Yoga · Beginner
Gentle Sun Salutation
A slow, flowing sequence of linked movements borrowed from yoga that takes your whole body through bending, reaching, and lengthening in one continuous pass. It warms up the spine, hips, shoulders, and legs all at once, making it a practical way to shake off morning stiffness or ease into any workout. Because you move at your own pace and can pause anywhere, it works well for a wide range of mobility levels.
Category
Yoga
Difficulty
Beginner
Equipment
No equipment
MET
2.5
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
The movement
Form cues
- 01
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands pressed together at your chest, and take one slow breath before you begin.
- 02
As you inhale, sweep both arms out to the sides and overhead, looking up only as far as your neck allows without strain.
- 03
As you exhale, hinge forward at the hips — not the waist — letting your hands reach toward the floor or your shins while keeping a soft bend in your knees.
- 04
Step or walk one foot back into a low lunge, keeping your front knee directly over your ankle, not past your toes.
- 05
From the lunge, lower both knees to the floor, then press your hips forward and lift your chest gently — this is a mild backbend, not a full cobra; stop before you feel any pinch in your lower back.
- 06
Press back so your hips move toward your heels, arms stretched forward on the floor, and let your forehead rest down — hold here for a breath if it feels good.
- 07
Come back through the lunge on the other side, then walk your feet toward your hands and slowly roll up one vertebra at a time until you're standing tall again.
- 08
Keep your breathing steady throughout — each movement should follow an inhale or exhale, not a held breath.
Dosage
How long, how many
Sets
3
Reps
1 full round per set
Rest
60 sec
Watch for
Common mistakes
Locking the knees during the forward fold — if you feel a sharp pull behind your knees, soften the bend until the tension becomes a gentle stretch.
Rushing through the transitions — if your movements feel choppy or you're losing your balance, slow down and let each breath guide one movement at a time.
Letting the front knee drift inward or past the toes in the lunge — glance down to confirm your knee is stacked directly above your ankle.
Cranking the neck back during the overhead reach — your gaze should follow your hands only as far as feels comfortable, not forced.
Collapsing into the lower back during the chest-lift — if you feel compression or pinching in your lumbar spine, reduce how far you lift and keep your elbows slightly bent.
Holding your breath — if you notice you've gone quiet and tense, exhale fully and let the next inhale reset your rhythm.
Scale it
Easier and harder variations
Easier
Do the entire sequence standing upright without going to the floor — replace the lunge and floor poses with a standing forward fold and a standing chest opener, keeping both hands on a chair back for support.
Use this version if getting down to the floor and back up is difficult or if you have knee or wrist pain.
Harder
Hold each pose for two to three full breaths instead of one, and add a brief balance pause — standing on one foot for a count of three — between the lunge and the return to standing.
Try this once the basic sequence feels smooth and you want more challenge without adding speed.
Note
If you have a shoulder limitation, keep your arms low and wide rather than lifting overhead — trace a wide arc at chest height instead, and skip any weight-bearing on the wrists by resting on fists or forearms.
Use for rotator cuff issues, recent shoulder surgery, or wrist arthritis.
Sources
Form descriptions and cues are sourced from wger (CC-BY-SA 4.0) and the Free Exercise DB (public domain), edited for the 60+ audience. MET value cites Ainsworth BE, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 43(8):1575-1581.
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