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Sun Salutations are a series of Yoga Asanas (Poses) connected through breath. There are 2 Sun Salutations: Sun Salutation A & Sun Salutation B
This is a breakdown of Sun Salutation B - Beginner
Inhale – Chair Pose
Begin in Tadasana
Stand with your big toes together and 1” space between heels. Abdominals should be engaged, hugging up and in towards the spine. Tailbone should be tucked under. Arms should be active and engaged, fingers spread to help with this. Gaze straight ahead.
Inhale – Chair Pose
Sit hips back like you are sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees are stacked directly over your ankles. Your knees should be between 90 and 120 degrees. Hug your lower abdominals up and in toward your spine. Your chest stays lifted, shoulders are down, pulling your shoulder blades down your back, arms are extended up and out front of you. Gaze is up and out as well.
Inhale – Flat Back
Exhale – Forward Fold
Hinge from the hips as you fold forward, almost arching your back, bringing the palms to the mat beside your feet. Gaze towards shins.
Inhale – Flat Back
Finger tips on floor or hands on shins or thighs as you flatten your back. Gaze straight ahead if hands on floor or down to floor if hands on shins or thighs.
Exhale – Forward Fold
Bring your hands back beside feet. Reach chin to shins. Gaze towards shins.
Exhale – Plank
Inhale – Plant Palms
Plants your palms beside feet in forward fold position.
Exhale – Plank
Step or hop back into a plank position, keeping the body in a straight line. Shoulders should be stacked above wrists.
Inhale – Hold Plank
Exhale – Lower to Belly
Hug elbows to side and slowly lower to belly, keeping your abdominals engaged and back straight.
Inhale – Cobra
Inhale – Cobra
Point your toes back and keep your hips on then mat as you lift your chest. Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Gaze to the sky.
Exhale – Downward Dog
Keep your hands where they are, tuck your toes, and lift your hips up & back. Push your heels to the mat. Keep your legs straight and work on having a straight line from the heels to the hips and the hips to the wrists. Hold for 5 breaths.
Inhale – Gaze Between Palms
Look between your palms as you prepare to take your feet to the top of the mat.
Inhale – Warrior 1
Exhale – Right Foot to Low Lunge
Step right foot to top of the mat, between your palms. Make sure your knee is stacked directly above your ankle, with knee at a 90 degree angle. Drop the back heel so the toes are at a 45 degree angle to the front. Make sure your feet are still hip distance in width to help to keep your hips square (pointing forward).
Inhale – Warrior 1
Use abdominals to lift chest and arms up. Keep your hips square and your front knee at a 90 degree angle. Your back leg stays straight. Hug your abdominals up and in toward your spine. Arms are lifted above your head, shoulder distance apart, palms facing each other. Keep your shoulders down, shoulder blades pulling down your back. Your back is straight and gaze is straight ahead.
Exhale – Plank
Exhale – Plank
Step right foot back into a plank position, holding your body in a straight line. Shoulders should be stacked above wrists.
Inhale – Hold Plank
Exhale – Lower to Belly
Hug elbows to side and slowly lower to belly, keeping your abdominals engaged and back straight.
Exhale – Downward Dog
Inhale – Cobra
Point your toes back and keep your hips on then mat as you lift your chest. Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Gaze to the sky.
Exhale – Downward Dog
Keep your hands where they are, tuck your toes, and lift your hips up & back. Push your heels to the mat. Keep your legs straight and work on having a straight line from the heels to the hips and the hips to the wrists. Hold for 5 breaths.
Inhale – Gaze Between Palms
Look between your palms as you prepare to take your feet to the top of the mat.
Inhale – Warrior 1
Exhale – Left Foot to Low Lunge
Step left foot to top of the mat, between your palms. Make sure your knee is stacked directly above your ankle, with knee at a 90 degree angle. Drop the back heel so the toes are at a 45 degree angle to the front. Make sure your feet are still hip distance in width to help to keep your hips square (pointing forward).
Inhale – Warrior 1
Use abdominals to lift chest and arms up. Keep your hips square and your front knee at a 90 degree angle. Your back leg stays straight. Hug your abdominals up and in toward your spine. Arms are lifted above your head, shoulder distance apart, palms facing each other. Keep your shoulders down, shoulder blades pulling down your back. Your back is straight and gaze is straight ahead.
Exhale – Plank
Exhale – Plank
Step left foot back into a plank position, holding your body in a straight line. Shoulders should be stacked above wrists.
Inhale – Hold Plank
Exhale – Lower to Belly
Hug elbows to side and slowly lower to belly, keeping your abdominals engaged and back straight.
Exhale – Downward Dog
Inhale – Cobra
Point your toes back and keep your hips on then mat as you lift your chest. Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Gaze to the sky.
Exhale – Downward Dog
Keep your hands where they are, tuck your toes, and lift your hips up & back. Push your heels to the mat. Keep your legs straight and work on having a straight line from the heels to the hips and the hips to the wrists. Hold for 5 breaths.
Exhale – Forward Fold
Inhale – Gaze Between Palms
Look between your palms as you prepare to take your feet to the top of the mat.
Exhale – Hop Up to Forward Fold
Bring feet between palms, big toes touching and 1” space between your heels. Reach your chin to your shins. Gaze towards shins.
Inhale – Flat Back
Finger tips on floor or hands on shins or thighs as you flatten your back. Gaze straight ahead if hands on floor or down to floor if hands on shins or thighs.
Exhale – Forward Fold
Bring your hands back beside feet. Reach chin to shins. Gaze towards shins.
Exhale – Tadasana
Inhale – Chair Pose
Lift chest and sit hips back like you are sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees are stacked directly over your ankles. Your knees should be between 90 and 120 degrees. Hug your lower abdominals up and in toward your spine. Your chest stays lifted, shoulders are down, pulling your shoulder blades down your back, arms are extended up and out front of you. Gaze is up and out as well.
Exhale – Tadasana
Lower arms to sides. Gaze straight ahead.
I hope this outline helps you to practice your Sun Salutation B correctly and safely.