śalabhāsana – part one

Śalabhāsana, the locust posture, “is named for the manner in which grasshoppers (locusts) move their rear ends up and down.”[1] Locusts differ from grasshoppers in that they have the ability to change their behavior and habits and can migrate over large distances. As Desert Locusts increase in number and become more crowded, they change their behavior from that of acting as an individual (solitarious) insect to that as acting as part of a group (gregarious).[2]

The Sanskrit word yoga translated means “union,” “yoking,” or “bringing together.” Practicing śalabhāsana (the locust pose) can remind us of our ability to change behavior and habits; and, of our thriving stamina to make and survive the long journey. As our practice moves us inward, joining our physical, mental, and spiritual lives in service of the highest and true self; likewise, śalabhāsana can remind us that our yoga practice joins us in service of the community as we allow the yoking of our innermost self with the outward relationships of “the group.” The practice of yoga can create union on and off the mat, solitariously and gregariously.

Phonetic pronunciation: shuh-luh-bah-suh-nuh[3]

śalabha = grasshopper (locust)
āsana = pose

“The locust postures complement the cobras, lifting the lower part of the body rather than the upper; but they are more difficult because it is less natural and more strenuous to lift the lower extremities from a prone position than it is to lift the head and shoulders.”[4]

Experiment (cobra v. locust)[5]

• Imitate bhujaṅgāsana (cobra). Lie prone with the chin on the floor and the backs of the relaxed hands against the floor alongside the thighs. Lift the head and shoulders. Look around. Breathe. Enjoy. This exploratory gesture is very natural.
• Imitate śalabhāsana (locust). Starting in the same position, point the toes, extend the knees by tightening the quadriceps femoris muscles, and exhale. Keeping the pelvis braced, lift the thighs without bending the knees. Don’t hold your breath, and be careful not to strain the lower back. Hold. Breathe.
• Notice and contrast the relative ease in lifting the upper body and holding it there with the unfamiliarity of lifting the lower extremities and remembering to breathe while lifting and holding.

There are several versions of śalabhāsana (locust) with the advanced full locust being “one of the most demanding postures in hatha yoga.” The easiest locust posture involves lifting only one thigh at a time instead of both of them simultaneously. This version is easier than full locust because one leg stabilizes the pelvis while the other one is lifted, and this has the effect of eliminating most of the tension in the lower back.[6]

Instructions for half śalabhāsana (easy/preparatory locust)[7]

• Lie on your stomach with the chin on the floor and legs together
• Point the toes, elongating the entire body
• Arms are alongside the body
• Close the hands in a loose fist with back of fists against the floor
• Align your center by pulling the abdominal muscles inward, contracting the buttocks (gluteals), and pressing your abdomen, hips, and pubis firmly into the floor. This will lengthen your lower back and establish your hips in cat tilt.[8]
• Inhale
• Extend the right leg through the toes, and lift the leg 8-14 inches without bending the knee
• Lift firmly with the right buttock and lower back
• Avoid pressing the left knee into the floor to assist the movement
• The knees and tops of the feet face downward
• No matter how high you lift, keep both sides of the pelvis on the floor and the chin down
• Hold the pose for several diaphragmatic[9] breaths and repeat on the other side
• Repeat 3-5 times

Practice this version of the posture until you develop sufficient strength to do the double-leg or “simple” full locust comfortably. When you are ready:

Double-leg/”Simple” śalabhāsana[10]

• Lie on your stomach as before
• Chin on the floor
• Arms alongside the body
• Backs of the fists against the floor
• If you want to make the posture more difficult, supinate the forearms and face the backs of the fists up
• Point the toes to the rear
• Tighten the gluteal muscles (buttocks)
• Keeping the knees extended and the legs no more than hip-width apart
• Inhale
• Raise both legs
• Hold and continue to breathe diaphragmatically[11]
• Then, release slowly back to the floor, relax your hands, turn your head to one side and rest
• Repeat several times

Benefits[12]: Strengthens the legs, buttocks, and lower back; massages the internal organs; stimulates the nervous system; adjusts the alignment of the pelvis; develops subtle awareness of the interrelationships among the legs, pelvis, abdomen, and lower back.

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[1] H. David Coulter, Anatomy of Hatha Yoga (Body and Breath, Inc. 2001), 296.
[2] "Frequently Asked Questions about Locusts", http://www.fao.org/ag/locusts/en/info/info/faq/
[3] Pronunciation and translation provided by Mikelle Terson, Asana Learning Deck, http://www.yogablossom.com/
[4] H. David Coulter, Anatomy of Hatha Yoga (Body and Breath, Inc. 2001), 296.
[5] Modified from H. David Coulter, Anatomy of Hatha Yoga (Body and Breath, Inc. 2001), 296.
[6]H. David Coulter, Anatomy of Hatha Yoga (Body and Breath, Inc. 2001), 302.
[7] Sandra Anderson and Rolf Sovik, Psy.D., Yoga, Mastering the Basics (Himalayan Institute Press, 2000), 96.
[8] Erich Schiffman, Yoga, The Spirit and Practice of Moving Into Stillness (Pocket Books, 1996), 202.
[9] See Leslie Kaminoff, “Breathing”, Yoga Anatomy (The Breathe Trust, 2007), 171.
[10] Combined and modified from H. David Coulter, Anatomy of Hatha Yoga (Body and Breath, Inc. 2001), 296 – 299 and Sandra Anderson and Rolf Sovik, Psy.D., Yoga, Mastering the Basics (Himalayan Institute Press, 2000), 96-97.
[11] See Leslie Kaminoff, “Breathing”, Yoga Anatomy (The Breathe Trust, 2007), 171.
[12] Sandra Anderson and Rolf Sovik, Psy.D., Yoga, Mastering the Basics (Himalayan Institute Press, 2000), 97.