salabha (locust/grasshopper) + asana (pose)
It may be one of the more accessible backbends, but don´t be fooled: Locust (or Grasshopper) Pose moves counter to gravity, so it requires back & abdominal
strength. A fabulous chest-opener, it also stretches the whole front part of the body while helping to improve your balance. While beginner-friendly, you can raise it a notch by extending your arms in front of your body or by interlacing your hands behind your back before you lift. Remember, this is a dynamic pose, so don´t just lie there! - you should be streeeeeetching your arms, legs, & torso! Try holding your Locust for 5 calming & steady breaths, then repeat 2 more times. If you´re not quite there, try Half Locust where you raise 1 leg at a time; this locust is nothing if not flexible! Practised regularly, Locust prepares our back, core, shoulders, chest, legs, & arms for more challenging poses along with a veritable shopping list of fabulous things it does for our body & mind. Preparing your body is paramount, so consider warming up with Cobbler´s or Cobra Pose, & then following your Locust up with Puppy Pose, Crocodile Pose, or a well-earned Child´s Pose. Unlike our counterpart in Aesop´s Fables, our grasshopper definitely works harder than the ant! 🦗🦗🦗
Benefits:
stretches & strengthens your back & core muscles
encourages spinal mobility (which in turn helps to prevent/alleviate osteoporosis & osteopenia)
opens the shoulders & chest, promoting good posture, & counteracting slouching
tones & strengthens the abdominal muscles, buttocks, quadriceps, hamstrings, sartorius muscles, & calf muscles
stimulates the thyroid glands
may be therapeutic in mild cases of sciatica
helps improve digestion, targeting constipation & flatulence (ffffffft💨)
may improve sleep.
Remember: Lift as you inhale! Don't bend your knees: this will put more pressure on your lower back. To help open your chest & shoulders, think about engaging all of your back muscles - not just the ones in your lumbar (lower back) region. If lifting both your upper & lower body at the same time isn´t available to you, just lift your upper body, then, as you gain strength. start lifting 1 leg at a time. The rule of thumb is not to crunch: don´t crunch your lumbar area & don´t crunch your neck!
Props: If lifting your chest is a challenge, roll up a blanket or grab a bolster, & place it at the bottom of your ribcage or under your upper thighs to give your upper body a boost - this will help strengthen the back muscles. You can also place a folded blacket under your pelvis for added comfort.
Avoid or Modify Locust Pose if you:
have serious back, neck, shoulder, hip, pelvis, rib cage, knee, &/or ankle issues
have severe sciatica
suffer from chronic headaches
recently had abdominal surgery
experience serious problems from menstruation
are pregnant or recently post-natal
have high blood pressure, heart disease, or history of stroke
feel any discomfort, release from the pose
have low back pain, start with Half Locust Pose.
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