12 yoga poses of Surya Namaskar – an age-old formula for weight-loss

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Surya Namaskar, also known as Sun Salutation, is a complete body workout with many benefits that encompass enhanced flexibility, strength, endurance, agility, improved immunity, and calming effect on the mind. And it doesn’t stop just there, as Surya Namaskar offers weight loss.

Surya Namaskar consists of 12 steps or asanas, and when performed systematically with a clear mind and focus, you can reap its benefits to the fullest.

Read: How doing Surya Namaskar daily can help in weight loss

Photo by Elly Fairytale from Pexels

Step 1 – Pranamasana

Stand upright, placing feet close to each other and hands by your sides. Inhale and relax your shoulders. Inhale, raise both your hands together. While exhaling, join them together in front of your chest in a ‘Namaste’.

Step 2 – Hasta Uttanasana

Lift your arms (with joined paws) while slightly bending backwards. While stretching, push your pelvis slightly forward, stretch back and lengthen your spine while keeping your biceps close to your ears.

Step 3 – Hastapadasana

Exhale and bend down from your waist to touch the floor with both palms, keeping the back erect. Try touching your head to your knees while keeping them straight.

Step 4 – Ashwa Sanchalanasana

While inhaling, stretch your left leg back to touch the ground with the foot bend down, keeping the right knee between the palms. Raise your head facing forward. Straighten your foot with the help of toes.

Read: Five easy and effective exercises to lose double chin

Step 5 – Dandasana

Push your right leg back to your left leg. Keep your hands under your shoulders, perpendicular to the floor. Keep your body parallel to the ground. Breathe and keep your body in one straight line.

Step 6 – Ashtanga Namaskar

Gently bring your knees down on the floor and push your hips backwards and slide forward to rest your chin and chest on the floor. Your both palms, both knees, both feet, chest, and chin should touch the floor. Breathe and remain in the position.

Step 7 – Bhujangasana

Slide forward to raise your chest. Keeping your hands bent, look up towards the ceiling so that half the body is in the air.

Photo by Elly Fairytale from Pexels

Step 8 – Adho Mukha Svanasana

While your back is facing the ceiling, exhale and raise your hips to form an inverted ‘V’, keeping your knees and elbows straight and your heels on the ground. Keeping your hands in the same position, move your feet forward to get deeper into the pose.

Step 9 - Ashwa Sanchalanasana

Bend down, pull your left leg forward between your palms, keep your right leg stretched with the right knee touching the floor, and look forward.

Step 10 – Hastapadasana

Inhale and bring your right foot forward, next to your left foot. Try touching the floor with both palms, keeping the back erect. Try touching your head to your knees, keeping them straight.

Step 11 – Hasta Uttanasana

Inhale and lift your upper body, join the palms and raise hands upward while bending backwards, stretching the spine.

Step 12 – Tadasana

While exhaling, bring your hands down by your side and relax.

To achieve weight-loss and other uncountable benefits of Surya Namaskar, follow the above steps for 12 cycles. For beginners, start with smaller cycles and increase gradually.

(Text by PepperContent)

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