Half Sun Salutation
- Target muscle
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- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Stretching
- Type
- Stretching
The Half Sun Salutation (Ardha Surya Namaskar) is a short bodyweight yoga flow that links a handful of poses to your breath. It warms the whole body while mobilising the spine, stretching the hamstrings, and opening the shoulders and chest, which makes it an ideal gentle warm-up before a longer practice or workout.
How to do the Half Sun Salutation
- 1Stand tall in Mountain Pose with feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides, and your weight balanced evenly. Take a steady breath to settle.
- 2Inhale and sweep your arms out and overhead, gently reaching up and lengthening through your spine and chest.
- 3Exhale and hinge from your hips into a Forward Fold, letting your hands travel toward the floor or your shins with soft knees.
- 4Inhale into a Halfway Lift: place your hands on your shins or thighs, flatten your back, and lengthen your spine until it is roughly parallel to the floor.
- 5Exhale and release back into the Forward Fold, relaxing your head and neck toward the floor.
- 6Inhale, bend your knees slightly, and rise back up with a flat back, sweeping your arms out and overhead to reach up again.
- 7Exhale and lower your arms back to your sides, returning to Mountain Pose. That is one round.
- 8Repeat the sequence for several rounds, moving smoothly so each movement begins and ends with a full breath.
Form tips
- Move with the breath, not ahead of it — let each inhale and exhale set the pace so the flow stays smooth rather than rushed.
- Keep a soft bend in your knees during the Forward Fold so the stretch is felt in your hamstrings rather than your lower back.
- Lengthen your spine on every fold and lift instead of rounding your back, hinging from the hips to protect the lower back.
- Reach up tall through your fingertips and gently open your chest on the inhales to mobilise the shoulders.
- Start with a few slow rounds and build a light, even rhythm before adding more.
Common mistakes
- Rushing through the poses faster than the breath, which loses the warming, mobilising benefit and can leave you light-headed.
- Rounding the spine in the fold instead of hinging from the hips, which strains the lower back.
- Locking the knees straight in the Forward Fold, which pulls hard on the hamstrings and shifts strain to the spine.
- Shrugging the shoulders up by the ears when reaching overhead, which tightens the neck instead of opening the chest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Half Sun Salutation good for?
It is a quick full-body warm-up that mobilises the spine, stretches the hamstrings, and opens the shoulders and chest. Syncing the movement with your breath also helps centre your focus before a longer practice or a workout.
How many rounds of Half Sun Salutation should I do?
Three to five rounds is a good warm-up dose. Move slowly at first to find an even breath-to-movement rhythm, then add a few more rounds once the flow feels smooth.
Is the Half Sun Salutation good for beginners?
Yes. It uses only your bodyweight and a few simple poses, and you can keep your knees softly bent in the fold to make it accessible. It is one of the most beginner-friendly ways to learn breath-linked movement.
What is the difference between the Half and full Sun Salutation?
The Half Sun Salutation stays upright — Mountain Pose, Forward Fold, and Halfway Lift — without going to the floor. The full Sun Salutation adds plank, low push-up, and downward and upward-facing poses, making it longer and more demanding.
