Surya Namaskar Practice Can Cure Gout

Currently I am working on getting into condition to practice 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar for 6 consecutive days. There are two things I wanted to share.

Firstly regarding the frequency of practice. If you are practicing around 12 rounds to 18 rounds or even 36 rounds, you can practice daily. However if you want to reach a level of around 108 rounds like I want to do, it is better to have days off. Surya Namaskar practice is quite strenuous and when we reach higher levels of practice it can tire the body. When you have a gap of around 2 to 3 days between the practice you can reach for higher levels more easily and faster.

When you practice everyday, your body would not have time to recover and sometimes it can even slow you down. Once you reach the highest levels then the body becomes really fit and you can decided whether you want to practice everyday or mix it with other sequences. Last time in December 2008 it took me around 3 weeks to reach 42 rounds, however with gaps between the practice, I have reached 42 rounds in less than 2 weeks.

Therefore if you want to practice higher levels of routines then go for a gap of 2 to 3 days and once you build up the endurance you can practice more frequently and with more ease.

Surya Namaskar Can Cure Gout
Second thing I wanted to share about benefit of Surya Namaskar was about it benefits in diseases of the joints like Gout. Gout is inflammation of the joints due to excessive uric acid in the blood. Gradually this uric acid starts getting deposited in the joints which can be really painful.

Surya Namaskar practice can really help in getting rid of gout. When we practice the sun salutation sequence entire body is stretched, all the joints are stretched and contracted alternatively. All the poses are in a sequence and there is a definitive way to breathe while going into or coming out of each pose. The blood flow increases a lot and all the uric acid crystals deposited in the joints are cleared.

The blood gets oxygenated and it dramatically reduces the toxic substances in the body including uric acid which causes gout. So if you are in the initial stages of gout practice Surya Namaskar and you would get rid of this problem. If you are in advanced stages of this disease, then take methi seeds soaked in water and take regularly. Once the disease condition eases then go for Surya Namaskar and get rid of this disease. For more information read how to control and cure gout.


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Started the 108 Rounds of Surya Namaskar Journey

Back in December of 2008 I tried the experiment for practicing 21 sets (42 rounds) of Surya Namaskar. The plan was to gradually increase the practice from around 8 sets to 21 sets in 30 days which I did that time. It gave me lot of benefit which I blogged during that time.

Once I finished that, my thinking was in future I would practice 108 rounds. More that two years have passed from that time and I feel I need to finish the task now. The plan is to practice 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar for 7 consecutive days.

At present I am not practicing Surya Namaskar regularly and I do it once in a while for 12 to 16 rounds. Therefore it would take some time to reach that level of stamina and fitness to practice 108 rounds for consecutive 7 days and for that I need to ramp it up and practice hard.

Today I started with 20 rounds and I plan to gradually take to 108 round over the next 8 weeks. I will increase it by around 10 round each week so that would be able to practice around 100 rounds by the 8th week and then practice 108 round for 7 days. I will practice around 3 times a week till I am ready to start the sequence for the 7 days.

I hope to document the progress so that I can keep this experience as documentation which can help others also.

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10000000 Students Practice Surya Namaskar in India

Yesterday was birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda who is most famous spiritual revolutionaries of India. He advocated that it is youth should have strong bodies then only they can care for self, needy and the nation.

On his birth Anniversary Government of Madhya Pradesh which is a state in central India decided that all schools should tell the students to practice Surya Namaskar. officially 10 million students participated though the actual figures may be less due to over night rains in several places in the state which left the grounds wet. Even if we consider that 5 the students participated then also it is impressive figure.

I was very happy to read this news and thought of sharing this with you. This will definitely give boost to Yoga in the youth and students and is a great way to build a strong and healthy nation.

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Ashtanga Namaskar

Ashtanga Namaskar is a posture which sixth pose in Surya Namaskar sequence and it is done once in each round. Ashtanga mean eight parts of the body in Sanskrit and in this pose eight parts of the body are supposed to be touching the ground.

Steps to Practice Ashtanga Namaskar

1. If you are practicing this in Surya Namaskar sequence then start from Parvat Asana (Mountain Pose) else you can start this by lying on the abdomen on the mat.


2. Make sure that the hands are near the chest. The knees and the feet should touch the ground. Make sure that the elbows are parallel to each other.


