![locust pose salabhasana](/sites/www.artofliving.org/files/styles/original_image/public/unity2/blog_image/locust_pose_salabhasana_on_lake_paddle_board.jpg?itok=ilxyQBlK)
Locust pose is a back-strengthening posture that engages the lower back, buttocks, and glutes. The name comes from the Sanskrit words salabha (locust) and asana (pose), which is also known as Salabhasana (SAA-laa-bahs-AA-SUN-aa). Considered one of the deeper backbends in yoga, you may need to start slowly and increase the stretch over time.
Level of Difficulty: Beginner to intermediate
Things to know
As with any yoga posture, it’s important not to strain and always only do what is comfortable for your body. Don’t be concerned with how far you can stretch; regular practice will naturally yield deeper stretches over time.
Doing a short warm-up is also important so your muscles are more flexible before engaging in any yoga practice. Marching in place, jumping jacks, and even Sun Salutations can used as warm-up before practicing the Locust Pose.
Locust Pose benefits
Practice the Locust Pose regularly to enjoy many of the following benefits:
- Increases spinal flexibility
- Strengthens the back muscles, shoulders, arms, and abdominal muscles
- Tones the nerves and muscles in the back and shoulders
- Massages and tones the abdominal organs
- Stimulates digestive organs
- Improves breathing
- Stimulates the vagus nerve for more calm
- Boosts energy
Precautions for Locust Pose
- Pregnancy
- Fractured ribs or wrists
- Abdominal surgery
- Back or neck injury
- Slipped disc
- High blood pressure
- Sciatica
Preparatory Poses
Step-by-step instructions for Locust Pose
These step-by-step instructions include how to do half locust and full locust pose.
Half Locust Pose
Lie down with your belly on the floor with arms alongside and palms facing the sky
Ensure your upper body is in a straight line, from the neck to the base of the spine.
Breathing in, raise your right leg up.
Keep your neck long, shoulders pulled back, abs contracted, and your legs straight.
Be careful not to twist your hip.
Hold the pose and keep breathing.
Breathing out, bring the right leg down.
Repeat steps 3-5 with the left leg.
Full Locust Pose
Breathing in with some momentum, lift both legs up as high as possible, keeping both knees straight.
Lift the upper torso and arms straight beside you so that the upper and lower body do not touch the yoga mat. Only your hip bones should be in contact with the floor.
Hold and continue breathing for five to seven breaths.
Breathing out, lower your legs and place both arms beside your body. Rest here.
Variations and modifications
To increase the effects of the half lotus pose, raise the opposite arm off the floor in front of you.
To modify the half locust pose, limit how far you raise your legs and keep the upper body firmly planted on the mat. You can also put a folded blanket under the pubic bone.
Follow-up poses
Enhance your yoga practice with SKY Breath Meditation
When practiced regularly, breathing and meditation supercharge yoga's life benefits. Add Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, also known as SKY Breath Meditation, to get the most out of your yoga practice.
SKY practitioners report:
- Greater mental focus
- Healthier blood pressure
- Enhanced deep sleep
- Mental fortitude
- Increased joy and optimism
- Decreased stress, anxiety, and depression
Register for the Art of Living Part 1 course to learn SKY today!
Other poses and related articles
Wheel Pose: Gain Flexibility, Open Heart, Release Sadness
Shoulder Stand: Strengthen Your Spine and Core Muscles Today
Camel Pose: Improve Your Posture and Open Your Heart Center
Vajrasana: The Yoga Pose to Use During Breathing Exercises
Triangle Pose: Improve Your Balance, Reduce Back Pain Today
Tree Pose: Live Longer By Balancing On One Foot?
Butterfly Pose: One of the Best Remedies for Too Much Sitting
Mountain Pose: Start Your Yoga Practice on the Right Footing
Chair Pose: Taking This Seat Strengthens Your Whole Body
Downward Facing Dog: Stretch and Strengthen the Spine and Chest
Sphinx Pose: The Heart-Forward Back Bend for More Flexibility
Plow Pose: Increase Your Flexibility and Build Strength Now
Sukshma Yoga: This Gentle Yoga Can Relax You in 7 Minutes, Try Anytime
Padma Sadhana: Learn and Master this Beautiful Yoga Sequence Today
Seated Forward Bend with Adi Mudra (Yoga Mudra)
Fish Pose: Gain Spinal Flexibility with This Chest Opener Pose
Eagle Pose: A Standing Body Twist for Increasing Balance
Reverse Prayer Pose (Paschim Naraskarasana)
Standing Backward Bend (Ardha Chakrasana)
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Standing Spinal Twist (Katichakrasana)
Standing Wide-Legged Forward Bend (Prasanta Padottanasana)
Forward Lunge (Ashwasanchalanasana)
Upward Plank Pose (Poorvottanasana)
Lotus Position or Lotus Pose (Padmasana)
Mill Churning Pose: Chakki Chalanasana)
One-Legged Forward Bend (Janu Shirasana)
Two-Legged Sitting Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
Sitting Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
Boat Pose: Set Sail For a Stronger Upper Body and Lower Belly
Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
Lying-down Body Twist (Natrajasana)
Wind-Relieving Pose (Pavanamuktasana)
Lying Down on Sides (Vishnuasana)
Are you interested in becoming a 200H certified yoga teacher?
Sri Sri School of Yoga offers traditional (scripture-based), classical, and authentic teacher training programs globally. Our programs are Yoga Alliance certified. To learn more about teacher training offered in North America, click here! You, too, could become a yoga teacher!