Surya Namaskar - Full body workout in just 10 minutes

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We all are pressed with the paucity of time and so much for time, we aren’t very good with the enthusiasm factor either. No wonder exercise is only an excuse away and fitness is always a milestone, we want to walk towards a mile a minute without being on a double espresso shot. But is there an antidote for the curse of time & laziness in today’s world? Do we dwell as bean bags & machine dependent fitness freaks or is there something we all have under our nose but are missing to point it out? Let’s pull a leaf from the ancient scripture; all the way to an exotic land we commonly call as INDIA. So as rightly guessed Yoga has our answer but then don’t be under the slow & painfully twister form of the exercise, as it has a unique alternative too called SURYA NAMASKAR. If you haven’t heard of this word yet probably you must have come across it as power yoga as its variations.

Surya Namaskar origins & form – It is a common sequence of Hatha yoga asanas (Hand Yoga Poses). Its origins lie in a worship of Surya (Sun), the Hindu solar deity which literally translates to Sun Salutations. This sequence of movements and poses can be practiced on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete exercise which incorporates asana (positions), pranayam (breathing pattern), mantra (chants) and chakra meditation. The physical base of the practice links together twelve positions in a dynamically performed series. These asanas / positions are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya Namaskar  is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series. Some proponents of the use of Surya Namaskar as part of the modern yoga tradition prefer to perform it at sunrise, which the orthodox consider to be the most 'spiritually favorable' time of the day. There are numerous references of praising the Sun for the purpose of good health and prosperity, in Vedas. Some of these Vedic hymns were incorporated into Nitya Vidhi (Daily mandatory routine for a Hindu) for the well being of an individual, through salutations to the Sun. These daily procedures were termed as Surya Namaskar. Physical prostration to Sun, showing complete surrender of oneself to God, is the main aspect of these procedures. In a traditional Hindu context, Surya Namaskara is always performed facing in the direction of the rising (east) or setting (west) sun.

Full Body Workout in 10 min – So how does this form of Vedic exercise help us 21^st centurions to get our fitness in just 10 minutes, when a regular workout takes around 30 – 40 minutes a session? Like mentioned before Surya Namaskar comprises of 2 sets of 12 poses and they all have to be performed in one single repetition. You may think of it as a single choreographed movement with 12 positions back to back. Let’s go through every pose with its breathing pattern and mantra to understand its synchrony better.

Asana 1 - Pranamasana (Prayer pose) is performed as shown in the video below and the breathing pattern involved is exhaling. The mantra to be recited during the prayer pose is “om mitrāya namaḥ “and the chakra is anahata i.e. the heart.

Asana 2 - Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose) is performed by raising both arms upwards and bending them backwards with your back arched while inhaling deeply. This helps stretching both the arms & upper back. The mantra to be recited during the raised arms pose is “om ravaye namaḥ” and the chakra is vishuddhi i.e. throat.

Asana 3 - Hastapaadasana (Standing Forward Bend pose) is performed by bringing the raised arms down to the feet and bending forward while exhaling & stretching the hamstrings (back of thigh), lower back and simultaneously flexing the lower abdominals. The mantra to be recited during this pose is “om sūryāya namaḥ” and the chakra is swadisthana i.e. bottom of the abdomen.

Asana 4 - Aekpaadprasarnaasana (Equestrian pose) is to be performed by inhaling and simultaneously stretching right leg behind with the palms touching the ground and the other leg bent and eyes facing upwards. This asana flexes the triceps, shoulders, and stretches the hamstrings. The mantra to be recited during this pose is “om bhānave namaḥ” and the chakra is ajna i.e. forehead.

Asana 5 - Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) is to be performed by exhaling and stretching the left leg behind with the already stretched right leg from the previous asana. This doubles the effect on the muscles from the previous asana and gives a good resistance to the upper body as well as the lower body while also working on the abs. The mantra to be recited during this pose is “om khagāya namaḥ “and the chakra is visuddhi i.e. throat.

Asana 6 - Ashtanga Namaskara (Salute with the Eight Limbs pose) is to be performed by suspension of the breath and diving nose down to touch your legs, abs and chest to the ground. This relaxes all the muscles worked out in the previous pose. The mantra to be recited in this pose is “om puṣhṇe namaḥ “and the chakra is manipura i.e. solar plexus.

Asana 7 - Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) is to inhale & bring the chest upto the upper abs upwards from the ground forming an arch of the back while the legs and lower abs touch the ground. This stretches the lower back as well as the upper abs and flexes the biceps and triceps, shoulders and upper back. The mantra to be recited in this pose is “om hiraṇya garbhāya namaḥ” and the chakra is swadisthana i.e. bottom of the abdomen.

Asana 8 - Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) is to exhale and bring the hips backwards &; facing upwards while the palms and feet touch the ground. The pose stretches the thighs, calf, arms. The mantra to be recited is “om marīchaye namaḥ” and the chakra is visuddhi i.e. throat.

