Lower back, upper back, neck, hips, knees, ankles, shoulders and wrists

Surya A: Classical

A vigorous flowing sequence that builds full-body strength, flexibility, and coordination through dynamic transitions, connecting breath with powerful movement.

How to do it

1. 1

   Stand tall at the front of your mat

   Feet together, arms by your sides, weight even through both feet. Find a steady breath before you start, because everything that follows moves on the breath.

2. 2

   Reach the arms up, then fold over your legs

   Inhale the arms overhead, exhale and fold. This is the deepest forward fold in the sequence, so soften the knees rather than forcing the fold flat.

3. 3

   Travel back and lower with the elbows close

   Plant the hands and step or jump the feet back to a plank, then lower with the elbows brushing the ribs. Bringing the knees to the floor for the lowering takes most of the load out of it.

4. 4

   Open the chest, then press back and up

   Roll forward over the hands and lift the chest as the shoulders draw back, then press the hips up and back. A low Cobra with bent elbows is the smaller option if the backbend feels like a lot.

5. 5

   Come to the front of the mat and rise

   Step or jump the feet between the hands, fold, and stand up on the inhale. Fists under the shoulders, or a forearm plank in place of the lowering, keeps the wrists happier.

6. 6

   Repeat rounds for four to six minutes

   One movement per breath, one round after another. Slow the transitions before you shorten the round.

What to watch for

The speed of the transitions loads the spine here as much as the shapes do, because you are dropping into a deep fold and pressing into a backbend in quick succession. If you are throwing yourself in and out of the fold, step rather than jump and take the whole round slower.

Ways to adjust it

• Knees-down Chaturanga
• Cobra instead of Upward Dog
• Step-back instead of jump-back
• Modified lunge depth
• Fists throughout
• Forearm Plank

If this one is too much today

Try the gentler version instead. It asks less of you and does much the same work.

• Surya A: Gentle / Modified

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits. See all Sun Salutation versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

• Surya A: Chair Supported
• Surya A: Gentle / Modified
• Surya A: Knee Down
• Surya A: Little Sun Salutation
• Surya A: Midline Focus
• Surya A: Therapeutic

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.