Surya Namaskara with Lizard Pose (Uttana-prishthasana)

Virabhadrasana (Warrior 2)

If you’ve attended a yoga class with me, you would have noted that Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) is an integral part of the routine that we practice. Typically, we practice three rounds of Surya Namaskar. In the first round, we go through the basic sequence which has the classic 12 movements. In the second and third round, we add some variations to many of the movements. For example, in the second round some of the common poses that we practice include warrior 1, warrior 2, triangle pose, pigeon pose etc. In the third round, we usually practice the upward facing dog and also occasionally some twisting variations from the lunge position.

In today’s post, I am presenting the sequence of three rounds of Sun Salutation with the Lizard pose (uttana-prishthasana) integrated into the second round. The Lizard pose is great for opening the hips and stretching and strengthening the hamstrings, inner thighs, the pelvic area and the spine.

Step-by-step

Round 1

1. Stand close to the top of the mat with the feet together or slightly apart but parallel to each other. As you exhale, bring the palms together in the prayer position in front of your chest.
2. Inhaling, stretch your arms out in front, raise them up and arch back from the waist, pushing the hips out, legs straight. Relax your neck.
3. Exhaling, fold forward, keeping the arms alongside the ears initially. In the final position, drop the hands to get close to the toes. Try to keep the knees straight, bending slightly if necessary.
4. Inhaling, bring the left leg back into the lunge position, sliding the foot as far back as comfortable and place the knee on the floor. Arch back and look up, lifting your chest and chin.


Adhomukha-shvanasana (Down Dog)

5. Exhaling, bring the other leg back. Lift your buttocks up, coming into an inverted "V" shape called the Adhomukha Shvanasana or Downward Facing Dog. Try to push the thighs back, heels and forehead down, tailbone lifted up and keep your shoulders back.
6. Exhaling, lower the knees, chest and the chin to the floor, keeping your buttocks lifted up. This is called the "ashtanga mudra" (the gesture with eight limbs on the floor).
7. Inhaling, lower the abdomen to the floor and slowly begin to lift your head, neck and chest to get into the Bhujangasana or Cobra pose. In the first round we try to lift the palms off the floor, using the upper body strength to lift the chest higher, if comfortable. Keep the shoulders rolled back.
8. Exhaling, place the palms down, curl your toes under, lift the buttocks up to get back to the downward facing dog. Try to push your heels and forehead down and keep your shoulders back (same as position 5).
9. Inhaling, lift the head up, bring the left foot forward and place it between your hands. Rest the other knee on the floor and look up, as in position 4.
10. Exhaling, bring the other leg forward and bend down from the waist with th knees stretched straight. This is called Uttanasana (standing forward bending pose).
11. Inhaling, stretch your arms in front against the ears, lift them up and back overhead and bend back slowly from the waist, as in position 2.
12. Exhaling, gently come back to an upright position and bring your arms down by your sides. Relax for a few breaths before proceeding with the next round.

Round 2

Lizard pose (uttana-prishthasana)-1

In this round we integrate the practice of Lizard Pose (uttana-pristhasana) as a part of the sequence.

1. Stand close to the top of the mat with the feet together or slightly apart but parallel to each other. As you exhale, bring your hands in the prayer position in front of your chest.
2. Inhaling, bring the arms to the side and then begin to raise them up and arch back from the waist. Pulls the hands up and push the arms back behind the ears. If comfortable, deepen the stretch by pressing the feet firmly into the ground, pushing the buttocks and thighs forward, keeping legs straight. Relax your neck.
3. Exhaling, release the hands down and begin to bend forward. This time bring the hands behind the back, interlock the fingers and lift the hands up toward the ceiling when you inhale. When you exhale, make a gentle effort to drop the chest to close the gap with the thighs. Stay in this position for two extra breaths.
4. Inhaling, bend the knees, place the palms on the floor right next to the feet. This time bring the right leg back.
5. At this point, we will integrate the Lizard Pose into the sequence.

