Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies (2011) 15, 343e347

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YOGA EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY

Acute effects of Surya Namaskar on the

cardiovascular & metabolic system
Bhavesh Surendra Mody*

San Jose State University, Department of Kinesiology, One Washington Square, San José, CA 95192, USA

Received 18 March 2009; received in revised form 25 April 2010; accepted 30 April 2010

KEYWORDS Summary With the recent rise in obesity awareness and the increased understanding of the
Cardiorespiratory; importance of physical activity in promoting overall health, greater emphasis has been placed
Exercise; on improving physical fitness to enhance quality of life. Surya Namaskar, a component of Hatha
Fitness; Yoga, has been practiced by Asian Indians for hundreds of years and is often used in place of
Metabolic; a typical fitness program. It consists of a series of postures (asanas) that are repeated 12 times
Weight Loss; per round. Only one published study has looked specifically at Surya Namaskar, measuring the
Yoga energy cost of individual asanas (Sinha et al., 2004). However, practitioners typically perform
several rounds of the asanas during a session.
Purpose: To assess the cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses of four rounds of Surya Na-
maskar, a typical amount performed by practitioners, to determine its potential as a training
and weight loss tool.
Methods: Six healthy Asian Indian men and women (18e22 years) who had trained in Surya Na-
maskar for over two years participated in the study. Testing was completed in a single session
lasting about 30 min. To measure heart rate and oxygen consumption while performing the four
rounds, participants were connected to a heart rate monitor and the Oxycon Mobile Metabolic
System.
Results: Participants exercised at 80% of age-predicted maximal heart rate (HRmax) during
Round 2, 84% during Round 3, and 90% during Round 4. Average intensity during the four rounds
was 80% HRmax, sufficient to elicit a cardiorespiratory training effect. Oxygen consumption
averaged 26 ml/kg/min during each round, resulting in an energy expenditure of 230 kcals
during a 30 min session for a 60 kg individual.
Conclusion: Regular practice of Surya Namaskar may maintain or improve cardiorespiratory
fitness, as well as promote weight management.
ª 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

* Touro College of Medicine, Department of Pathology, 230 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA. Tel.: þ1 646 981 4500/1 408 924
1000.
E-mail address: bhavesh.mody@gmail.com

1360-8592/$ - see front matter ª 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2010.05.001
344 B.S. Mody

