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. 

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

• Cat-Cow Pose
• Cobra Pose
• Bow Pose
• Upward-Facing Dog Pose
• Warrior Pose
• Cow-Face Pose

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

1. Lie down with your belly on the floor with arms alongside and palms facing the sky

2. Ensure your upper body is in a straight line, from the neck to the base of the spine.

3. Breathing in, raise your right leg up. 

4. Keep your neck long, shoulders pulled back, abs contracted, and your legs straight.

5. Be careful not to twist your hip.

6. Hold the pose and keep breathing.

7. Breathing out, bring the right leg down.

8. Repeat steps 3-5 with the left leg.

 

Full Locust Pose

1. Breathing in with some momentum, lift both legs up as high as possible, keeping both knees straight.

2. 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.

3. Hold and continue breathing for five to seven breaths.

4. 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

• Superman Pose 
• Crocodile Pose
• Bridge Pose
• Child’s Pose 
• Corpse Pose 

 

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