Sun Salutation A

MobilityBWMat

Traditional yoga vinyasa sequence linking a standing forward fold, plank, chaturanga, upward dog, and downward dog into one breath-synced flow — an efficient full-body warmup.

Demo: Yoga tutorial channel

Sets

1

Reps

3-5 full rounds

Rest

0s

Contraindications

Wrist pain in plank/downward dog — regress to forearms or reduce load.

Setup

Stand tall at the front of the mat, arms at sides.

Execution

  1. 1Inhale, sweep the arms overhead; exhale, fold forward over the legs
  2. 2Inhale halfway lift (flat back); exhale step or jump back to plank
  3. 3Lower with control to the floor (or knees-chest-chin), inhale into upward-facing dog/cobra
  4. 4Exhale, push back into downward dog and hold for several breaths
  5. 5Step or hop forward, inhale halfway lift, exhale fold, inhale return to standing

Key cues

  • Let the breath drive every transition
  • Keep the core engaged through the plank and cobra phases
  • Push the hips up and back in downward dog, heels reaching toward the floor
  • Move with control, not momentum

Common faults

  • Sagging the low back in plank or cobra
  • Rushing the flow instead of syncing with breath
  • Shrugging the shoulders in downward dog instead of externally rotating
  • Skipping the halfway lift, going straight to full fold

Tweaks

  • Add a knee-to-chest step-through for a beginner regression of the plank transition
  • Hold each position longer for a slower, more stretch-focused version
  • Chain multiple rounds together as a full warmup flow

Regressions

Progressions

Muscles

Primary: Full-Body — Shoulders, Hamstrings, Core, Back

Secondary: Calves, Wrists

Notes

One of the most time-efficient full-body warmups available — hits nearly every major joint in under 60 seconds per round.

Sources

Attribution: Traditional yoga vinyasa sequence (Surya Namaskar A)