done again as the last step, and the Namaskar 12 steps are incomplete without this at the end.
What are the benefits of Surya Namaskar?
The top benefits of performing a this yogasana are:
· Regular practice of Surya Namaskaram boosts body metabolism and reduces body weight effectively.
· Surya Namaskar for weight loss enhances blood circulation extensively, thereby increasing the skin's natural glow.
· The whole body becomes flexible and looks highly toned.
· Namaskar steps are a natural remedy for blood pressure.
· Surya Namaskar for weight loss helps to maintain the sugar levels and helps to treat diabetes problems.
· It is suitable for the eyes, kidneys, and nerves.
· Therefore, Sun Salutation steps focus on breathing techniques and help relax the mind and become more intellectual.
· Different types of Surya Namaskar help in absorbing the nutrients from the body quickly.
· When combined with the postures, deep breathing exercises positively affect the body's nerve cells.
· It treats insomnia patients and relieves them from various tensions and stress.
· It regulates the menstrual cycle, alleviates the period pain, and treats irregular periods. Hence it paves the way for childbirth.
· Surya Namaskaram is the best detoxifier for the body, with numerous inhalations and exhalations.
· It helps to absorb the required quantities of Vitamin D by the body.
Is Surya Namaskar good?
Surya Namaskar poses are the primary type of yoga practice seen to have been traced from Aztec, Mayan, Egyptian, Indian, and Tibetan civilizations. It portrays the logical significance behind the sun's prominence and stimulates the whole body. It is believed to be a type of prayer and gratitude towards the sun. Two hundred and eighty-eight powerful yoga postures will be accompanied by a mantra or chanting and supply energy to the body. All asanas are incomplete without worshipping the sun, and in some cases, it is done as a physical exercise for many health benefits. Yogis have established that this particular practice is seen to activate the Solar plexus located in the navel area, referred to as the second brain. This enables the person to increase their intuitive ability and creativity. Hence it is excellent to perform it daily. It benefits from engaging various parts of the body. It can also be performed as a warm-up before doing complicated asanas. Above all, Surya Namaskar asana is seen to help a person gain wisdom and knowledge extensively.
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