Sun Salutation A
Sun Salutation A Exercise Description
Sun Salutation A is a flowing, bodyweight mobility sequence that links standing, hinging, plank, push-up, backbend, and inverted “V” positions. It moves the shoulders, hips, and spine through flexion and extension while asking the core to maintain trunk stability. Expect lengthening of the hamstrings and calves in the forward fold and Downward Dog, and the chest and hip flexors in the backbend (Upward-Facing Dog or Cobra). The hands, wrists, and shoulder girdle bear load in plank and Chaturanga, building control of scapular retraction/depression and elbow tracking. Keep movements smooth and pain-free, prioritize a long spine, and pair steady breathing with each transition. Step instead of hop and use Cobra or knees-down push-up variations to manage intensity and protect joint alignment.
- Muscle Groups: Calves, Chest, Hamstrings, Hips, Pecs
- Target Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Gastrocnemius - Medial Head, Pectoralis Major - Sternal Head, Psoas Major
- Assisting Muscles: Pectoralis Minor, Rectus Femoris, Semimembranosus, Soleus
- Stabilizing Muscles: Multifidus, Rectus Abdominis, Serratus Anterior, Transversus Abdominis, Trapezius - Lower Fibers
- Body Area: Lower Body, Upper Body
- Body Parts: Chest, Hips, Legs, Lower Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back, Front
- Body Symmetry: Other
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Stretching
- Functional Grouping: Ankle Plantar Flexors, Hip Extensors, Hip Flexors, Horizontal Shoulder Adduction, Knee Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Hip Flexor, Inner Calf, Mid Chest, Outer Hamstring
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Anterior, Posterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Sun Salutation A Exercise
‘- Stand tall (Mountain): feet hip-width, tripod the feet, ribs stacked over pelvis, shoulders relaxed.
– Reach arms overhead without rib flare; keep a long neck.
– Hip hinge into Forward Fold; allow soft knees; lengthen through the back of the legs without rounding the low back.
– Half Lift: hands to shins or thighs; extend the spine from crown to tail; retract/depress scapulae.
– Plant hands shoulder-width; step back to High Plank. Wrists under shoulders, ribs down, glutes lightly engaged.
– Lower with elbows close to ribs (Chaturanga). Option: lower knees first; do not drop shoulders below elbows.
– Backbend: press through hands; lift chest into Upward-Facing Dog (thighs off floor) or Cobra (thighs down). Keep hips squared, scapulae drawn back and down, avoid compressing the low back.
– Transition to Downward-Facing Dog: lift hips up and back; spread fingers; externally rotate upper arms; lengthen spine; bend knees as needed while aiming heels toward floor.
– Step forward to Half Lift; reestablish long spine and level hips.
– Fold again, then press through the feet and rise to standing with arms overhead.
– Return to Mountain: arms by sides, neutral spine, steady breath.
Sun Salutation A Tips
‘- In Mountain, stand with feet hip-width and tripod the feet to create a stable base.
– Stack ribs over pelvis and relax the shoulders to keep a neutral, aligned posture.
– When you reach arms overhead, avoid rib flare and maintain a long neck.
– In Forward Fold, hinge from the hips with soft knees and lengthen the backs of the legs without rounding the low back.
– In Half Lift, place hands on shins or thighs, extend the spine from crown to tail, and draw the shoulder blades back and down.
– In High Plank, plant hands shoulder-width with wrists under shoulders, ribs down, and glutes lightly engaged.
– As you lower to Chaturanga, keep elbows close to the ribs, lower knees first if needed, and avoid dropping shoulders below elbow height.
– In your backbend (Upward-Facing Dog or Cobra), press through the hands, lift the chest, keep hips squared, shoulder blades drawn back and down, and avoid compressing the low back.
– In Downward-Facing Dog, lift hips up and back, spread fingers, externally rotate the upper arms, lengthen the spine, and bend knees as needed while aiming heels toward the floor.
– Throughout the sequence, move smoothly and pain-free, prioritize a long spine, pair steady breathing with each transition, and step instead of hop or choose Cobra/knees-down push-up variations to manage intensity.
Sun Salutation A Beginner Introduction
Sun Salutation A is a classic yoga flow that links several bodyweight positions into one continuous pattern of movement and breath. The sequence moves from standing to folding forward, then into a strong plank and a controlled lowering, before opening into a gentle backbend and lifting the hips into an inverted “V” shape. Throughout this arc, the shoulders, hips, and spine shift between rounding and arching while the core works to hold the middle of the body steady.
This dynamic series offers stretching for the backs of the thighs and lower legs during the fold and inverted “V” pose, and opening through the front of the chest and the front of the hips during the backbend. The hands and wrists support much of the body in the plank and push-up portions, while the arms and shoulder area help manage body weight with smooth, aligned movement. Breath is woven into each transition, encouraging a steady rhythm that supports both mobility and stability from start to finish.