Yoga has hundreds of poses (or asanas). Some are for balance, some are for flexibility, some are for strength, and some are for focus. But if you are just starting out, is there one asana that you can practice for a while, to see if yoga is for you?

The Sun Salutation is actually a series of asanas, but it provides an excellent introduction to yoga and is a terrific full-body workout. I use it to get back into yoga if I have not practiced for a while. I also use it as a warm-up for exercising. It stretches all your muscles, adds an element of balancing and breathing, and gets the blood flowing.

Here is a quick overview of the Sun Salutation. This article is not long enough to give detailed descriptions of the poses. However, a good introductory text to yoga should have descriptions and usually photos or drawings of the postures.

Start by standing straight up, with feet together, hands together in a prayer-like pose on your chest. Raise your hands straight up and back over your head, bending backwards as your hands arc backwards. Bring your hands forward, arcing over your head, until you are touching your toes. Your legs should still be as straight as possible, and your forehead should be close to your knees.

Place your palms on the floor on the outside of your feet, bend your legs, and push one leg back as far as possible. Your back will naturally arch, but you should raise your chin as much as possible, for maximum arch. Push your forward foot back and set it aside your rear foot, at the same time raising your rear end as high as possible and keeping your hands in place.

Bring your chest down to the floor, between your hands, and continue moving it forward and up. At the same time, pull your rear end down. Your arms will naturally bend as your chest approaches the floor, and will naturally extend as your chest is pushed up and out. Reverse this move, so that your chest is dragged back across the floor and back up. Again, your arms will naturally bend and extend as your chest moves along its arc. Push your read end up again as high as possible. You are back in the position described in the last paragraph.

Remember the leg you pushed BACK, 2 paragraphs ago? Bring the OTHER leg forward, bending the knee, and place the foot between your hands. Your back will naturally bend. Your arms will bend slightly as your leg comes forward, and will extend when the leg reaches its destination.

Bring your rear foot forward, and place it beside your front foot. Your hands are outside your feet. Slowly, standup. Stand up slowly, with your hands again pressed together. Bring your hands over your head, and back, in a smooth arc, bending your back. Bring your hands forward, and return to a standing posture, with your hands in front of you.

The Sun Salutation is a series of arcs in your back that switch back and forth. For example, the first arc is the initial pose, when you bend backwards when you bring your hands over your head and back. The second arc is when your hands are on either side of your feet, and your forehead is near your knees. The arcs switch between arced backwards and arced frontward.

The Sun Salutation stretches all the muscles in the body, especially the back. It also helps with your breathing and balance. This is a great exercise to do before you exercise, or before you begin something that requires long concentration (like the taking the SATs). It should be performed several times, such as 5 or 10, when you do it. You also get an excellent introduction to many postures of yoga, as well as learning to feel the rhythm of yoga.

If this article does not sufficiently describe how to perform the asana, please obtain an introductory text on yoga with pictures or drawings of the asanas and how to perform them.