beginner · Salabhasana
Locust Pose
Salabhasana
Animated Locust Pose
Scroll to move from a neutral stand into Locust Pose. With reduced motion, the final shape stays still.
Alignment cues
- Lie face down with arms along the sides
- Press the tops of the feet down and lift the chest and legs on an inhale
- Reach through the crown and the toes in opposite directions
- Keep the gaze down to protect the neck
- Lower on an exhale before repeating
Variants
- Upper body only. Lift the chest and keep the legs down to reduce load
- Legs only. Lift the legs while the chest stays down to train the glutes
Locust pose (salabhasana)
Locust lifts chest and legs off the floor from a prone position while arms reach back or stay alongside the body.
Why it helps
General safety language on NCCIH addresses yoga instruction broadly, not this prone lift in particular (Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety (NCCIH)).
How to do it well
Lie face down with arms along the body, palms up. On an inhale, lengthen legs and lift them together with the chest, keeping the gaze down so the neck stays long. Reach through the balls of the feet and keep the inner thighs engaged without splaying the legs. Lower on the exhale before the low back feels compressed.
A common mistake and how to scale it
A common mistake is kicking the legs high while the front ribs slam into the mat. Scale by lifting only one leg at a time, keeping the opposite leg anchored, until both sides feel even.
When to use caution
Lift only as high as the back tolerates without pinching. Clinician guidance is prudent with lumbar spine disease, severe high blood pressure, or knee or hip injuries per NCCIH (Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety (NCCIH)).
Practice with the atlas
Lift on three inhales with the atlas, lower slowly, and rest prone for two breaths between rounds.