If you have been into yoga for some time now, chances are that you are already doing the Locust Pose in some form. There are certain key variations to the Locust that can tune up the level of challenge from high to low. It is one of those rare postures which could be benefited to the maximum form, by both beginners and seasoned yogis. Some like to perform it with hands clasped to the back while others with the shoulders working as a fortifying stand and the legs bent upwards.
You are most likely to find the Locust Posture in your yoga course catalog listed under baby- backbends. Yoga teachers love to incorporate this one into various sequences as a vital chest opener, core strengthener, as well as for a deep abdominal massage. However, the pose is that good to be singled out and practiced out of any sequence just for the fun of it.
Certain yogis calling it warming up pose before The Cobra pose. Some others practice the Locust with head and shoulders to the ground for increasing calm and focus.
While you can have a bunch of reasons of your own to do the Locust, a dedicated practice will bring home the following health benefits—
Regulation of Acid-Base Balance in the Body
Acidosis is the body condition where there is an excessive acidic influx of blood, body fluids, and tissues. The condition sets in a number of problematic symptoms of shallow breathing, headache, lack of appetite, and in some cases, jaundice. This happens because blood in normalcy is a tad basic with a pH range between 7.35 to 7.45 and poor regulation of this general configuration due to a poor digestion or other internal causes can mess up the body-mind balance.
In the duration of full back-bend in the Locust, not only do the abdominal muscles stretch and tune into good shape but also the internal organs that of kidney, liver, and spleen receive a thorough massage, resulting in an enhanced secretion of digestive juices and necessary enzymes for acid control.
One of the primary benefits of Locust Pose is, therefore, optimizing the digestion and restoring a faulty acid-base order.
Posture Correction and Toning of the Back
The Locust can be performed in its heftier version for a full posture reworking. There is a great deal of effort involved in this one to chest-lift off the floor, and not just that, but also hold at that point for a few breaths. This routine does some marvel for one’s core and also runs great energy in the back.
You must ask your instructor to introduce you to the Locust especially if you are in need of correction in your general bearing. For the same reason, Locust also features widely in sequences for lower back pain and sciatica physical therapy.
One word of caution- you should not chest-lift higher than you can handle, mostly because this will run a risk of injury, and partly because, no matter how little high you can lift, the benefits will remain the same.
A Toned Butt and Strengthened Hamstrings
This is the pose you want in order to get your ‘behind’ in a cute shape. The Locust is the magic formula to carve a type goddess beach bod—toned butt, stacks of pulsating muscles in the inner thighs, great hamstrings—it’s the whole package!
The leg lift and deep bend in the hips do the thrill in the Locust, getting the energy flowing in the glutes, adductors, and calves. This also makes a pose a great fit for your days in an athletic mood. You are welcome to create great dynamism in the flow of the legs and arms doing the curvature.
A Calm Disposition and Sharp Focus
The great range of the health benefits of Salabhasana pose also relates in parts to the great sense of calm it can harness when bending down. For those few precious breaths, the world with this chaos and distractions seems to converge, and there is a great focus.
These are the moments you can feel great calmness along with great alacrity, relaxation even as a sharp alertness heightens.
Once you get a taste of its awesomeness, you will be doing the Locust every single day!
To Know more about Salabhasana, join yoga teacher training in India.