I was teaching an outdoor yoga class in the fall. It was great! The leaves were changing, the ski was clear, and the air was crisp. But that was just it, people were a little cold and concerned about what it would be like to take a class. (Keep in mind, this is in Eastern North Carolina where the summers are sweltering, and there are barely any days in the winter where you can see your breath.) I assured them that everything would be fine, and busted out my secret weapon: the sun salutation. Everyone was warmed up in a jiffy!
Sun salutations are a set of postures usually done at the beginning of a practice to build heat, energize the body, and get it ready for what is to come in the rest of practice.
Some benefits of sun salutations include:
Focus the mind
Improved breathing
Increased strength
There are a couple different types of sun salutations (surya namaskar). In this video, you can find out what they are and practice along.
TIP: If you want to add a little more heat, replay the video.
In case you were interested in the science behind the benefits, you can check out these studies:
A comparative study of slow and fast suryanamaskar on physiological function
Effects of suryanamaskar on relaxation among college students with high stress in Pune, India
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