The best way to Do Locust Pose (Salabhasana)

Locust pose, or salabhasana, is a belly-down, or inclined, yoga posture that stretches your chest, shoulders, and backbone. It’s additionally a backbend that’s appropriate for inexperienced persons.

“Locust pose improves power and adaptability, and it’s thought to cut back the consequences of bodily stress as a result of it reverses slouching,” says ACE-certified private coach Jennifer Fuller, RYT 500.

There’s a lot occurring on this comparatively easy pose, which strengthens your complete again aspect of the physique. Whether or not you’re studying the primary yoga poses otherwise you’ve been working towards with Yoga52 for a while, energize your physique and counter fatigue with locust pose.

Locust Pose: Step-by-Step Directions



• Lie in your stomach in a inclined place along with your arms prolonged overhead. Squeeze your legs collectively.
• Place your chin on the heart of your mat, and look straight down on the ground to create size by means of the cervical backbone. Loosen up your shoulders down your again. Rotate your palms all the way down to open your chest.
• Take a deep breath in, then exhale and elevate your head, shoulders, arms, and legs away from the ground. Hover your limbs a number of inches off the mat.
• Arch your again, and have interaction your shoulders towards your backbone. Straighten your elbows by squeezing the muscular tissues on the again of your arms (your triceps).
• Interact your quadriceps to straighten your legs. Hold your ankles and ft touching if doable.
• Maintain the pose for 60 to 90 seconds, then launch.
• Relaxation in little one’s pose.

Advantages of Locust Pose

• Locust pose is an all-over body-strengthening posture that Fuller believes must be in each yoga class as a result of it creates higher spinal extension. This helps put together the physique for deeper backbends.
• Locust strengthens the muscular tissues alongside the backbone, which embody:
  • Erector spinae
  • Quadratus lumborum within the decrease again
  • Trapezius within the higher again
  • Gluteus maximus (your booty)
  • Hamstrings
• In addition to constructing power alongside the again aspect of your physique, locust is a good stretch in the event you work a desk job. After we sit for too lengthy, our hips get locked in a flexed place. Locust pose stretches the hips to elongate the muscular tissues on the entrance of your physique. (That’s a bit secret: Yoga backbends open the entrance of the physique!)

Modifications and Contraindications

When you have a shoulder or again harm or are new to backbends, Fuller provides the next steps to switch:

1. In case your shoulders really feel any discomfort, place your arms at your aspect, palms face down. Hold your arms by your sides, then solely elevate your legs.
2. These with again ache: Strive lifting just one leg at a time — depart your arms at your sides along with your palms face down.
3. Strive a sure locust by leaving your legs on the ground to guard your decrease again from experiencing discomfort and clasping your palms behind your again.
4. Place a rolled-up blanket beneath your thighs earlier than lifting for added assist.
5. Unfold your legs hip-width aside in the event you really feel stress in your decrease again.
6. If you wish to make this pose simpler, attempt conserving your arms by your aspect.

Searching for a fast launch of the pressures of your day? Add locust pose to your yoga routine.