3. Now touch the chest and the chin to the ground. Look forward. These are the eight body parts which should be touching the ground.


4. When you practice this pose as a part of Surya Namaskar, it is done while holding the breath also known as Kumbhak. Otherwise you can perform normal breathing.


5. Stay in this pose for few seconds and then move on to next pose with inhalation or come out of this pose slowly if done in isolation.

Benefits of Ashtanga Namaskar

1. This pose results in stronger core, and arms.


2. Helps in digestion problems


3. Beneficial in arthritis of arms

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Parvat Asana - Mountain Pose

In Parvat Asana or the Mountain Pose body looks like a mountain therefore it is named so. This pose is also know as Adhomukh Svanasana (Downward facing dog which is the more popular name). I have an earlier posted on .Adhomukh Svanasana.

That post is on practicing it in isolation where as this post is more on how to practice it in Surya Namaskar sequence. Some text also call it as Sumeru Asana. Sumeru is name of a mountain. It is one of the asana where the head is lower than the heart and therefore provide some benefits of upside down asanas like Sarvangasana or Sirshasana to those who cannot practice them due to various reasons.

This pose looks easy to practice but most people find it difficult to touch their heels to ground in this pose since their calf muscles and the ankle joints are stiff. Practicing this pose will make these flexible.

Steps to Practice Parvat Asana

1. When you practice this pose in Surya Namaskar, you come to this pose either from Ashwasanchalan Asana or from Bhujanga Asana (Cobra Pose). You need to come to this pose with exhalation since body is opening up.


2. When you are on all the four limbs, make sure that the heels are touching the floor.


3. Touch your sternum(bone near the throat) with the chin and look at the stomach.


4. Try to move the shoulders out, as this will allow your neck to go inside more.


5. Pull your stomach and try to pull your hips higher.


6. Stay in this pose for some time and then with inhalation come out of it. When it is practice as part of Surya Namaskar, it is practiced between 2 and 5 seconds depending on the speed at which you are practicing.

Benefits of Parvat Asana

1. Leg and arm muscles become stronger.


2. Nerves are stretches and relaxes and removes stiffness.


3. Those having Varicose veins problem get relief.


4. If chin is touched to the throat Thyroid problems are get cured.


5. Menstrual problems are solved for women.


6. Shoulders become stronger and removes stiffness in that region.

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Ashwasanchalan Asana(Equastrian pose)

Ashwasanchalan Asana (Equastrian pose) is the fourth pose in the Surya Namaskar practice of twelve poses. It is done immediately after the Pada hastasana. It involves stretching the groin area and the back.

How to Practice Ashwasanchalan Asana?

1. The starting position of this pose is Pada Hastasana.


2. The hands should be touching the ground near the feet.


3. With exhalation move the right leg backwards after it is straight touch right the knee and feet to the ground.


4. Now lean your upper body forwards and bring your head up.


5. Try to extend your neck as much as possible. Try to bring the groin area forward.


6. Stay in this pose for some time with normal breathing and come out with exhalation.


7. When not practicing with Surya Namaskar, repeat the pose with left leg.


8. When this pose is practiced with Surya Namaskar usually this pose is maintained for a second or two during fast practice and upto 5 seconds for slow practice.

Benefit of Ashwasanchalan Pose

1. Relaxes the back muscles, therefore helpful in upper back stiffness and pain.


2. Makes the thighs and calf shapely and stronger


3. Stretches the pelvic region.


4. Increases concentration as balance is required.


5. Opens up blocked Sinuses. For more information on Sinus problems read Home Remedies for Sinus Infection

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Historical Story about Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

This is a story I found in a Hindi book on Ayurveda written by Pandit Ramnarayan Sharma, who is founder of Baidyanath which is a Ayurvedic medicine manufacturing company. Here is goes the story which is in the words of King of an Aundh, Rao Shrinivas Pant (1868-1951). Aundh was a kingdom in British ruled India and now a days also known as Lucknow which is capital of Indian state Uttar Pradesh(UP). He was also known as "Raja Bhavan Rao Shrinivas 'Bala Sahib', Pant Pratinidhi of Aundh".

Here goes the story in King's own words.

"In my youth I learnt wrestling from famous wrestler Imamudin of Punjab. Apart from Wrestling I also used to practice Situps and other Indian exercises. As per the old tradition of wrestling I used to eat heavy and fatty food which resulted in my weight getting increased a lot.