Lizard pose (uttana-prishthasana)-2
1. Keep the right leg straight with the heel pushed back and the thigh lifted up. While in the Lizard pose, if you are uncomfortable keeping the leg straight, feel free to place the knee on the floor. 
2. Slide the left foot out toward the edge of the mat and position both the hands on the inside of the foot. 
3. Start walking your hands in front until the elbows and the forearms are on the floor or as close as you can get them comfortably.
4. Lowering the chest down, make an effort to lower the forehead to the floor. Feel a deep stretch in the hips and inside of the thighs. Stay in the pose for a breath or two, if comfortable.
5. Start walking your hands back to the original position.
6. Now we will try the variation called “flying lizard”. Moving the left hand from under the left thigh, place the palm on the outside of the left foot.
7. Pressing firmly with the left palm, lift the right arm. Keeping the arm straight, lift is as high as comfortable, trying to bring it to the horizontal position. Now, pressing with the left foot down, lift the left arm up and bring it up to the horizontal position, in line with the two shoulders. 
8. Stay in the final position for a breath or two, if comfortable. To come out, place the hands down, bringing the left hand on the outside of the left foot.

Lizard pose (uttana-prishthasana)-3

6. Exhaling, and placing the palms on the floor, bring the left leg back. Lift your buttocks up to get into the Adhomukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog). Try to push the thighs back, heels and forehead down, tailbone lifted up and keep your shoulders back.
7. Exhaling, lower your knees to the floor and this time push the buttocks all the way back close to the heels in the child pose (Balasana). Keep the forehead on the floor and start walking your hands out in front.
8. Inhaling, keeping the hands where they are, begin to slide the body forward, keeping the forehead close to the floor. Slowly begin to lift your head, neck and chest up to get into the Bhujangasana or Cobra pose. Keep the navel on the floor, legs together, elbows tucked in close to the body and shoulders rolled back. Stay in Bhujangasana for about 3-4 breaths.
9. Exhaling, curl your toes under, lift the buttocks up to get back to the downward facing dog. Try to push your heels and forehead down and keep your shoulders back.
10. Inhaling, lift the head up, bring the right foot forward and place it between your hands.
11. Here, repeat the movements for the Lizard pose on the other side, as we did in step 5 above.
12. Now, exhaling, bring the other leg also forward and bend down from the waist with th knees stretched straight. This is called Uttanasana (standing forward bending pose).
13. Inhaling, stretch your arms to the side, bring them up and back overhead and bend back slowly from the waist.
14. Exhaling, gently come back to an upright position and bring your arms down by your sides. Relax for a few breaths before proceeding with the next round.

Round 3

1. Stand close to the top of the mat with the feet together or slightly apart but parallel to each other. As you exhale, bring your hands in the prayer position in front of your chest.

Plank Pose
2. Inhaling, stretch your arms out in front, raise them up and arch back from the waist, pushing the hips out, legs straight. Relax your neck.
3. Exhaling, fold forward, keeping the arms alongside the ears initially. In the final position, drop the hands to get close to the toes. Try to keep the knees straight, bending slightly if necessary.
4. Inhaling, bring the left leg back into the lunge position, sliding the foot as far back as comfortable. This time we’ll keep the back leg very straight. Try to push the heel back and lift the left thigh upward to keep the back leg straight and strong. Try to keep the buttocks down and chest up.
5. Exhaling, bring the other leg back. This time we’ll get into the plank position. Roll the shoulders forward so the shoulders are vertically above the palms. In the plank position, the heels, buttocks, shoulders and the neck are in a straight line. Try to keep the heels pushed back. Maintain the pose for a comfortable duration.
6. Exhaling, lower your knees, chest and the chin to the floor, keeping your buttocks lifted up.

Urdhvamukha-shvanasana (Up Dog)
7. Inhaling, lower your abdomen to the floor and slowly begin to lift your head, neck and chest up. Keep the toes pointing backward with the top of the feet on the ground. To get into the upward facing dog, we’ll try to press down with the top of the feet and then slowly lift the knees off the floor, if comfortable. While lifting the knees up, we want to keep the thighs pressing downward. Try to keep the shoulders vertically above the hands. Stay in the pose for a few moments.
8. Exhaling, curl your toes under, lift the buttocks up to get back to the downward facing dog. Try to push your heels and forehead down and keep your shoulders back.
9. Inhaling, lift the head up, bring the left foot forward and place it between your hands. Keep the right leg straight behind you. Try to push the heel back and lift the right thigh upward to keep the back leg straight and strong.
10. Exhaling, bring the other leg forward and bend down from the waist with th knees stretched straight. This is the Uttanasana (standing forward bending pose).
11. Inhaling, stretch your arms forward, up and back overhead and bend back slowly from the waist, as in position 1.
12. Exhaling, gently come back to an upright position and bring your arms down by your sides. Relax for a few breaths.

Is Sun Salutation part of your own yoga sequence? If so, please share your practice and the experience with the practice. I would love to get your feedback or comments on the sequence presented here.