Salabhasana for Back Strength: Improve Flexibility and Posture

Salabhasana at a Glance

How to Do Salabhasana?

Follow the Step-by-Step Instructions

The Salabhasana pose is suitable for beginners who work sitting for a long period and end up with back pain.

• Start this pose on a soft surface to avoid discomfort andmost importantlyon an empty stomach.
• Lay down a yoga mat and lie in a prone pose (Reverse Corpse Pose). Start with some preparatory poses like Bhujangasana.
• After doing the preparatory posebe for about 3 secondsgently breathe (three to five breaths)and relax to get ready for the pose.
• Keep your body and legs straight. Keep your legs a bit apart and knees straightand your toes should point down.
• Your hands should be to the side of the body (touching the body) and palms should face upward.
• Keep your forehead on the matclose your eyes and relax with a few breaths.
• Nowbreathe deeply and your abdominal muscles should be engaged so that it will be easy to do this pose.
• Nowinhale and lift your headchestarmsand legs off the matleading to the inner thighs. Lift the mentioned parts in one go and not one at a timeand here is where you need to engage your core.
• Keep your arms straight behind you.
• Avoid shrugging your neck and keeping the back of the neck long.
• After liftinglook before you and create a slight arch on your back.
• Keep breathing as you are in this pose; your feet are not touching the matand even your head is lifted.
• You can hold this pose according to your comfort. You wouldn’t be able to breathe deeplybut it would be shortbut this keeps you aware and holding this pose. But remember not to hold your breath.
• To come out of the poseexhale and slowly lower your headchestarmsand legsand relax your back muscles. Nowrelax by taking some relaxed breaths and resting yourself in a Crocodile pose (Makarasana).

What are the Benefits of the Salabhasana?

• Like many other yoga posesthis Salabhasana yoga pose is counter to hunching backs and stressed sitting jobs the whole day.
• While you liftyour head and arms help strengthen your backshouldersand armsmake them more flexibleand provide mobility.
• It helps to stretch your back and neck and helps to make it more flexible. When you practice regularlyit improves spinal flexibility.
• Keep this asana as a part of your exercisewhere your thighbuttocksand calf muscles get engaged and help to strengthen and tone it.
• This pose is dominant on the abdominal muscles and helps massage and this helps to improve your digestive health and keeps you away from indigestion issuesgasand bloating.
• In this posethe postural muscles in the abdomen are toned.
• You need to be mindful during this asanaso it helps to focus on yourself and helps to reduce stress and anxiety.
• It improves blood circulation in the whole body when you lift your chest and legs to perform this yoga pose.
• Regularly holding this pose with the coordination of breath increases your confidence levelimproves focus on your lifeand increases awareness of your physical and mental body.

Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Salabhasana

Diabetes

Locust poseor Salabhasanais one of the yoga asanas that is good for people with diabetes. While doing thisasana increases the blood circulation to the kidney and other body partshelping stimulate the nervous system connected to the brain and spine (autonomic nervous system).

Premenstrual symptoms

During their menstrual cyclewomen face problems like depressionangeranxietysleep issuesheaviness in their breastsand pain in their lower tummy. Salabhasana can help to calm and relax your mind and bodygiving you the comfort of your physical symptomswhich helps to calm you and relax.

Digestive system

Locust Pose is of great help to tone and strengthen your abdominal muscles, and the pressure given during the asana helps to massage the organs and helps to enhance your digestion processkeeping gas and bloating issues away.

Back pain issues

You can make simple life changes and include yoga asanas like Salabhasana. This locust pose can strengthen your spineback muscles and arms and heal your back pain.

Safety and Precautions

As for any other yoga asanaeven Salabhasana (Locust pose) has to be taken care of some safety measures.

• People with sciaticaback injuriesand slipped discs should take safety measures or consult their doctor.
• Pregnant ladies should avoid doing it.
• Follow the proper procedure to do this locust pose.
• Beginners should do the locust pose under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
• Remember to do it on a soft and even surface.
• If you have health concernstake the required precautions and consult your doctor.
• Do the locust pose on an empty stomach.

Common Mistakes

• If doing it for the first timedo it under the guidance of trained yoga teachers.
• Breath is importantso coordinate the locust pose with the breath.
• Don’t try to do the locust pose after any meals.
• Don’t force yourself to lift your legs or chest too high. Leave it to your body to decide your capability and respect it. Graduallyyou can progress.

Tips for Salabhasana

• Use a yoga mat or carpet to do the locust pose.
• Don’t mess with the alignment; otherwiseyou can get injured.
• Do it in the mornings or after 4 to 5 hours of your meal.
• Keep your shoulder blades relaxed and towards the back.
• If there is any discomfort in your hips or pubic boneplace a folded blanket under your hip bones.
• Your abdomen should support most of the parts in this pose.
• You can try the simple variationslike half locust pose for better practice.
• Use props if you need any support initially for the locust pose.

The Physical Alignment Principles for Salabhasana

• When you start the Salabhasana or Locust pose see that your shoulders are as close to the floor and firm the shoulder blades onto the back.
• Start from the prone position. Straighten Your legs straight and grounded before starting the locust pose.
• See that you bring the big toes together and toes touching each otherand the soles are pointed in the locust pose.
• Your core should support your locust pose and other body parts in the Salabhasana (Locust pose).
• Lift your upper torsoheadarmsand knees away from the ground.
• See that you keep your palms facing upwards.
• Keep your neck relaxed. The back should be extended.
• Your head and spine should be in line and you should look forward while being in the locust pose.
• To support the Locust posekeep the arms on the sides of the bodyand palms should face upwards.
• Lift your headchest and arms while you exhale.
• Keep breathing normally throughout the locust pose.
• When you arch your back while in posedon’t strain your too much; make it simple.
• Hold the locust pose by maintaining the proper alignment and slowly release to the ground by exhaling.

Salabhasana and Breath

• Begin by lying on your stomach with your legs straight and your arms at your sides.
• Inhaleand then lift your headchestand legs off the ground.
• Lengthen your spine and stretch your arms back behind you. Hold on to the wrists of one hand with the other hand.
• Breathe deeply and hold the pose for 30 seconds to a minute.
• To release the poseexhale and lower your chestheadand legs to the ground. Rest for a few seconds before repeating the pose.

Salabhasana Variations

• You can do Ardha Salabhasana or Half Locust Pose yoga by lifting one leg at a time. Beginners can do this to increase their capability slowly.
• You can lift one leg and the opposite arm as a challenge to balance. This is Archer Pose.
• Instead of lifting the armsyou can interlock the fingers to stretch the chest and shoulders more deeply.
• A Superman posewhere you lift and stretch your arms in front and pose as if you are flying like a Superman.
• You can use props to support in the start. You can keep a cushion under your thighs to lift your lower body well.

Take Away

This pose is overall good for your whole-body stretch. Salabhasana poses lying on your bellybalancing and lifting your chest and legs. This requires a lot of stabilitybalanceand focus. This creates more self-awareness towards oneselfwhich is helpful in your everyday life. This is good for your back and improves your posture if included in your routine. You can add an easier version if you are a beginner or a challenging version if you already practice yoga. This asana boosts your confidence level.

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