In 1898 I learnt about the great body builder Sando. I immediately got the books related to Sando's exercise regimen and practiced the exercises regularly and as per the guidelines for 10 years. The chest size did not change but the abdomen and hips fat reduced somewhat.

Later, on advice of my dear friend Shri Raja Gangadhar Rao alias Bala Sahab Ptwardhan and example I started practicing Surya Namaskar as per the proper procedure. I started this from 1908 and practiced regularly. As a result of that practice, I lost weight and the body became lighter. The abdomen reduced by 14 inches, and Chest is still 43 inches. I have become cheerful and energetic and got back the agility of my youth. Best part is I am free from diseases and not suffered from any fever for last 25 years. Not only this I have not even suffered from cold and cough which according to doctors is a common disease for everyone.

The proof of wonderful immunity I have is that despite get the vaccination for plague 4 times I never felt the fever or any body aches which are associated with vaccination.

Today with the experience of my 25 years I can say with authority that Surya Namaskar is the best exercise amongst all exercises. It is the best way to have healthy body and mind and helps to concentrate and have patience in times of negative situations. Therefore I can say that Surya Namaskar is the best exercise."

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Surya Namaskar - Day 30 of 30 day Practice

Today was the last day of my 30 day practice of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) and it is good to finish my goal. It has been a great journey for me and I am happy to have finished what I set out to do 30 days ago.

Today I finished the 21 sets in around 11 minutes. When I started this experiment 30 days ago it took me around 18 minutes and I was doing it in three sets. Now I am able to practice the entire 21 sets in one go and did not feel it was too tired. I am able to practice few other poses comfortably and that does not seems difficult for me.

I have lost around 8 pounds of weight in these 30 days and overall energy levels is really great though I was expecting the opposite. Which is really good. The body feel lighter and agile. The thinking pattern is very clear and I am more confident about myself and what I can achieve. I think personally for me more than the physical aspect I feel that the increased energy and confidence are major benefits. I am also able to notice how Surya Namaskar builds stamina and how much fitter I am in just a month.

I will like to recommend Surya Namaskar practice to all of you based on my experience and hope that more people include this in their routine.

People with obesity problem should practice Surya Namaskar regularly and it will definitely help them to lose weight in a healthy way and the effects will be long lasting compared to various shortcuts in the market. Usually obese people are weak in terms of both physical and mental strength and Surya Namaskar will help them in both these conditions.

I plan to write about the poses which consists Surya Namaskar. i have already posted articles on three of them and rest will follow soon. I will also be posting few posts on Surya Namaskar which will provide more insight and person experience on Surya Namaskar.

My next plan and challenge will be to finish 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar for a week and I will undertake that in near future.

How Many Surya Namaskar in a Day to Lose Weight

How many rounds of Surya namaskar practice should I do to to lose weight? This is a question which is asked by many people. Although there is no magic number for this but ideally if you very obese you should start with around 8 sets (16 rounds) practiced slowly. If you are just starting the practice and unfit then after each round take some rest for 5 to 10 seconds.

By the end of the first week you will have improved fitness and ideally shed some weight. From the second week increase 2 more sets every 3 to 4 days. Ideally around 12 to 16 sets are more than sufficient 21 sets can make you really fit and great stamina. Some people want to go ahead and practice more rounds, but that requires more time and depends on individual interest.

You can also mix the speed. In the initial 3 sets do it slowly. Then increase the speed little bit for the next 4 rounds. Then practice with even higher speed in the last remaining rounds.

You would observe that you body sweats a lot and you would lose weight and cloth size would begin to fall after the second week itself.

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Sun Salutation - Day 26 of 30 Day Practice

Today was the 26th Day of the 30 day practice and only 4 days are remaining. Now I am practice the entire 21 sets in one go and there is not much tiredness and it seems that the body is quite strong enough to take the entire 21 sets and stamina has also increased. It is really pleasing feeling for me. At present I am doing slowly and take a break of 5-10 seconds after 4 sets. Present style is to be more of awareness style where I try to focus as much as possible on the breathing. Now in next few days my aim would be to see how much faster I can do to test the stamina and without the small break also. When the speed increases it will be more of a exercise and less concentration will be possible on the breathing. But I would like to see how it goes and what is the capacity of my lungs to tolerate that. This will test my vital capacity.

