Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) is a complete exercise which is normally practiced early morning facing the sun.  It is a combination of yoga asanas or poses and breathing, involving entire muscular structure.  The various yoga asanas which you practice at one go are  Mountain pose (Parvatasana), Raised Arms Pose (Hastha uthanasana),  Hand to Foot Pose (Padahastanasana), Equestrian Pose (Aswa sanchalanasana), Salute with eight limbs (Ashtanga namskar), Serpent pose ( Bhujangasana)and Prayer pose (Pranamasana).

12 Steps Programs Of Sun Salutation

The 12 steps of Surya Namaska are as follows :

Step 1
Stand straight with your feet together, palms placed in front of your chest in prayer position.

Step 2
Raise both the arms above your head.  Inhale while raising the arms which should remain separated.  Bend the head and upper trunk backward.

Step 3
Exhale and bend forward touching the floor with  your fingers. Try to touch the knees with your forehead

Step 4
Inhale and adopt a sitting position by stretching the right leg back as far as possible.  Bend the left leg but keep the foot in the same position.  The arms should remain straight supporting the weight of the body.  The head should be lifted backward.

Step 5
Exhaling bring your left leg behind, in alignment with the right leg.  Arch up your body from the hips, keeping your spine and legs in a straight line your and palms on the ground.  Head to be between the hands looking downwards.

Step 6
Lower the body to the floor in such a way that your toes, knees and chest, hands and forehead should touch the floor.  However your abdomen should be slightly raised off the floor.

Step 7
Inhaling stretch forward and raise your upper body with the lower portion firmly on the ground  forming a curve.  Keep your legs straight, palms under your shoulder and bend back till the arms are straight with your shoulder.

Step 8
Same as No.5

Step 9
Same as No. 4.  Instead of right leg, the left leg will go backward.

Step 10.
Same as No.3

Step 11
Same as No. 2

Step 12
You end with bringing your hands in front of your chest and placing the palms together.  Slowly exhale and relax.

Surya Namaskar or Sun salutation  which is a complete round of 12 steps is highly beneficial for all the systems in human body i.e. respiratory, circulatory, endocrinal and digestive systems.  It ventilates and tones up the lungs and glands and is good for asthma, diabetes, thyroid, kidney problems and feminine ailments.  It does away with hypertension and improves memory and attention span. The skin also gets rejuvenated.  It removes flab from the hips and abdominal region.  It strengthens the muscles of the entire body including neck, shoulders, arms, thighs, calves and abdomen.  It increases height.  Overall there is a sense of well being, lightness of body and vigor.