Beginner Sun Salutations
Urdhva Hastasana
Stand at the top of your mat, feet hip width apart and parallel. Inhale to take your arms up overhead
Ardha Uttanasana
As you exhale fold forward slowly by hinging at the hips. Place the fingertips on the floor directly beneath your shoulders. Inhale to lengthen the sides of the waist and extend from crown to tail.
Uttanasana
As you exhale soften the elbows out to the sides and release you spine and head over stong stead legs. Hold a breath or two here to encourage length in the muscles through the backs of the legs.
Ardha Uttanasana
Inhale to look up halfway once more, rising up onto your fingertips.
Straight Leg Lunge
Exhale step your right leg back in a generous step. Make sure left knee is bent directly over left ankle. Keep right leg straight, stay up on your fingertips, look forward and extend through the spine keeping the upper back between the shoulderblades soft and relaxed. Hold a few breaths.
Downward Dog
From lunge pose step to Downward Dog on an exhale breath. Spread the fingers wide, palms flat, hands shoulder width apart. Straighten your arms to lengthen your spine. Hang your head down and relax your neck. Move your thighbones back evenly till legs are strong and as straight as possible.
Plank Pose
On an inhale breath float forward to Plank pose, leading with the upper arm bones. Keep shoulders stacked over wrists and ensure that body is in one straight line. Arms strong, finger pads heavy. Relaxe upper back and lengthen forward through your sternum to keep chest open and spine long. Feel free to release knees down after a breath or two for extra support, but keep chest open and shoulders on the back.
Chaturanga Dandasana
Lower down towards the floor on an exhale breath. In one straight line (firm the fronts of your thighs!) or with the knees on the floor for extra support. Keep gazing forward so chest remains open. Allow upper arm bones to stay lifted as you bring chest to floor. Pause once you are on the mat, flatten your toes, lift your shoulders on to your back and gaze forward.
Cobra Pose
On your inhale breath continue to roll the shoulders up onto the back rising up into a backbend. Depending on your spine it may be a large backbend or a little one. Just remember to keep a slight bend in the elbows and continue to draw your upper arm bones up and back as you melt your heart forward. Keep the tops of the feet heavy to the floor. Hold a few breaths. Release on an exhale.
Down Dog
Exhale to move back into Down Dog. Hold a few breaths here.
Straight Leg Lunge
On an inhale breath step your right leg forward so that it comes into line with your right thumb. If you cant make it in one big step simply step as far as you can and then pick up the right foot with the right hand and place it where it needs to be. Rise up onto your fingertips.Extend forwards through your spine and waistline, backwards through your left heel. Keep left leg straight and strong. Hold a few breaths.
Ardha Uttanasana
Next inhale step forward. Place your fingertips on the floor beneath your shoulders, lengthen the spine from crown to tail.
Uttanasana
Exhale to fold over strong legs. Pause here enjoying the stretch.
Urdhva Hastasana
Inhale to take your arms up overhead, keeping legs strong as you lift.
Tadasana
Exhale to lower your arms. Pause for a breath or two if needed. Repeat from the beginning leading with your left leg to complete one full round of Sun Salutations. Do as many rounds as feels good.
Have fun!