Benefits of "Surya namaskars" - some help, please!

Hi all!

I would like to know the benefits of "Surya namaskars" from the point of view of health.

Being bored of regular gym workouts, I have started doing Surya namaskars before I begin other machine workouts or ab-workouts at the gym. I would be grateful to all of you who could mention the benefits of doing the Surya namaskars, how many should one do to derive the maximum benefits!

Hi Naveena,
Well, they are a general body workout. Depends on how you do them, how much so! If you jump in between the different stages instead of walking your legs up and back, even more so. If you hold the Chatturanga like a kind of a press-up, it will give your arms as well as your core muscles a good work-out. Are you doing a regular yoga practice?

HI theyyamdancer !

I'll begin by answering your last question first, 'NO'! Actually I am too much in to gym/machine workout. I used to do yoga on & off, but after my regular gym workout, I do some stretches, breathing exercise (includes a few asanas like paschimottanasana, vajrasana, Bhujangasana, Uttanpadasana, Dhanurasana and Noukasana and for breathing, 'Anulom & vilom').

I used to do Surya namaskars previously but just a set of 5, may be, as a part of regular work outs. For the past 10 days, I have increased the no. and am able to do 40 sets (80 in total) with a break of 5 minutes after every 10 sets. I was keen on knowing the benefits as also the harm it could possibly do if one did it too many!

Eighty Sun Salutations???

Now I know where you get the energy to upload so many photos.

For the health benefits, it really depends on your general fitness. Personally, not being a gym-goer, but speaking as a middle-aged ex-Ashtangi and ex-modern dancer with slightly wonky hips, I would not over do it. Don't forget to breathe.

If you need inspiration (which you obviously don't as you are waaay ahead!), check out this amazing video of Derek Ireland, Ashtangi, on the beach at Triopetra in Crete:
http://youtu.be/kd7wTtyoyYs


For sensitive souls - parental guidance necessary - this is a balletic rendering of yoga.

Surya Namasker (as per my understanding) is the perfect way to start your day. These set of exercise are designed to activate every muscle in your body after a good nights rest.

It is specially good for those engaged in more strenuous exercise like Gym workout, or those who have to start the day with hard work immediately.

It does not do any harm as the process itself is very gentle, but after a couple of sets, it will not be much helpful as the objective is achieved. That is why, after surya namasker, go for other asanas, increasing the difficulty levels in due course.

I can explain in layman terms but here is a good article with detailed, step wise health benefits of Surya Namaskar.

Health Benefits of Surya Namaskar

Minimum 5-10 but no prescribed number as such.Depends entirely on you and your body's comfort level.

That's a lot!

How are you able to do so many? I do 5-10 of the 12 step surya namaskar sequence and that takes almost 25 minutes or more. I do each step/pose slowly, holding for 20-30 seconds atleast.

The harm it can do depends on how you are doing each of those steps/poses. Here is another article on the Do's and Don'ts of Surya Namaskar and the possible damage it can do.

Surya Namaskar

Did you learn yoga somewhere or self taught?I noticed some of the yoga teachers making their students do Surya Namaskar at a very fast pace and Iam not sure whether that is a good practice. I think such practice defeats the whole purpose if it's done that way. The difference between Yoga and a gym session is that the former needs concentration, focus and it makes you think through out while the latter is done mechanically.

Suryanamaskar tones the body well. In general, one has to inhale while raising your body and exhale when you bend downwards.
I think its about 30secs on each position. It involves every muscle in your body except the spinal twist. It definitely helped me get rid of excess fat

..You solve all the puzzles .



Would you mind teaching me some dance steps, I would love to learn .

That link is beautiful, sadly I can't imagine doing even 10% what he is doing !

I agree! I used to do 'Sun salutations' (5 sets - 10 repetitions), before I did the machine circuit for upper body (Bench press, lat pulley, rowing, up-right row, biceps & triceps and wrist workout). Sun salutations would be merely a form to stretch. But now I am bored of the routine machine work out hence tried role reversal more of 'Sun salutations' & less of Machine work outs!

That is quite informative.

I don't do any other exercise much, so this should be OK? My regular gym workout is of 1hr 45 mins duration. (Warm up, stretches, machine work out again a bit of asanas for stretching and relaxing 5 mins). So, If I cut down on the machine workout a bit, I can spend more time on Surya namaskars, but I accept I don't hold for 20 counts in each posture, as you have mentioned! That would be a bit too much for me!

Yep, I am doing Yoga from my college days (for the past 19 years ) But it wasn't only Surya namaskars! I did learn it from a proper Yoga instructor. I mix a bit of Yoga with my gym workouts but now it is the opposite. I did practice breathing exercise too, for 3 months, but somehow felt doing the asanas were more attractive rather than sitting in one position and concentrate only on breathing for almost 50 minutes.

It is only now that I have increased the repetitions, hence wanted to know the pros & cons before I blindly did 50 sets and later learning that 10 sets would yield the same results as 50 sets! Just because the head is strong one cannot try to break a boulder with it, you see

@ Surf, very true! It is preciself to tone my body and also make it more flexible that I have started following a regular routine. If I lose extra pounds...NO COMPLAINTS !

Thanks all for your precious inputs & advice! I will keep this thread hopefully alive for some days by posting m progress or experiences if any. In the meantime any one feels like posting their opinion/advice, please go ahead !! It would be very beneficial to one and all.

Well, if anyone is really interested - I have graduated to 45 sets (90 repetitions)of surya namaskars ! I have been following the routine for the past one week now!

The first 2 days of my achievement, I just slept and slept more in the afternoon! Felt I had carried a mountain on my shoulders, but after 4th days workout, I wasn't feeling much tired!

Now, my friends in the gym have started the routine - 5 sets to begin with !

Respect, Naveena!

But it is not yoga.

I agree!

But I am enjoying a 15 minute session of various asanas I am trying to do, while I stretch!

IMHO : the important thing is that your breathing is synchronised with the movements, the breathing is natural and free and is responsible for the timing of the movement. This changes the quality of the exercise totally.

In "Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha" there is a lot on Surya Namaskar, many benefits, and many contra-indications - perhaps the most relevant contra-indication is that it raises blood pressure, so if you follow 90 reps with a gym workout you might end up damaging your cardiovascular system or having a stroke as there are some partly inverted postures in the sequence - i.e. high blood pressure in the brain.

Maybe you should just do Hot Yoga and forget the gym - you are right gym is boring.

@rideforever - perfect !

Since I started with 45 sets, I have almost stopped machine work out. It was the 'machine workout routine' that bored me no end , so started with 'Surya Namaskar'!

I observed that if breathing is synchronized as you have rightly mentioned, the movement is almost like a melodious song! I am trying not to overdo, but as I am used to a routine of 1 hour 45 mins workout, I am able to manage this - sans machine workout! I am enjoying it ! Just a month back I was feeling 'why the hell did I renew my gym membership'? But now I look forward to be at the gym.

BP - I need to monitor it, henceforth! I am prone to low BP, which my doc says it's common in most of the females. But it would be interesting to see if there would be any variation with this change in my workout regime. I will keep a tab.

Thanks for your inputs

! Oh yeah, After a good work out my BP tends to be 120/80 ! Else I am at about 100/60, too . It has been so probably for the past 8 years atleast.

EDIT: Now, 100/60 - is it too low ? Now, I am wondering!