With the recent rise in obesity awareness and the increased

understanding of the importance of physical activity in
promoting overall health, greater emphasis has been
placed on improving physical fitness to enhance quality of
life. Associated with physical activity are physiologic,
metabolic, and psychologic benefits, as well as a decreased
risk of chronic disease and premature mortality (United
States Depart., 1996).
Cardiorespiratory fitness is a key component of health-
related fitness (Kesaniemi et al., 2001; United States
Depart., 1996). According to the American College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM), improvements in cardiorespiratory
fitness result in a combination of the following: improve-
ments in maximal oxygen consumption, decreased work-
load on the heart, decreased heart rate and blood pressure
at a given workload, increased capillary density, increased
oxygen extraction, increased threshold for lactate accu-
mulation, and increased threshold for the onset of cardio-
vascular diseases (Kesaniemi et al., 2001; United States
Depart., 1996).
Intensity and duration are inversely related components of
physical fitness. For example, improvements in health-related
fitness can be achieved with high duration, low intensity
exercise, or with low duration, high intensity exercise.
According to ACSM, 40/50e85% heart rate reserve or 64/
70e94% of maximal heart rate (MHR) are recommended
intensity ranges to induce training effects. This range is
purposely broad to reflect the fact that trained individuals
need higher intensities, and untrained individuals need lower
intensities. For weight management, ACSM recommends an
exercise caloric expenditure of 150e400 kcal per day. For an
individual weighing 70 kg, an intensity of 6 METs for 15 min Figure 1 Surya Namaskar asanas overview.
would suffice to meet these weight management guidelines
(American College of Sports Medicine ACSM, 1998).
Traditionally, most people improve cardiorespiratory of 40 days of Yoga. They find a decreased waist-to-hip ratio
fitness by walking, jogging, biking, or swimming; however, and increased insulin sensitivity in participants with dia-
these modes of exercise do not appeal to everyone. Because betes. Cardiorespiratory endurance, measured by duration
many health and fitness clubs are increasingly incorporating on a treadmill until fatigue, increases by three min
yoga and other programs into their group fitness classes, following eight weeks of Yoga training (Tran et al., 2001).
information about these activities is needed to provide Clay et al. (2005) examines the impact of a single bout of
practitioners with proper guidelines and recommendations. Yoga on cardiovascular physiology and finds that in
In addition, with such a diverse population, diverse forms of comparison to sitting on a chair at rest, Yoga only increases
physical activity are needed to satisfy the needs of society as oxygen consumption (VO2), METs, heart rate (HR), and %
a whole (National Institute of Health, 1996; Pate, et al., MHR by 0.35 L/min, 1.67, 20 beats per minute (bpm), and
1995; United States Depart., 1996). 11%, respectively. Greater responses are typically seen
Hatha Yoga has gained popularity as a form of physical when walking on a treadmill at 3.5 mph.
activity in the United States (Chandler, 2001; Garfinkel and The only published study that specifically looks at Surya
Schumacher, 2000; Hewitt, 1978; Schell et al., 1994). It Namaskar was conducted by Sinha et al. (2004). The VO2
consists of breathing techniques, physical movements, and and energy cost (measured in kcal) of the individual asanas
meditation to develop mental and physical strength on the were measured. Results indicate an increase in energy
path toward Moksha, the highest level of consciousness in expenditure from 0.284 kcal/min at baseline to 2.995 kcal/
Vedic culture (Mehta et al., 1990; Satchidananda, 1990). A min during the 8th posture. The authors conclude that as an
particular component of Hatha Yoga, Surya Namaskar aerobic exercise, Surya Namaskar is an ideal activity
(Figure 1), is taught to East Indian children at a young age because it utilizes static stretching and slow, dynamic
and becomes an important part of their physical activity components of exercise that produce an optimal stress on
regime (Saraswati, 1997; Sivanda, 1981; Yogeshwar, 1980). the cardiorespiratory system.
Surya Namaskar consists of a series of 12 asanas (postures). Because of the popularity of Surya Namaskar and the
To complete one round, practitioners perform each asana need for a variety of exercise programs, additional research
12 times before moving to the next mantra. must be conducted on the practice. Current research has
A number of studies have looked at the practice of Yoga observed Surya Namaskar in single bouts; however,
in general. Malhotra et al. (2005) has looked at the effects research looking at Surya Namaskar during continuous
rounds is still lacking. Although the caloric expenditure is
Acute effects of Surya Namaskar 345

Table 1 Heart rate, oxygen consumption, and respiratory exchange ratio at baseline and during each round. (HR Z bpm;
VO2 Z ml/kg/min).
Participant Baseline average Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
HR VO2 RER HR VO2 RER HR VO2 RER HR VO2 RER HR VO2 RER
1 94 8.1 0.75 122 15.8 0.80 126 16.1 0.90 131 16.3 0.93 137 17.1 0.96
2 85 8.3 0.68 154 26.6 0.81 174 31.1 1.00 186 32.3 1.06 197 33.9 1.12
3 91 6.2 0.7 145 22.5 0.76 167 25.1 0.96 175 27.7 1.00 182 28.4 1.04
4 100 8.4 1.07 135 25.2 0.91 164 30.6 1.06 169 31.3 1.05 183 34.5 1.08
5 80 5.1 0.9 139 23.2 0.78 166 25.7 0.97 178 26.7 1.04 184 26.8 1.03
Mean 90 7.22 0.82 139 22.7 0.81 159 25.7 0.98 168 26.9 1.02 177 28.1 1.04
SD 7.78 1.49 0.16 11.98 4.15 0.06 19.03 6.03 0.06 21.44 6.35 0.05 22.85 7.04 0.06

