Malaika Arora’s Yoga at 50: Surya Namaskar, Simple Habits, and the Myths to Drop

Celebrity routines are easy to scroll past, but Malaika Arora’s message is refreshingly practical: move every day, even if it’s only 30 minutes, and focus on feeling strong and well rather than chasing a “perfect” body.

In a conversation with Kamiya Jani (Curly Tales), she described morning workouts as non-negotiable, mixing strength work with yoga and keeping the goal centred on health and energy.

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Her favourite yoga “asanas” are not complicated, they’re consistent

1) Surya Namaskar as a full-body staple

Arora calls Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) one of the most complete, full-body yoga sequences. Her tip is simple: start with 5 rounds and build up gradually. She even mentions the ambitious benchmark of 108 for those who want a bigger challenge over time.

How to build Surya Namaskar safely (and actually stick to it)

• Week 1: 5 rounds, slow pace, clean form.
  
  
• Weeks 2 to 4: add 1 to 2 rounds per week.
  
  
• Progression rule: if your form breaks, your number is too high for today.
  
  
• Make it sustainable: you don’t need 108 for results, you need consistency.
  
  

2) Malasana (yogi squat) for mobility and control

She also highlights Malasana as a useful pose, especially for women, demonstrating the deep squat with palms together. It’s a strong choice for hips, pelvic floor engagement, and lower-body control when done with good positioning.

Quick Malasana cues

• Keep heels down if possible (or place a small wedge under heels if needed).
  
  
• Lengthen your spine, don’t collapse forward.
  
  
• Think “knees track over toes,” not knees caving in.
  
  

The 5 fitness myths she pushes back on

Arora’s Q&A touches on misconceptions that stop people from starting, or make them quit too early:

1. “Yoga is only for older people.”
   
   Her view: anyone can do yoga, at any age.
   
   
2. “You must be naturally flexible to do yoga.”
   
   She challenges this directly, framing flexibility as something you build through stretching and repetition.
   
   
3. “Yoga doesn’t belong next to intense training.”
   
   She points out that yoga-based stretching after hard sessions can make a noticeable difference in how your body feels.
   
   
4. “You missed your chance to start.”
   
   Her message is blunt: start anytime, whether you’re young or post-50.
   
   
5. “Short sessions don’t count.”
   
   She repeatedly reinforces that even a short session, a walk, stairs, or a few breathing exercises can be enough to keep momentum.
   
   

That aligns with global public-health guidance too: adults benefit from accumulating weekly activity in realistic chunks, not only in long workouts.

How to apply this without copying a celebrity schedule

If you want the “Malaika-style” takeaway without the pressure:

• Pick a daily minimum you can hit even on busy days (10–30 minutes).
  
  
• Use Surya Namaskar as your anchor sequence, then add strength work on other days.
  
  
• Treat yoga as training, not a performance: form first, progress second.
  
  

If you want structure, a coached Yoga class can help you nail technique and build consistency, especially if you’re new or returning after a break.

If breathing is your starting point, a guided Breathing Yoga class is a gentle way to build the habit.

Source: financialexpress.com

 
The opinions shared in the blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.