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Back to Basics: Sun Salutation A

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:30:00 PST

In honor of the Winter Solstice, I thought we could use a little light from the yoga world. So take a few minutes to pay attention to your breath and follow this Sun Salutation A sequence. The Sanskrit word for Sun Salutation is Surya Namaskar. Surya means "Sun," and "Namaskar" is a greeting of honor and respect to the divinity present in each one of us. In yoga studios across the world, many celebrate the Winter Solstice by performing 108 Sun Salutations, a practice called Mala. So welcome Winter and say hello to the sun with Sun Salutation A.

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A Week of the Happy Healthy You: FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 12 May 2007 04:00:00 PDT

Want to get active? Then check out Get Active America to see if a gym near you is participating in open houses next weekend.

Now that it is the weekend, why not try the Sun Salutation. The video will take you through the moves, and your body will feel great after a few repetitions.

I want to know which celebrity diet you identify with the most.

Do you know the importance of interval training and why you should be doing it once a week.

Is it true or false SPF 30 has twice as much sun protection as SPF 15? Take the quiz.

Consumer Reports rated 8 popular diet plans and 7 diet books. The findings are interesting, if not predictable.

Looking for an at home workout you can do in 10 minutes?

I am curious if you go to a chiropractor?

For all you mothers out there - get or give the gift of sleep this Mother's Day.

Looking for a Farmers' Market near you? Here's a great site that lists markets by city and state.

I want to hear what you have to say: Are celebs "fit" to sell clothes?

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Strike a Yoga Pose: Sun Salutation A

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 08:45:00 PDT

We've finally learned all the poses that make up Sun Salutation A, so we can link them all together.

The Sanskrit word for Sun Salutation is Surya Namaskar. Surya means "Sun," and "Namaskar" is a greeting of honor and respect to the divinity present in each one of us. In case you were curious, the word "Namaste" comes from the word "Namaskar," and is used as a greeting and a way to give praise. When you go to a yoga class, at the end the teacher often says "Namaste," as a way to say "thank you," "be well," and "goodbye."

Doing Sun Salutations is a way of respecting the Sun and the Earth, and all it has offered us. It's also a way to warm up the body and get your muscles ready to do deeper stretching and more difficult yoga postures. You'll work every part of your body doing Sun Salutation A - your arms, shoulders, neck, spine, hamstrings, calves, and feet.

When you take an Ashtanga yoga class, it always begins with the opening chant, and then 5 Sun Salutation As in a row. In other types of yoga, they usually do variations on a sun salutation, so parts of this series may look familiar to you.

Do you want to see what Sun Salutation A looks like? Then

Start at the front of your mat in Mountain pose, bringing your awareness inward, and following your breath. This is the pose you're in when you do the opening chant. It's a prep pose for Sun Salutation A.
Release you arms to the sides of the body. This is a variation of Mountain pose, and the 1st pose in Sun Salutation A.
Inhale as you raise your arms up overhead and gaze at your palms.
Exhale as you dive out and come into a Standing Forward Bend.
Inhale to look up and lengthen your spine.
As you exhale, step or jump back and come into 4 Limbed Staff pose.
Inhale as you scoop your chest forward into Upward Facing Dog pose.
Exhale into Downward Facing Dog. Stay here for 5 complete breaths. Inhale...Exhale...1, Inhale...Exhale...2, etc.
After 5 breaths, on your next inhale, step or hop the feet forward between your hands.
Exhale into Standing Forward Bend.
Inhale and raise your arms up overhead, looking at your hands.
Exhale your arms down. Sun Salutation A begins and ends with this pose. To do another one, inhale your arms up and continue through the entire sequence again. In an Ashtanga yoga class, they do it 5 times, but you can do Sun Salutation A as many times as you like.

Fit's Tips: In the mornings when I have time, I love to do a few Sun Salutation As to help me wake up. Each pose feels better than the next. I'll hold each pose for a few breaths since my muscles feel stiff from not moving them for 8 hours.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Fierce

FitSugar — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:28:00 PDT

After learning Ashtanga Yoga's Sun Salutation A, it's time to learn the poses in Sun Salutation B. It begins with a pose called Fierce, which may look easy but is a killer move for your thighs and glutes when done correctly. It also strengthens your core and stretches your calves, so it's an essential move for runners and high-heel wearers alike.

Sanskrit Name: Utkatasana
English Translation: Fierce Pose
Also Called: Chair Pose

Stand with your feet together in Mountain Pose. Bend your knees and lower your hips as you raise your arms overhead.
Focus on sitting back into your heels to relieve pressure from your knees and to target the thighs and glutes. Tuck your tailbone in and engage your abs, keeping your spine straight. Roll your shoulder blades back and down away from your ears to release any tension in the neck or upper body, and gaze up toward the ceiling.
Stay like this for five breaths.

What to Expect (Beauty-Wise) When You're Expecting

Jessica Cruel — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:07:00 PDT

Moms-to-be, we salute you. Perhaps your body is changing, and you're not quite sure if your favorite beauty treatments are allowed. In honor of today's release of What to Expect When You're Expecting, we reached out to Dr. Lindsay Cruel, OB/GYN (also known as my dad) to debunk any pregnancy beauty myths. Find out your prenatal dos and don'ts when you read more.

