Understand
The 12 Positions of Surya Namaskar, Step by Step
A clear walkthrough of the twelve linked positions that make up one round of Sun Salutation, with the breath for each.
One round of Surya Namaskar flows through twelve positions, from a standing prayer pose out to plank and cobra and back again. Each move pairs with an inhale or exhale. This guide names all twelve in order, describes the shape and breath of each, and offers gentler options so you can build the sequence safely.
One round of Sun Salutation is a chain of twelve positions that flows out and folds back on itself. Learning them in order — and the breath that goes with each — turns a jumble of poses into a smooth, repeatable sequence. For the wider context, history and benefits, see our complete Surya Namaskar guide; this page is the step-by-step breakdown.
The twelve positions in order
1. Pranamasana (prayer pose) — stand tall, palms together at the heart, breathing evenly. 2. Hasta Uttanasana (raised-arms pose) — inhale, sweep the arms overhead into a gentle backbend. 3. Uttanasana (standing forward fold) — exhale, fold forward from the hips over the legs. 4. Ashwa Sanchalanasana (low lunge) — inhale, step the right leg back into a lunge, chest lifted. 5. Phalakasana (plank) — exhale (or hold the breath), step the left leg back so the body is one straight line. 6. Ashtanga Namaskara (knees-chest-chin) — exhale, lower knees, chest and chin to the floor, hips lifted. 7. Bhujangasana (cobra) — inhale, slide forward and lift the chest into a gentle backbend. 8. Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog) — exhale, lift the hips up and back, holding for a breath or two.
The second half retraces the first: 9. Low lunge — inhale, step the right foot forward between the hands. 10. Standing forward fold — exhale, step the back foot up and fold. 11. Raised-arms pose — inhale, rise and sweep the arms overhead. 12. Prayer pose (or Tadasana) — exhale, return to standing, palms at the heart. That completes one round. The next round is usually led with the opposite leg in positions 4 and 9, so the body stays balanced left to right.
Gentler options
Every position can be softened. Bend the knees in the forward folds; take a high lunge instead of a low one; lower the knees for plank and for the knees-chest-chin move; and choose cobra rather than a deeper backbend. If following a video helps, our guided Sun Salutation practice walks you through the whole round at a beginner-friendly pace.
Practise this
Frequently asked questions
- How many poses are in a Sun Salutation?
- A classic round has twelve positions, though the second half repeats the first in reverse, so you're really learning about six distinct shapes: prayer, raised arms, forward fold, lunge, plank/low hold and cobra, linked by downward dog.
- Which leg goes back first?
- Either — just be consistent within a round and alternate between rounds. Step the right leg back in the first round and the left in the next, so both sides get equal work over a set.
References
- Hatha Yoga Pradipika — on dynamic, breath-linked movement · Classical text — Traditional context for the sequence.
Related reading
- Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation): The Complete GuideThe definitive home for Sun Salutation on Yoga & You — its meaning, the twelve positions with breath, how many rounds to…
- The Breath Pattern in Sun SalutationHow to breathe through a round of Surya Namaskar — the simple inhale-to-open, exhale-to-fold rule that turns the sequenc…