Gains Till Now
Following are the major physical gains.

1. The most significant strength and the shape up have been in the legs and the chest. The shoulders are also in a healthier shape. I have some fat deposit on the abdomen and though it has reduced my I had expected more.


2. As mentioned above, the stamina has increased a lot.


3. Overall body flexibility is much more now.


4. Back Strength has improved significantly.

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Importance of Proper Breathing in Yoga and Day 21 of Surya Namaskar

Today was the 21st day of my 30 day Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) practice. Which means that I am on to my last 10 days of my practice. Now I am only doing two batches with the first one of 14 sets and the second batch of 7 sets. I think I am now ready to shift the practice to even higher intensity and finish all in a single set and I plan to try that tomorrow. Earlier I planned to gradually increase the sets in the first batch but today when I finished 14 sets I did not feel any lack of stamina and I feel I could have continued for few more sets. I am writing this post after few hours of the practice and feel no tiredness. This means that the legs and the arms are strong enough after 20 days of practice and I can try to push myself for continuous 21 sets.

Since I increased number of sets I am doing together I have slowed down a bit, but plan to pick up pace again in a few days. My plan is also to finish the 21 sets with in as much less time as possible while taking care that my breathing is proper.

Importance of Proper Breathing in Yoga Practice

In Surya Namaskar, proper breathing is very important. In all the twelve sequences while moving into them it is important to understand that the transition should be done either with inhalation or with exhalation. Also remember that you should breathe with the movement and not before or after the movement. Also inhale and exhale slowly so that it lasts from beginning to end of the movement. For example while moving from the Pranam Asana to Hast Utthanasana (Raised Hands Pose) start inhaling when you start and when you reach the final position the inhalation should be complete. Similarly, start exhalation in the the Hast Uttanasana when moving to Hast Padasana (Hands to feet pose) and make sure that the exhalation in complete when you reach the final javascript:void(0)position. As a general rule remember that while moving forward you will exhale and while moving back you will inhale. Also you breathing will be opposite to what you do when you move into the pose.

Some books will say that you should not breathe in the final position, and that needs to be done when you stay in the pose for a few seconds. When you stay longer in a pose, you should do normal breathing while in the pose. While in pose for some time your breathing is very fast. Try to slow it down, by your breathe and also notice which organ in your body is causing it to become faster.

When you do this properly and with awareness that entire body is being oxygenated, you will experience that the tiredness is comparatively very less. When you breathe in this manner, capacity of your lungs will also increase which will increase the stamina. Longer breathing also helps in keeping the heart rate in control, and keeps the mind calm, whereas shorter breathing increases the disturbance of mind.

The muscles which are being used during the pose will get more oxygen and therefore less toxins will be accumulated which will prevent the pain in the muscles. Proper breathing will also allow you to practice for a longer time without feeling tired and therefore provide more benefit. With practice of longer breathing you will see that Pranayama (Yogic Breathing Technique) come easily to you as your lungs are ready for the stress.

Once you practice the poses with proper breathing you will notice that it is not that difficult while the benefits are many. Start observing your breathing pattern and make sure that you make the right adjustments so that you can reap all the benefits which your practice should provide you.

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Relieve digestive problems with Pada Hastasana - Hands to Feet Pose

Pada Hastasana - Hands to Feet pose is a forward bending pose which apart from other benefits is excellent for relieving digestion problems including constipation. It is also included in the Surya Namaskar sequence as the third and the tenth pose. It is also an inverted pose so you would also get the benefits of inverted poses.

How to Practice Pada Hastasana?

1. Stand with both legs together in Tadasana (Tree Pose). If you are practicing Surya Namaskar you will come to this pose from Hast Uttanasana (Raised hands pose)


2. Inhale deeply. With exhalation bend forward slowly.


3. Try to touch the floor with your hands.


4. If you are unable to touch the floor with the hands, stay in the pose for few breaths and then try to stretch a little bit more. Again after few breaths bend a little bit more.


