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Breaking Down the Yoga Sun Salutation B - Intermediate
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 - Intermediate
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 – Chaturanga
Inhale – Plant Palms
Plants your palms beside feet in forward fold position.
Exhale – Chaturanga
Hop your feet back so your body is in a straight line, just like as in plank, but your arms are bent at a 90 degree angle and are hugged to your sides. Hands should be beside ribs.
Inhale – Upward Dog
Inhale – Upward Dog
Roll toes over to point back and lift your chest up, keeping your knees and hips lifted off the mat. Shoulders stack over wrists. Gaze is up.
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 – Downward Dog
Inhale – Gaze Between Palms
Look between your palms as you prepare to take your feet to the top of the mat.
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
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 – Chaturanga
Plant palms on mat around right foot, step back to plank position and bend arms to 90 degree angle, keeping body in straight plank position.
Exhale – Chaturanga
Inhale – Upward Dog
Roll toes over to point back and lift your chest up, keeping your knees and hips lifted off the mat. Shoulders stack over wrists. Gaze is up.
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 – Warrior 1
Inhale – Gaze Between Palms
Look between your palms as you prepare to take your feet to the top of the mat.
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 – Chaturanga
Plant palms on mat around left foot, step back to plank position and bend arms to 90 degree angle, keeping body in straight plank position.
Exhale – Downward Dog
Inhale – Upward Dog
Roll toes over to point back and lift your chest up, keeping your knees and hips lifted off the mat. Shoulders stack over wrists. Gaze is up.
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.