Video:Locust Pose

Transcript:Locust Pose

Hi, I’m Joelle a yoga teacher and blogger at Yoga Nation. We are here at Go Yoga in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for About.com. Today I’m going to show you how to perform Locust Pose – Shalabasana.

Get Into Locust Pose

Come on to your belly with your arms by your sides. Bring your forehead to the floor. Before you lift up, press your pubic bone down into the floor to lengthen your lower back. Then, wrap the shoulder blades onto the back as if you were holding a pencil between them. Lengthen your arms back towards the back of the room and lift the legs. Let the arms and legs lengthening lift you up to balance on your belly button. Hold here and breathe, lengthening as much as you can in two directions.

Tips for Locust Pose

Try not to grip the buttocks here, but rather use the low back muscles to lift you up. The buttocks will engage, but you want to avoid squeezing it tightly as this could cramp the lower back. Extend the top of the head forward and take your gaze slightly down and in front of you. This will keep your neck long.

Benefits of Locust Pose

Helps digestion and stretches the back, especially can help relieve pain the sacrum and lumbar spine.

Variations of Locust Pose

If you have a lot of back pain do this pose with the knees bent. Bend the knees, flex the feet, lift the thighs straight up to the ceiling on an exhale

Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us on the web at about.com.