5. For a little bit more stretch, now tighten your hamstrings a little bit. You should be stretch a bit more.


6. Hold your legs with the hands and try to bring the head as close to the legs as possible


7. Stay in this pose for few seconds in the beginning and then come out of it with inhalation.

Benefits of Pada Hastasana
Pada Hastasana has numerous benefits. During this posture, there is increased flow of blood towards the head without the difficulties of inverted postures faced in other inverted postures like Halasana or Sarvangasana. Due to this increased blood flow, the glands are soaked in blood which removes toxins from them and makes them healthier.

1. Stretches the hamstrings on the back of the legs


2. Abdominal organs are toned.


3. Relieves constipation, indigestion and other gastric troubles


4. The muscles of the back are stretched.


5. Spine become healthier due to increased blood flow.


6. Nervous system becomes healthier.

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Day 15 of 30 Day Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) Practice

Today I have reached the half way mark in my endeavor for the 30 day practice of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation). As I have mentioned in my previous post I now strive to finish all the 21 sets in one go instead of breaking up into three batches with break in between. As per the plan now I am down to two batches with the first batch of 12 sets and the second one consisting of 9 sets since yesterday.

In today's post I would like to highlight few benefits of Surya Namaskar(Sun Salutations) on Glands and how they affect us. With practice of Surya Namaskar gradually one gains strength and confidence which can be attributed to secretion of feel good hormones due to activation of the various glands.

Benefits of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) on Glands
Glands play an important role in overall health of a person and the growth of children. When the glands work properly the mental health is maintained apart from physical health.

Pituitary Gland
This is one of the most important glands in the entire body and in a way it acts as the controller of other glands. This gland controls of the growth and development of a person. Surya Namaskar improves the blood circulation in the brain due to which the gland starts working properly which is extremely beneficial for the health.

Pineal Gland
This is another gland in the brain region and helps in mental activities like wake sleep pattern, imagination power etc. This gland is activated by Light, and it controls the various biorhythms of the body. It works in harmony with the hypothalamus gland, which directs the body's thirst, hunger, sexual desire and the biological clock, that determines our aging process. This gland starts working properly with practice.

Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands
These glands control the metabolism of the body and growth of the body. When these glands do not work properly, the affected persons get lazy, start gaining weight and have negative outlook on life. They also suffer from low blood pressure and constipation. This is called Hypothyroidism. There can be another type of problem where in the glands starts working overtime and leads to anxiety and high blood pressure. Patient can start loosing weight. This is called Hyperthyroidism. In both the conditions gradual practice can cure the problem.

Adrenal Glands and Pancreas
Adrenal gland are located near the kidneys. The adrenal gland produces a hormone that regulates nearly every type of organ and tissue within the body. It also helps to maintain appropriate proportions of water and salts within the body. When the proportions are disrupted, it results in low blood pressure. Patients with adrenal insufficiency suffer from fatigue, poor appetites, weight loss, and nausea.

Pancreas control the secretion of insulin which controls the blood sugar levels. During the forward bends these glands are pressed which helps in increasing the blood flow to these glands and helps in having restoring proper function of these glands.

When all the glands work properly, it almost guarantees peak physical and mental health and practicing Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) regularly ensures that.

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Day 13 of 30 Day Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) Practice

From 10th to 13th Day
Today was the 13th day of my 30 Day Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) Practice. Since last few days I was feeling that the 3 batches of 7 sets which I originally set about doing is no longer challenging. It was as if I was going about the motions and becoming monotonous and less challenging. The satisfaction was there on completion, but in the back of the mind I had the feeling that I can do much more.

On 11th day I decided to introduce some more challenge in it, though not too much. I decided that I would now go for 8 sets of Sun Salutations in the first 2 batches and 5 in the last set to make it 21 sets. I implemented that on the day 11 and 12 and felt good about it and not too tiring. On the 13th day I went for 1 set in the beginning which was more of a prayer set and done quite slowly and with lot of focus. Then followed with two batches of 10 sets. It felt great and legs were quite tired but it was what I was looking forward to.

Doing this will decrease the time taken for the practice and I would like to compare the results at the end with the first day.

Doing this has now increased my ambition and my next aim is to completed the 21 sets continuously on the 30th day without any breaks. That will be awesome for me to accomplish. In the beginning of this practice I would have been satisfied with doing the 7 sets three times, but see how success fuels further ambition and that is good when it is in right direction.

