By Damien Olenslager

Feeling groggy in the morning? Follow this step-by-step guide to do a sun salutation and wake your body up.

My wife and I love yoga, and there is one sequence of poses called the “Sun Salutation” that we try to perform daily. I learned this sequence when I was putting in long hours as a volunteer in Belgium. With not much time for sleep or exercise, this routine helped me get up every morning not hating the world!

Below I have offered the complete sequence, follow along and feel good about getting out of bed.

Let’s get started!

Breathe slowly and perform each pose on an inhalation or exhalation

(Thanks to my wonderful wife for modeling the poses)

Mountain Pose Step 1: Mountain Pose Inhale Stand straight but relaxed with feet together. Gaze straight ahead.

Extended Mountain Pose Step 2: Extended Mountain Pose Exhale Raise arms up from the sides, bring them together above your head. Bring your gaze up to your thumbs. You should feel stretching in your upper back.

Forward Bend-in Step 3: Forward Bend-in Inhale Bend forward at the waist. Keep your back and legs straight–think of your body as having only one hinge-at the hips. Bend as far forward as you can–grab your knees, shins or feet (if you can go that far!) Let your head drop down and gaze between your legs. You will feel this stretching in many places, especially the back of your legs and lower back.

Forward Bend-out Step 4: Forward Bend-out Exhale Stay in this position while bringing your head and gaze up to look forward–out from your body.

Plank Pose Step 5: Plank Pose Inhale Walk or jump your legs back into push-up position. Keep your back and arms straight. Gaze at the floor. This will awaken your arms and shoulders.

Crocodile Pose Step 6: Crocodile Pose Exhale Slowly let your body down until it is parallel to and one or two inches from the floor. This pose will strengthen your arms and get your blood flowing.

Upward Facing Dog Pose Step 7: Upward Facing Dog Pose Inhale Arch your back and straighten your arms. Gaze up towards the sky. This will open up your breathing and stretch out your chest and abdomen.

Downward Facing Dog Pose Step 8: Downward Facing Dog Pose Exhale This pose is challenging! Hop up onto the bottom of your feet, make an upside-down “V” with your body. Keep arms parallel with your upper body, keep legs straight, bending your body only at the hips. Hold this pose for three breaths. This pose stretches and strengthens at the same time!

Forward Bend Out Step 9: Forward Bend-out Inhale Walk or jump legs forward into the forward bend-out. Bend forward at the waist. Keep your back and legs straight–think of your body as having only one hinge-at the hips. Bend as far forward as you can–grab your knees, shins or feet (if you can go that far!) Bring your head and gaze up to look forward–out from your body.

Forward Bend-in Step 10: Forward Bend-in Exhale Stay in this position while dropping your head down and bringing your gaze between your legs.

Extended Mountain Pose Step 11: Extended Mountain Pose Inhale Straighten up, raise your arms up from the sides, bring them together above your head. Bring your gaze up to your thumbs.

Mountain Pose The End is the Beginning Return to Mountain Pose Hope you enjoyed this Sun Salutation tutorial! As you improve at the poses you can hold them for longer, change up the order, or even throw in your own moves.

Breathing is the Most Important Thing

Yoga practitioners know that they must focus on their breathing to enliven their bodies and improve their flexibility. As a rule of thumb, you know that you have mastered a pose when you can hold it (the pose) without affecting the frequency of breaths. In other words, you have mastered a pose when it doesn’t make you breathe faster.

Also, yogis use breaths as units of measurement. Instead of holding poses for minutes, they hold them for a specified number of breaths.

Practicing yoga frequently will improve your fitness and mood. Try out the sun salutation tomorrow morning. I guarantee it will help you wake up and greet the day with enthusiasm and energy!

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