Walking Through a Sun Salutation

Lately I've been trying to get in the habit of doing a few sun salutations when I first wake up in the morning. The orderly sequence of the movements is both relaxing and a good way to stretch out my muscles after they've laid in the same position all night. If you're just getting into yoga or are unfamiliar with sun salutations I'm going to walk you through the basics of this soothing stretch sequence. All you need is a yoga mat or soft surface to practice on.

1. Start with your feet together and hands at your side at the top of your mat. This is called mountain pose.
2. Bring you arms up your sides and stretch them above your head and slightly behind, reaching toward the wall behind you.
3. Sweep your arms back to your sides as your bend forward keeping a flat back. As you bend further allow a curve to your spine and reach your hands to your toes. This is often referred to as a swan dive.
4. From here you will come back up to a flat back. From your completely curved positions straighten your spine and arms and bring yourself briefly back to a flat back position, the same as the midpoint of your swan dive from the last step. After you hold this for a breath, come back down to your curved position.
5. Place both of your hands on the ground, and either jump your feet back into a plank position or step one foot back at a time. Your hands should be directly beneath your shoulders.
6. You will now lower yourself into a chaturanga by keeping your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your elbows tucked in at your sides. You will lower your body slowly to the ground almost like a pushup, but keeping the arms tucked.
7. Once you've rested your body on the ground you will come into an upward dog position. Keeping your hands underneath your shoulders, extend the arms straight and stretch your torso up toward the sky, keeping your neck relaxed.
8. From here you will go into downward dog position. Bring your head forward and lift your legs straight behind you, keeping your arms straight. The goal of downward dog is to work your heels into the ground, but only push the stretch as far as is comfortable in the beginning.
9. From here you will return to mountain pose by stepping your feet individually to your hands, or taking a small jump forward.
10. When your feet are at your hands, sweep your arms up above your head and behind you one last time before relaxing your hands at your sides.

Sun salutations are a very simple way to get just a little bit of yoga in to your routine every day. You can modify the sequence to your ability by stepping instead of jumping, or decreasing your range of motion in the stretch. You can also make it more difficult by hovering in chaturanga for a beat or pushing your stretches further.

How do you modify your sun salutations?