How do I plan to reach 21 set practice without a break?
I know that at this moment it will not be wise to do this at a single stretch as I may not be having the stamina, but over the next two and half weeks I plan to bring down the practice to a single round. Next, from the 15th day I will bring it to 2 sets and then every two days I will add more sets to the first batch. Depending on how I feel I may get there in 25th to 27th day. One of my other aim is to practice 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar for a week. This is the stepping stone for that.

Other Observations
I also tried to compare how I feel during the other poses. The body is lesser stiff after the practice compared to the first few days. Now the muscles are getting more used to the practice so they have less comparative workload which reduces the stiffness. I can practice halasana (Plough pose) and Sarvangasana quite easily after the practice now, where as on the first day I had to really stretch to touch my feet on the ground on the first few days.

Another observation is whenever I practice Trikon Asana and few more standing poses before the practice then legs are more tired after the practice. I guess at the end of 30 days this should also be gone. Shavasana is very important at the end of the practice as it relaxes the muscles and reduces the tiredness.

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Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Hands Pose) - Improve Back and Shoulder Strength

Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Hands Pose) is the second and eleventh poses of the Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) sequence. In this pose the body is stretched with inhalation. This is done by raising the hands above the head and trying to pull the ribs and the upper organs upwards. Also the back takes the weight of the body momentarily which strengthens it. Usually this pose is done during Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) since it is in the sequence of poses as it is easier to bend forward from this pose.

How to Practice Hasta Uttanasana?

1. Stand in Pranam Asana.


2. Take a few breaths and with inhalation rise the hands above the head.


3. Try to take the hands little behind the head. This will stretch the abdomen area more.


4. Bend the knees a little, which will help in moving the hands back some more. Once the flexibility increase it may not be needed to bend the knees.


5. Stay in this pose for few seconds with short breathing.


6. With exhalation come out of the pose or move to next pose in case this is done during Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

Benefits of Hasta Uttanasana

1. Since body is stretched above it relaxes the neck and back muscles.


2. Since abdomen is stretched the organs are massaged.


3. The shoulders become stronger and it is beneficial for frozen shoulders condition.


4. The spinal cord and the back bone are also stretched and helps in curing various back problems.


5. Thyroid gland gets affected which helps in fighting obesity.

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Topsy Turvy Day 10 of 30 Days Surya Namaskar(Sun Salutation) Practice

Today I completed 10th day of the 30 days of Surya Namaskar(Sun Salutation) Practice. Till 9th day I practiced in the morning but today got some work in the morning which I could not avoid and then had to rush to office. I completed the practice at around 9 pm in the evening after the office.

I was tempted to miss the practice for today but decided to go ahead with the practice, in the evening if though it meant that I would be practicing when I was tired after the office. The difference I noticed when I practiced in the evening was more of a mental state more than the physical state. When we return from the office in the evening, we are mentally tired and need more efforts to focus while on the physical front the body may be little tired but stiffness is less. I devoted some more time for focusing and stretching which helped in getting me focused. When I started the practice after that I felt not much difference physically. I am feeling physically bit tired now but it would be interesting to see how I feel tomorrow morning.

It gave me satisfaction that I have not stopped the practice till now. I think 30 days of continuous practice requires dedication. There are two aspects here. First is the physical angle where in body resists going through the regimen and wants rest. Another angle is the mental angle where in the mind resists any disciplined effort. Human mind by nature is restless and does not wants us to focus or concentrate. When we start the practice it is more of the physical capacity factor but later on you would require more of the mental strength. Today was a good test of the mental strength required and I am glad I crossed that hurdle successfully. It is essential to follow the same routine so you become habituated to that condition and face less mental challenge. Today that routine was disturbed and that is why it was challenging and important to finish the practice today. I now feel quite confident that I should be able to finish rest of the 20 days. I think after 4 more days I may want to increase the number of rounds in the first two sets. That could be the next challenge to make it more interesting.

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Day 5 to 7 of 30 Days Surya Namaskar Practice

Today I completed the first week in my pursuit of 30 days Surya Namaskar Practice. Personally I think this has been a great week for me. I was planning to go for this since last year and started last year and failed. Now I am pursuing it again and it feels great. Apart from the fact that I am practicing Surya Namaskar, the fact that I am pursuing one of my goals, give me added pleasure and motivation. I think biggest obstacle to start is procrastination and once we start we are enthusiastic for the first few days. The challenge is to continue after that. I am glad till now I am able to continue this journey.