measured for individual asanas, the typical Surya Namaskar
practitioner rarely does a single asana. Thus, the purpose of
this study was to assess the cardiorespiratory and metabolic
responses of four rounds of Surya Namaskar, a typical
amount performed by practitioners, to determine its
potential as a training and weight loss tool.
Methods
Because Asian Indians are the population most likely to
practice Surya Namaskar as their primary form of physical
activity, potential participants were recruited from local
mandirs in the San Francisco South Bay Area. Six healthy Asian
Indian participants (3 men, 3 women) volunteered to
participate; all had been training in Surya Namaskar for over
two years and were well acquainted with its practice. An
equipment malfunction occurred while testing one female
participant; her data were not included in the analyses. All
participants completed a health history questionnaire to
ensure they met the inclusion criteria of the study. Partici-
pants were healthy Asian Indian Surya Namaskar practi-
tioners between the ages of 18 to 50 years. All participants
had prior training in Surya Namaskar. In addition, all partic-
ipants were classified as low risk according to the American
College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) risk stratification. None of
the participants were smokers (American College of Sports
Medicine ACSM, 1998). The study was approved by the San
Jose State University Institutional Review Board, and all
participants provided written, informed consent.
All testing was completed in a single session at the San
Jose State University Exercise Physiology/Biomechanics
Laboratory. Participants were asked to refrain from
participating in rigorous physical activity on the day of
testing and to rest the night before. In addition, all were
asked to wear loose fitting, light clothing.
Upon arriving at the laboratory, participants had their
height and weight measured with light clothing and no
shoes. A Polar heart rate transmitter was then placed
around their chests, and they wore a face mask that
covered the nose and mouth. A vest carrying two modules
was placed over the chest; the modules wirelessly trans-
mitted VO2, ventilation (VE), and carbon dioxide production
(VCO2) to the Oxycon Mobile Metabolic System computer.
Participants were asked to remain within 10 feet of the
computer. Breath-by-breath data were continuously dis-
played. When the equipment was in place, resting HR, VO2,
VCO2, and VE were recorded. Respiratory exchange ratio
(RER) was calculated by dividing VO2 into VCO2. Partici-
pants were given 5 min to prepare for the exercise in their
normal manner (e.g., stretching, meditation). Following
this 5 min preparation, participants continuously performed
12 repetitions of each of the 12 asanas (1 round),
completing a total of 4 rounds. Average time to complete 4
rounds was 12 min. Mantras were said mentally during the
rounds. At the end of each round, participants were asked
if they could continue into the next round or if they wished
to stop. Participants were instructed to mimic the pace
they typically perform the exercise when on their own.
Results
The age, height, and body weight of the five participants
who completed testing were (mean  standard deviation)
19.8  1.5 years, 172.7  10.4 cm, and 61.0  5.0 kg,

Table 2 Age, calculated maximal heart rate, and percentage of calculated maximal heart rate at baseline and during each
round. (Age Z years; HRmax Z bpm).
Participant Age HRmax Baseline Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
%HRmax %HRmax %HRmax %HRmax %HRmax
1 22 198 47 62 64 66 69
2 20 200 43 77 87 93 98
3 19 201 45 72 83 87 90
4 21 199 50 68 82 85 92
5 18 202 40 69 82 88 91
Mean 20.0 200 45 69 80 84 88
SD 1.58 1.58 4 6 9 10 11
346 B.S. Mody

Table 3 Metabolic equivalent at baseline and during each round.

