How many rounds of Surya Namaskar should a beginner do?

Start with about three to four rounds. Surya Namaskar warms the whole body and can be quite stimulating, so a few rounds is plenty at first; as the sequence becomes familiar the body finds its rhythm and you can gradually add more.

When is the best time to practise Surya Namaskar?

The morning. It is an energizing practice that warms the body, wakes the spine and boosts your energy, so it makes a strong start to the day rather than a wind-down before sleep.

I can't step my foot all the way forward — how do I fix it?

That usually just needs a little more hip mobility. To keep the flow going, bend the knee, drop the back knee down, and use a hand to guide your ankle forward until the foot reaches the top of the mat.

How can I modify Surya Namaskar for shoulder or neck issues?

Replace the eight-limbed salute (chest-and-chin to the floor) with Child's Pose, and the cobra with a gentle cat-cow, before lifting into downward mountain. You keep the backbend without loading the shoulders and neck.

Watch

Sūrya Namaskāra, understood

Sanjana Prasad16 min

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Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) is a flowing cycle of twelve postures, each paired with an inhale or exhale so movement and breath become a moving meditation. Energizing and best done in the morning, it warms the body, wakes the spine, and builds strength, coordination and stability. Beginners can start with three to four rounds.

This is a teaching class rather than a straight follow-along, walking you through the classical Surya Namaskara so you understand it properly. Sanjana Prasad first demonstrates the full twelve-step cycle on both sides, naming each posture from Pranamasana through the lunges, plank, Ashtanga Namaskara, Bhujangasana and Parvatasana, and pairing every movement with its breath. She then breaks the sequence down step by step, explaining alignment, common sticking points and how each posture flows into the next.

It suits beginners who want to learn the practice correctly, as well as anyone who already does Sun Salutations but wants to refine their form and understand the breath pattern. Because movement and breath are synchronised, the practice becomes a kind of moving meditation. Done in the morning it warms the whole body, wakes up the spine, builds strength, coordination and stability, and gives an energising start to the day.

Set up at the top of your mat with space to step back and forward. If keeping the feet together is hard, start hip-width apart; bend the knees in the forward folds and place the fingertips down; and drop to a knees-down plank if the full version is too much. The teacher shares a helpful scooping cue for lowering the chest, and suggests holding the ankle to help step the foot forward if the hip feels tight.

If you have shoulder or neck issues, the class offers a gentler route: replace Ashtanga Namaskara with child's pose and swap the Bhujangasana backbend for a cat-camel. Move within your own range, avoid forcing the backbends, and build up slowly. Beginners are encouraged to start with just three or four rounds since the practice is stimulating.

Once the shape feels familiar, Surya Namaskara becomes an excellent warm-up for almost any yoga session, or a complete short practice on its own.

Key instructions

Prayer pose (Praṇāmāsana) — stand tall, feet together, palms at the heart centre
Raised arms (Hasta Uttānāsana) — inhale, tuck the tailbone and arch back
Forward fold (Pādahastāsana) — exhale, fold forward from the hips
Low lunge (Aśhva Sañchalanāsana) — inhale, step one foot back, knee down, look forward
Plank (Kumbhakāsana) — exhale, step the other foot back, shoulders stacked over the wrists
Eight-limbed salute (Aṣhṭāṅga Namaskāra) — knees, chest and chin (or forehead) to the floor
Cobra (Bhujaṅgāsana) — inhale, slide forward and lift the chest, shoulders soft
Downward mountain (Parvatāsana) — exhale, tuck the toes, lift the hips up and back
Low lunge (Aśhva Sañchalanāsana) — inhale, step the foot forward between the hands
Forward fold (Pādahastāsana) — exhale, step the other foot forward and join the feet
Raised arms (Hasta Uttānāsana) — inhale, sweep the arms up and arch back
Prayer pose (Praṇāmāsana) — exhale, palms back to the heart centre

Frequently asked questions

How many rounds of Surya Namaskar should a beginner do?: Start with about three to four rounds. Surya Namaskar warms the whole body and can be quite stimulating, so a few rounds is plenty at first; as the sequence becomes familiar the body finds its rhythm and you can gradually add more.
When is the best time to practise Surya Namaskar?: The morning. It is an energizing practice that warms the body, wakes the spine and boosts your energy, so it makes a strong start to the day rather than a wind-down before sleep.
I can't step my foot all the way forward — how do I fix it?: That usually just needs a little more hip mobility. To keep the flow going, bend the knee, drop the back knee down, and use a hand to guide your ankle forward until the foot reaches the top of the mat.
How can I modify Surya Namaskar for shoulder or neck issues?: Replace the eight-limbed salute (chest-and-chin to the floor) with Child's Pose, and the cobra with a gentle cat-cow, before lifting into downward mountain. You keep the backbend without loading the shoulders and neck.