I think the process of pursuing a worthy goal is a great experience. Often we forget the bigger picture and quit when we face small obstacle. We then justify ourselves how what we did was the best thing to do at that moment. This happened to me a lot of times and this time I want to ensure that I complete this goal. I hope this will be a good reference documentation for people who want to research on Surya Namaskar in future.

My experience in last 3 days?
The fifth day somehow the legs were bit stiff though it reduced a bit on the 6th day. Today the stiffness is almost gone. The good thing is now the stamina has visibly increase and the tiredness is quite less in the last sets which was there in first 3 to 4 days.

Surya Namaskar increases the blood flow in the entire body and that helps in detoxification. Apart from that when practice is done at a reasonable rate, it gives multiple benefits of Cardio Vascular workout, strengthening the arms and legs as well as massaging the internal organs. When this practice is done along with deep breathing the oxygenation increase and improves the lungs and respiratory oragan's health and therefore it is good for diseases like Asthma.

On the work front I find my self being able to concentrate myself better and the thinking process is clearer. I am able to focus for longer duration to a task and that is always beneficial in all spheres of life. It would be interesting to observe myself more on this in the coming weeks.

I plan to buy a weighing machine this weekend which will also help me to track any weight loss which I definitely feel has happened though I have not measured it. Looking forward eagerly to the next few days and keeping everybody posted.

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Pranam Asana - Pose 1 and 12 of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

The first pose of Surya Namaskar is called Pranam Asana. In this pose you would need to stand stand with palms folded touching each other near the chest. This is a simple pose and does not need any considerable physical efforts but the major part is to bring the focus and awareness to the practice.

How to Practice Pranam Asana?
Stand on the mat with the feet near to each other. Join the palms near the chest and stand still. This is a traditional way of greeting others in India. Joining the palms together brings a feeling of surrender and love in the heart. The awareness can be on the heart. Stand for few seconds in this pose. Now try to concentrate on the breathing and then with eyes closed, feel the balance of the body on both the feet. Check if your one leg is more dominant than the other. Feel the sole of your feet and observer which portions are touching the ground. Doing this will help you to increase the body balance.

After staying in this pose for a minute or so proceed to the next pose in the sequence. Usually the this pose is done for longer duration on the first round and for the next rounds you would need to move fast from this pose to next.

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Day 4 of 30 Days Surya Namaskar Practice

Today was the fourth day of Surya Namaskar practice. Yesterday the practice was done first time on a weekday and I wanted to see how I feel at the end of the day after office. After the office I felt good and did not have any major tiredness. I remember, last time when I started this practice last year, I started feeling the exhaustion after the 4th day even though I did not reach 21 sets. This time I feel little tired but comfortable. In the recent months I have been giving more emphasis on the standing poses which has increase my leg strength a lot as well as increased the capacity of my lungs and heart.

I will suggest standing poses to anyone who wants to increase their lower body, back and overall strength. Overall body balance also increases. Most of the fractures to elderly people happen due to falls and there are two major factor behind that. Firstly due to lack of exercise the leg muscles are weak which reduces their body balances and leg muscles become weak which increases the chances of fall. Secondly due to the lack of exercise the bone density decreases which makes it more likely to break during a fall. Incorporating simple standing poses will help avoid injuries for the elderly people.

Coming back to my practice for yesterday and today, I felt lesser tiredness on the third batch 7 sets. I think the time might have reduced a little bit as compared to the first day but I did not note the time. I plan to clock my time on the 7th day again and then compare that with the first day. The major tiredness which I feel is on the hamstring, but overall the body seems to be adapting very well to this regimen. I plan to write more in details about each of the poses which constitutes the Surya Namaskar in the next few posts to come. I am sure that the stamina is increasing slowly and it would be interesting to see how I feel when I go back to my normal routine after 30 days. I am hoping that increased strength and stamina will help me to incorporate more poses in the single session of practice.

Warming Up
Warming up is important when starting Surya Namaskar. As I mentioned earlier also, few poses like Tadasana is quite good for warm up. I do two rounds with 30 breath counts. This stretches the back, shoulders and the leg muscles. Also, since this pose involves standing up on the toes it helps you focus on the task ahead. Another useful thing is to practice the first two round (1st Set) slowly with concentration on the breathing (both inhalation and exhalation). From the second set onwards you can increase the speed.