Celebrate Winter Solstice With Sun Salutation A

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:41:29 PST

Although it feels like we were just talking about bikini workouts and sunscreen, tomorrow is the first day of Winter - aka the Winter Solstice. You can celebrate by getting outside for a Winter run, cooking up a hearty pot of soup, or do like the yogis do: perform 108 Sun Salutations, a practice called Mala. The number 108 is considered sacred in Hindu and Buddhist belief systems, and it represents quite a physical challenge too.

If there's no yoga studio close to you hosting a group Mala, unroll your yoga mat and try it on your own. Light some candles or perform your sun salutes under the twinkling glow of your Christmas tree. Get ready to welcome Winter and say hello to the sun.

Not sure how to do a sun salute? Watch this video of the calming yoga sequence.

Fit Tip: Take Your Strength Training Routine Outside

Leta Shy — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:17:28 PDT

As soon as the hint of Summer comes along, I'm all about taking my workout outside. I'll admit, however, that for me, forgoing the gym for the great outdoors usually means I'm out for a run. Luckily, there are many ways I can take more than my cardio outside. Here are some ideas for enjoying the fresh air while you tone up and stretch out.

Take a bootcamp class: Ready to get whipped into shape before most people are even awake? Take advantage of mild Spring mornings by enrolling in an outdoor butt-busting boot camp in your city. You'll learn new moves and blaze through your workouts to see results by Summer.
Create your own workout club: If you feel a little bit self-conscious or unmotivated to do a circuit workout outside when you're by yourself, then gather a few workout buddies to join. You'll have fun creating your own workouts (or try this circuit workout) and helping each other keep correct form, all while ditching the dark gym for a sunnier setting.
Use the playground: Watching the kids at the playground? Take a few minutes to tone your entire body with these simple one-minute playground exercises.
Find a bench: If there's no playground near you, don't worry - all you need is a sturdy bench for an insanely effective workout. Watch our bench workout video here.
Relax with yoga: Stake out a quiet spot, tune into your Sun Salutations playlist on your iPod, and spend some time stretching and toning in the sun.

How do you exercise outside?

Salute the Sun: A Morning Yoga Playlist

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:24:46 PDT

Sun Salutation can mark a beautiful, introspective time in your day, and I'm a huge fan of employing the help of some happy, sunny tunes to get me motivated and centered. Starting a day with even just 20 minutes on the mat can make a big difference in how you look at the world around you. If your morning practice is feeling a little tired - or like me, you've literally fallen asleep on your mat in the morning! - try out these tunes to see if something new will work. I've got you covered, whether you're into the smooth, sweet sounds of Norah Jones, or old school soul like Bill Withers is your style. And if you're feeling particularly down in the dumps, hear me out and allow me to suggest some Styx. I once had a teacher kick off a morning vinyasa class with this tune, and the whole class started cracking up. But at about 30 seconds in, the happy energy in the room was basically palpable!

Find out how to do a Sun Salutation A sequence here or a Sun Salutation B sequence here.

Keep reading to see the full 10 tracks on the list.

7 Ways to Get Stronger Arms in Yoga Class

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:40:35 PDT

Practicing yoga is one of the best ways to relieve stress, but since you're holding yourself in challenging positions, it's also a killer workout for your upper body. Superstrong, sculpted arms not only look good in a strapless dress, but also enable you to do more advanced yoga poses. Here are some ways you can build a stronger upper body with yoga.

Practice, practice, practice: Taking a class once a week is better than nothing, but you'll really notice a difference in your upper body when you take three or more classes per week. Choose 90-minute classes, rather than 45- or 60-minute sessions.
Skip Child's Pose: While resting is important during a yoga class, if an instructor suggests coming into a relaxing child's pose and you don't feel you need it, stay in Downward Facing Dog to work your shoulders and upper back.
Link poses with vinyasas: If you've taken an Ashtanga or Vinyasa class, you're familiar with doing vinyasas, a series of poses (like a mini sun salutation) that involves jumping back from a seated position and coming into Four-Limbed Staff (similar to the bottom of a push-up), inhaling your chest forward into Upward Facing Dog and exhaling as you lift your hips coming into Downward Dog. Here's a video demonstrating how to do a vinyasa. Doing vinyasas between poses not only strengthens your upper body, but also makes your yoga practice more like a fluid dance, increasing the meditative feel.
Hold arm-strengthening poses longer: Five breaths are the standard when it comes to holding most yoga poses, but if your instructor has you do an arm-toning pose such as Beginner's Sage, Three-Legged Dog, or Full Wheel, stay in it for a few extra breaths to really feel the burn.

Keep reading for more arm-strengthening yoga class tips.

Get the Bod: Jennifer Aniston's Arms

Zelana Montminy — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:38:55 PST

The secret to Jennifer Aniston's sleek, toned arms, according to her yoga go-to Mandy Ingber, is the Sun Salute. A staple of every yoga class, the Sun Salute stretches and strengthens the shoulders, biceps, and triceps. It's also a great way to warm up before working out. Take a lesson from Mandy and learn the Sun Salute by watching this video.