Every Ashtanga vinyasa practice opens the same way: five rounds of Surya Namaskara A followed by five rounds of Surya Namaskara B, done with ujjayi breathing and one movement per breath. This page shows how the opening fits together; the exact counts, breaths and gaze points of each salutation are on their own pages: Sun Salutation A (nine vinyasa counts) and Sun Salutation B (seventeen counts, with chair pose and Warrior I on both sides).
Whose version this is
This is the opening of the Ashtanga system as taught in the lineage of K. Pattabhi Jois, whose book Yoga Mala begins with the two salutations. The number of rounds, five of each, is given in David Swenson’s Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual (as cited by Wikipedia) and in current teacher guides, and the AshtangaYoga.info practice sheet gives five repetitions for A. In led classes the teacher counts aloud in Sanskrit (ekam, dve, trini and so on).
The salutations are not only for beginners. AshtangaYoga.info presents Surya Namaskara A as the first taste of Ashtanga for a newcomer and notes that its nine movements stay the way into practice for advanced students too. The same site’s vinyasa sheet prints the Ashtanga opening mantra, which begins “vande gurunam caranaravinde”, on the page just before the two salutations.
How the counting and rounds work
One round of A is nine counted movements, from arms up to arms down, with five breaths in downward dog. One round of B is seventeen counted movements: chair pose, then Warrior I on the right, a vinyasa, Warrior I on the left, another vinyasa, and five breaths in downward dog at the end. The sides in B are built into each round, so every round of B works both legs. You finish each round standing in Samasthiti and begin the next without a pause. Ten rounds take about ten to fifteen minutes depending on the pace of the breath.
One round of A, count by count
The AshtangaYoga.info vinyasa sheet gives each count a breath and a gaze point. From standing in Samasthiti: 1, inhale, arms up, look at the thumbs. 2, exhale, fold forward, look at the nose. 3, inhale, lift the head and lengthen the back, look between the eyebrows. 4, exhale, step or jump back and lower into chaturanga, look at the nose. 5, inhale, upward dog, look between the eyebrows. 6, exhale, lift the hips into downward dog and look toward the navel for five breaths. 7, inhale, jump or step forward and lift the head. 8, exhale, fold. 9, inhale, rise with the arms up. Then exhale back to Samasthiti. Apart from the five breaths in downward dog, every movement has exactly one breath.
One round of B, count by count
B begins with 1, inhale, chair pose with the arms up, gaze at the thumbs. Counts 2 to 6 are the same as in A: fold, head up, chaturanga, upward dog, downward dog, but without the long hold. 7, inhale, Warrior I with the right leg forward, gaze at the thumbs. Counts 8 to 10 are a vinyasa: chaturanga, upward dog, downward dog. 11, inhale, Warrior I with the left leg forward. Counts 12 and 13 are chaturanga and upward dog, and at 14 you exhale into downward dog for five breaths. 15, inhale, jump or step forward, head up. 16, exhale, fold. 17, inhale, chair pose. Exhale to Samasthiti. Because both warriors sit inside one round, you never need to repeat B for the other side.
If you lose the count, keep the breath steady and pick up at the next downward dog. Moving with the breath matters more than speed.
How to practise it safely
- Learn the step-back and step-forward versions before jumping. Lower to the knees before chaturanga until your arms can lower the body in one line.
- In chair pose and Warrior I, keep the front knee over the ankle and stop short of pain. Bend the knees in the forward folds if the backs of the legs are tight.
- Five of each is the traditional number; while you are learning, a teacher may give you fewer. Building up is part of the method.
- Wrist or shoulder pain, high blood pressure, or pregnancy: ask a health professional and an experienced teacher; skip the jumps and keep the breath free.
This page has not yet been reviewed by a qualified teacher.
Easier alternatives
The beginner sun salutation (knees down, cobra, stepping) and the chair sun salutation follow the same idea with far less load. Next in the Ashtanga practice is the standing sequence.