Participant Baseline Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
METs METs METs METs METs
Participant 1 2.31 4.52 4.61 4.66 4.88
Participant 2 2.37 7.60 8.89 9.23 9.70
Participant 3 1.77 6.44 7.17 7.91 8.10
Participant 4 2.40 7.20 8.74 8.93 9.86
Participant 5 1.46 6.62 7.33 7.63 7.66
Mean 2.06 6.48 7.35 7.67 8.04
SD 0.43 1.18 1.72 1.81 2.01

respectively. Mean HR for the group during the 4 rounds was output (Whaley et al., 2006). The participants in this study
156  19 bpm. Heart rate at baseline was 90  8 bpm and expended approximately 100 kcal every 15 min (400 kcal/
increased during each round (Table 1). Mean VO2 for the hr). Because the participants commented that they could
group during the 4 rounds was 23.14  4.88 ml/kg/min. continue beyond 4 rounds, additional calories could
From baseline, VO2 increased to about 28 ml/kg/min during possibly be burned before fatigue. The participants were
round (Table 1), representing an 8 METs workload (Table exercising at an average intensity of 6.3 METs. During round
3). In all cases, the exercise became more strenuous as four, participants were exercising at about 8 METs
the participants completed each round. Age-predicted MHR (Figure 2); based on this exercise intensity and the high
was determined using the formula 220 e age in years. caloric expenditure, four rounds of Surya Namaskar meets
Percentage of age-predicted MHR for each participant the ACSM guidelines for weight management (American
during each round is presented in Table 2. Participants College of Sports Medicine ACSM, 1998).
completed the 4 rounds in approximately 15 min, including Results from this study suggested that performing Surya
a brief recovery period. Although VO2 increased during each Namaskar at a pace of 3 min per round met the ACSM
round, the mean workload during the 4 rounds was 6.3 guidelines for energy expenditure in weight management.
METs. This resulted in an energy expenditure of approxi- It should be noted that weight management is multifacto-
mately 6.7 kcal/min, or 400 kcal/hr (Table 3). rial and that it is just one aspect of a healthy lifestyle.
Proper diet, balanced lifestyle, and energy expenditure all
Discussion work together to promote healthy living. Exercise is just
one aspect of energy expenditure that plays a part in
weight management. Surya Namaskar is relatively new to
Surya Namaskar is a component of Hatha Yoga that consists
the western world but common to East Asian populations
of 12 postures performed sequentially 12 times per round.
who perform it as an alternative to traditional methods of
For many Asian Indians, Surya Namaskar is a vital method of
aerobic exercise. This study is the first step in identifying
maintaining fitness. Yoga is recognized to improve flexi-
the effectiveness of Surya Namaskar in comparison to those
bility; however, its application as a weight management
traditional aerobic exercise regimes. While this study is
and fitness tool has been unrealized.
suggesting there is a possibility that Surya Namaskar can be
According to ACSM, a moderate to high intensity corre-
an effective aerobic tool, more complete investigations
lates to a HR of about 64e94% MHR. While working below
need to be conducted before a definite answer can be
this level has the potential to induce a training effect, the
given. The small sample size and simple methodology made
likelihood of training adaption is greatly increased when
working within this training zone. As a group, the partici-
pants exercised at 69% of age-predicted MHR during round
1, 80% during round 2, 84% during round 3, and 88% during
round 4. Mean intensity during the 4 rounds was 80% of age-
predicted MHR. Such a high intensity is typically associated
with low duration activity, but in this study participants
reported that they were not exhausted after exercising for
approximately 12 min (4 rounds).
Caloric expenditure while performing Surya Namaskar
was measured in this study. Because Surya Namaskar is
practiced by the target population as an alternative to
traditional fitness methods, it is also being used as
a substitute for traditional weight management methods.
Weight management is a function of energy (food) intake
and energy expenditure, including physical activity. An
exercise energy expenditure of 150-400 kcal/day (or about
6 METs) is recommended by ACSM to maintain weight.
Coupled with resting metabolism, this energy expenditure Figure 2 Metabolic equivalent at baseline and during each
is typically sufficient to balance energy input with energy round.
Acute effects of Surya Namaskar
it difficult to infer any conclusions regarding Surya
Namaskars. Future studies are needed to properly under-
stand its physiologic and psychologic effects.
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