How I feel?
The energy levels are pretty good and I feel I can easily concentrate on all the tasks easily at the office. Even at the night after the day at office I am energetic enough to play the kids. I am feeling good that I have started the journey to achieve one of the goals of my life. May be this is what is helping my enthusiasm apart from the fact that I am really loving this entire process.

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Day 2 of 30 Days Surya Namaskar Practice

Today was the second day of the 30 day experiment of Surya Namaskar. I woke up without any signs of tiredness. I was expecting sore muscles but that did not happen. I had taken rest last afternoon to reduce the tiredness and that might have worked. One of the reasons for starting the 30 day Surya Namaskar on Saturday was I would get two days of rest in the weekend and that would give my body more chance to rest.

Today I was able to successfully complete the 21 sets in three batches. Till the second round it was easy but tiredness crept in the third set. I must say it took determination to finish the last 7 sets and was thrilled after I finished the routine.

I relaxed in Shavasana for a around 5 minutes and that cooled me down. It was followed by Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand pose) and then few forward bends and finally finishing with Bal Asansa 2. Shavasana relaxes all the muscles and Balasana 2 relaxes the nerves therefore these two should be included in the practice.

Yesterday I did not include other routine asanas in the practice apart from Sarvangasana , but today I included some of those poses and plan to gradually include most of them during the rest of the 30 days.

In the afternoon my limbs were tired but by the evening time most of that tiredness seems to have gone. I rested for half an hour in the afternoon. I feel major challenge would be tomorrow as tomorrow is not a holiday and the office resumes.

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21 Sets of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) Practice For 30 days

I have started the 30 days of practice of Surya Namaskar(Sun Salutations) today again. I had tried this practice earlier also in December 2008 but failed to continue after 7 days due to illness which I feel came mainly due to exhaustion. I feel this time I am more prepared for this practice. Here is the link to that post earlier
My Experiment with Sun Salutations - Surya Namaskar

As you may be aware that Surya Namaskar consists of sequence of 12 poses which are practice one after another in a particular sequence. My goal is to practice 21 sets if two rounds, which means 42 rounds of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) each day for the next 30 days.

Why am I starting the Surya Namaskar experiment again?
Although this has been in my mind for a long time but some how I felt I was not ready for continuous 30 days of practice. Recently I was trying to compile a list of my wish list of things I wanted to do before I died and decided that this was one of the items in that list. If you want to see that list please see here. Though it may seem to be a very small thing in the scheme of life, but doing it continuously for 30 days is not easy. This is also the base for accomplishing one of my other goals from that list, which is practicing 108 rounds of Surya Namaskar for a week.

When I compiled the list it reignited my desire to achieve this goal. I thought of this last week and decided that on November 21st I will start again. As per the plan I have started that today. For last few months I was not including Surya Namaskar in my practice routine, so I started preparation around 4 days back. I started with 9 sets which included 2 breaks. Next day I had 12 sets with 2 breaks which means in each batch I practice 4 sets. On the third day each of the three batches included 5 sets, which means I practiced 15 sets in total. Yesterday was the 4th day and there was body ache so I decide to take a break and did not practice.

Last time when I started started with lower number of sets and intended to reach 21 sets and then continue for 30 days. But after the 7th day could not continue and therefore never reached 21 sets. This time I am already into the 21 sets in 4 days. Which means I am in much better shape for this and I feel that the chances are brighter this time.

How was the experience?
I decided to do in three batches of 7 sets each. I practice slowly with around 25-30 seconds for each round with concentration on the proper inhalation and exhalation. I also took a break of 2 minutes between two batches. First and the second rounds were relatively simple but the third round was tiring. Legs were bit shaky but not too much. During the last 4 sets I let my body loose tried to move naturally with the breathing which is less tiring. I think within some time the strength will increase and the last few sets should not be this much tiresome. My total time for the practice was around 18 minutes.

How is my routine practice affected?
I reduced my regular practice for last few days by few poses. Today I only did some stretching pose like Tadasana and Kati Chakrasana and after I finished the sets I practice Sarvangasana (Shouder Stand) as the legs were too tired. I plan to resume the rest of the asana practice after my body adjusts to this workload.

I will keep you updated on my progress in the next posts.

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