Sequence
Surya Namaskar Variations
Sūrya Namaskāra (variations)सूर्य नमस्कार· SOOR-yah nuh-muh-SKAR-ahsun-salutation variations across yoga styles
Different yoga traditions practise their own Sun Salutations. This page covers the main variations — Ashtanga's Surya Namaskara A, B and C, and the classical Sivananda sequence — so you can see how the flow changes across styles and choose the one that suits your practice.
Step by step
- 1
Starting stance, hands to heart center
Stand at the top of your mat with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing to the front of the mat. Slightly roll the shoulders back and pull the belly in so the spine is long, then bring the hands together at heart center.
- 2
Raised arms
Lift the arms up really high, relax the shoulders, lift up through the ribcage, and tighten the thigh muscles.
Breath: Inhale
- 3
Forward fold
Let the palms touch as you lead with the chest and slowly fold forward. If you can't reach the ground, shift your weight forward off the heels and lean in to get deeper.
Breath: Exhale
- 4
Halfway lift
Place the hands on the thighs, roll the shoulders back, keep the spine long, and draw the elbows in close.
Breath: Inhale
- 5
Step back to plank
Plant the hands down and step both legs back into a long, high plank. Keep the shoulders over the wrists, engage the thighs, tighten the belly, slightly roll the shoulders back, and look forward.
Breath: Exhale
- 6
Low push-up into upward-facing dog
Lower into a low push-up, then thread the chest through into upward-facing dog with the knees off the ground and shoulders rolling back. Look forward, or drop the head back if you can.
Breath: Exhale
- 7
Downward-facing dog
Push back into downward-facing dog. Keep the weight away from the hands so the hips lift up, rotate the shoulders outward, and reach the heels toward the ground — most of the weight and work should be in the thighs and legs, not the hands.
Breath: Exhale
- 8
Walk forward to halfway lift
Pull the belly in and walk forward to the front of the mat, keeping the fingers in place. Roll the shoulders back into a halfway lift with a long spine and elbows in close.
Breath: Inhale
- 9
Forward fold
Fold forward again, shifting the weight into the toes so you can fold deeper.
Breath: Exhale
- 10
Rise and return to heart center
Rise all the way back up to standing with arms reaching toward the ceiling, then bring the hands back to heart center.
Breath: Inhale to rise, exhale to heart center
Poses in this sequence
Benefits
- Adds variety and depth to your practice
- Builds strength and stamina (especially the Ashtanga B flow)
- Lets you match the sequence to your style and level
- Deepens understanding of how traditions differ
About this practice
There is no single 'correct' Sun Salutation — each lineage shaped its own. The Ashtanga variations (A, B and C, from the tradition of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois) are brisk and strengthening, linking every movement to the breath. The Sivananda version (from the tradition of Swami Sivananda) is gentler and more meditative. Exploring them shows how the same devotional idea takes different physical forms.
Related practices
Video transcriptIn this session, Rohini guides you step by step through Surya Namaskar A from the Ashtanga Primary Series, cueing breath, alignment, and transitions.
Now I say my name is Rohini and I'm going to teach you the Surya Namaskar A of the Ashtanga Primary Series. So you will start off at the top of your mat. Make sure your feet are hip-width apart with the toes pointing to the front of the mat. You will slightly roll your shoulders back and pull your belly in so that the spine is nice and long, and bring your hands to heart center. On the inhale you will lift your hands really nice and high, relax your shoulders and lift up through the ribcage, tighten your thigh muscles, and on the exhale let your palms touch as you lead with your chest and slowly fold forward.
Most people have an issue about not being able to touch the ground because the weight of the body is at the back of the heels, so they tend to stay around here. But if you shift the weight forward and lean in, you will be easily able to touch the ground. From here, on the inhale, place your hands on the thighs, roll your shoulders back, and keep the spine really nice and long, elbows in close. And then on the exhale you will plant your hands down and step both legs back into a nice, long, high plank. Shoulders always over your wrists, engage your thighs, tighten the belly, slightly roll back the shoulders, and look forward.
On the exhale come into a low push-up, gently thread your chest through into an upward-facing dog, knees off the ground, shoulders rolling back, face either looking front or, if you can, drop your head back. And then on the exhale push back into a downward-facing dog. The weight is away from your hands so your hips are lifting up, shoulders are rotating outward, and your heels are fighting to come down. It's hardly any weight in the hands, okay? Most of the weight and most of the work is in our thighs and our legs.
So you pull the belly in and then walk forward to the front of the mat, fingers stay exactly where they are. On the inhale, halfway, roll the shoulders back, spine is super nice and long, elbows in close. Exhale, fold forward, remember to shift the weight into your toes so you can get deeper. On the inhale, rise all the way up to the ceiling, and on the exhale bring your hands back to heart center.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between Surya Namaskar A and B?
- Sun Salutation A is the shorter foundational flow. Sun Salutation B adds Utkatasana (chair pose) and Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I), making it longer, stronger and more demanding.
- Which Sun Salutation is best for beginners?
- The gentler, classical style (such as the Sivananda sequence) is a good starting point. The Ashtanga variations are more vigorous and are best built up to gradually, ideally with a teacher.
Keep exploring
References
- Ashtanga Yoga tradition (Sri K. Pattabhi Jois) · Institution — Source of the Surya Namaskara A, B and C variations.
- Sivananda Yoga tradition (Swami Sivananda) · Institution — Source of the classical Sivananda sun salutation.