Surya Namaskara A (Sun Salutation A)
- Always consider doing Surya Namaskara A with the option for folding into Uttanasana with bent knees.
- Always consider doing Surya Namaskara A with the option is stepping back into Plank Pose rather than floating to Chataranga Dandasana.
- Use Plank Pose to explore “Dandasana” (staff or stick) qualities that one wants to bring into Chataranga Dandasana: Firm legs, heels pressing back, soft buttocks, inner thighs slightly rotating up, tail bone and public bone drawing slightly back, belly lightly engaged to support the middle, shoulder blades drawing down the back with lower tips drawing lightly into against the back ribs, sternum extending forward, back of the neck long (or looking slightly forward if okay with the neck).
- Always consider the option of lowering with “knees-chest-chin” as in Surya Namaskara C as an alternative to lowering to Chataranga Dandasana.
- If lowering with “knees-chest-chin,” stay with Salabhasana B rather than Chataranga Dandasana.
- Always consider the alternative of placing the knees on the floor in Plank Pose for greater ease in lowering to Chataranga Dandasana, using this position in Chataranga Dandasana until the requisite strength is developed for lowering to and holding Chataranga Dandasana.
- Repetitive jumping from Ardha Uttanasana to Plank can cause low back strain/injury and should be discouraged.
- Rather than jumping to Plank Pose, explore the more fluid movement of floating from Ardha Uttanasana directly to Chataranga Dandasana (or to the floor). In addition to being safer for the low back, this method helps to maintain synchronization of breath to movement in the Vinyasa Flow.
- Remember that Chataranga Dandasana is an asana with all four limbs firmly rooting into the floor (hands and feet) and should be held for that brief moment of emptiness between the exhale and the inhale that initiates movement into Urdhva Mukha Svanasana.
- Explore the same actions suggested above for Plank Pose in Chataranga Dandasana