Asana 9 - Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose) is the same as asana 4 but run backwards. The breathing pattern is inhaling and the muscle group is in action as in asana 4. The mantra to be recited during this pose is “om ādityāya namaḥ “and the chakra is ajna i.e. forehead.

Asana 10 - Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend pose) is similar to asana 3 run backwards while exhaling. The mantra to be recited is “om savitre namaḥ” and the chakra is swadisthana i.e. bottom of the abdomen.

Asana 11 - Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose) is similar to pose 2 run backwards while inhaling. The mantra to be recited is “om arkāya namaḥ” and the chakra is visuddhi i.e. throat.

Asana 12 - Pranamasana (Prayer pose) is coming back to where the Namaskar began while exhaling. The mantra to be recited is “om bhāskarāya namaḥ” and the chakra is anahata i.e. the heart.

Cool Down – The Surya Namaskar sessions once completed has to be ended with a cool down by lying down on the mat as a dead body breathing in and out slowly.

Those were the 12 positions that need to be done in one single practice and every practice needs to be repeated back to back with the other without stopping. If you are doing it for the firs time its better to start with just 2 – 3 minutes gradually working upto 5 minutes by a week. Try to accommodate 2 namaskars in one minute span of time and later 3 namaskars in a minute. Get to a 10 minute session within 2 weeks and gradually proceeds to 15 minutes by a month. Even if you stick to a 10 minutes session with 3 namaskars per minute it will do your body a lot more than not working out at all. As you will notice once you get into the practice that it isn’t as easy to actually do the namskars as it appears to be. Even to continue for 10 minutes requires immense endurance and strength which builds up over a period of regular practice every week. Every muscle in your body is not only going through resistance training but is developing cardiovascular endurance too simultaneously and strengthening the lung capacity with the breathing patterns. What better can there be when you are so time tied and need that extra push of endurance and endorphin everyday. 

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Kick Boxing for great Abs

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Abdominal muscles usually take up most of the attention of a aspirant body builder or gym enthusiast or weight watcher or celebrity and its versions. Tight Abs or 6 pack abs are the core reason to workout on the core strength of the body. But of course like everything delicious in life, it takes hard work & patience but then who said hard work has to be boring? Alternative to the regular crunches and oblique benders etc there are variations that can give you a high. Kickboxing is one such great abs workout not many have yet discovered its role in core strength.

A Kick, A Jab & Abs - How can an exercise of kick & jabbing in the air or target work on the abdominal muscles that aren’t visually used for the same? Contrary to what is seen kickboxing is all about breathing in and out using your abdominal muscles while punching or throwing a kick. If you breathe only from the chest area it won’t have the same effect and you might end up back to square one. The inhaling and exhaling should come from within the belly and you must feel the abdominal muscle worked while jabbing or kicking. Don’t exhaust the muscles as that again is not the idea of the whole exercise.

Fun, Fitness & Frustration – The best exercise for your energy and mind balance too could easily be kickboxing. Corporate engulfment of your vital energy and patience reserves can have pent up emotional and physical frustration that can be vented out on a punching bag that isn’t a living form of life. Many have taken to kickboxing to channelize their emotional energy from the negative to positive. Yes how does that help your abs again? Well for starters the energy thrust does give an edge to the breathing and hence the abs. The more you concentrate in letting the kick or punch out with good flow of pent up anger or frustration or even joy the better the effect.

Key is the Stance – Kickboxing is as much about the stance as it is about breathing right. Stance can change the game completely and lead either to safety or injury. One need not get injured for his/her enthusiasm cause that would be opposite of the intention. While taking a stance to kick make sure to stand on both feet at shoulder distance apart from each other and knees slightly bent to keep the joint soft. Have one foot in the forward direction to the other and kick with the leg behind. The arms should also be with elbows in a soft angel and fists forward near the chest. Elbows to be kept as close to the body for better movement as well as better thrust while punching or jabbing. The importance of keeping your knee & elbows joint soft is so as to avoid injury and straining the joint. The feet apart gives the center of gravity and body weight to level out & provides better balance to avoid falling off or spraining a ligament while punching or kicking. Shoulders should be straight and not forward similarly the torso should remain in the same position and not bent forward or stooping. The hip joint should be in motion only while kicking and not twisting it while doing a cross jab. This ensures your breathing to be effective and gives enough resistance to the upper and lower abs to strengthen it.
Abs are a very small yet important muscle group in the body. It isn't only for beauty & presentation that we need to work on them but to provide stability to the whole body and give it support. Many forget the abs & back as stability provider to the body which is far more important than the sculpted figure. Flexibility is also a significant aspect people don't pay heed to but it serves far more crucial in times of need where the body could do well. Kick-boxing is a good exercise form to ensure better stability and flexibility to the core muscles of the body and is a better alternative to the mundane cardiovascular workout with machines. Plus it needs only a balanced firm terrain and can be done anywhere outside four walls amidst fresh air. 

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