Come to the front of your mat. Feet together with big toes straight ahead.
Place your arms by your sides, stand with your back and neck straight but relaxed. Stay there for 1-2 minutes and breathe naturally.
Bring the palms of each hand together in front of you. Inhale, look at the thumbs and raise your hands until they are directly above your head. Keep looking at the thumbs.
Separate the hands and turn them so the palms are facing forward. Exhale and bend forward. Try to keep the legs straight. If you can, take the hands all the way down to the floor with palms flat on the mat. If not, take your hands down as far as you can without straining too much.
Inhale and straighten your back and raise your head to look forward.
Exhale, bring the abdomen in and stretch down again. This time try to go a little further than the first time.
Keep/place the hands flat on the floor and step back to Downward Dog. Arms and legs should be 45 degrees so you create an inverted V tent-like shape. Stay in this posture for 5 long breaths. You should be looking at your navel. If you can’t look at your navel then look at your knees or feet.
Inhale and step both feet forward so they are between your hands. Still bending forward, straighten your back, raise the head, and look forward.
Exhale and stretch down to the feet.
Bring the palms of the hands together. Start inhaling and begin straightening the back. As you do, raise the arms and hands over your head until your back is straight. As you straighten your back keep looking at the thumbs.
Finally, keep the palms together and bring the hands down towards the chest.
This completes one Sun Salutation A.