Additionally Recognized As: Again extensions
Targets: Legs, again, core, heart-opener
Gear Wanted: Yoga mat
Stage: Intermediate
Locust Pose is a backbend that may prep the newbie for deeper backbends and poses corresponding to Bow, Upward Canine, and Wheel Pose. In a sequence, you may use Cobra or Snake to guide as much as Locust Pose, and comply with it with Bow or Crocodile. You too can use it after a Solar Salutation to assist energize your self, stretch your backbone, and open your chest, which may also help you obtain higher posture.
Advantages
Locust Pose stretches and strengthens the again and core muscular tissues, bettering your spinal mobility. Many on a regular basis actions (corresponding to sitting) flex the backbone whereas locust pose extends it. It opens the chest, which might be useful in bettering your posture and counteract slouching. This may even enable you to breathe higher, which might be energizing. Your core muscular tissues, gluteus, hamstrings, adductors, and calves all are toned by holding the place. It’s historically believed that this pose helps enhance digestion.
Step-by-Step Directions
Lie down in your abdomen. Putting a blanket below your hips for padding makes this pose much more comfy, however you may skip it if you’re doing the pose in a movement.
- Convey your arms down by your sides together with your palms dealing with the ground. Stretch your legs straight out behind you with the tops of your ft on the mat.
- Convey your brow or your chin to the mat in preparation. Roll your shoulders again and all the way down to open your chest.
- Inhale and elevate your head, chest, and arms up off the ground. Hold your arms straight behind you. Attain by all 10 fingers and switch your fingers in order that your thumbs are pointing down. Hold sliding your shoulder blades down your again.
- Interact your legs in order that your knees elevate off the ground. On the similar time, attempt to not tighten your butt an excessive amount of in order that your tailbone has someplace to go as you backbend. Press the tops of your ft strongly into the ground.
- Hold your gaze on the ground simply in entrance of you in order that your neck stays in a impartial place, not cranking up.
- Keep on this pose for 3 to 5 breaths. On an exhale, launch all the way down to the ground. Flip your head to 1 facet and relaxation in your cheek.
It is conventional to go for 3 rounds of again extensions, so do that pose twice extra, presumably incorporating the variations described beneath.
Frequent Errors
Crunching Your Neck
Crunching your neck is a priority, so you’ll want to maintain the again of your neck lengthy and your chin barely tucked in. Do not increase your shoulders in direction of your ears.
Bending Your Knees
Do not bend your knees as this may put extra strain in your decrease again.
Modifications and Variations
Want a Modification?
One mild variation is to maintain your palms on the mat relatively than lifting your arms.
Should you’re new to Locust Pose and never getting a lot elevate within the chest, roll up a blanket and place it on the backside of your ribcage. Training like this may enable you to strengthen the again muscular tissues.
One other newbie tip, when you’ve got a accomplice useful, is to ask them to face in your ft when you do the pose. You may be stunned how a lot larger you may elevate your chest when the ft are securely anchored. This additionally helps you get a really feel for a way strongly you have to press into your ft.
Up for a Problem?
Use these superior variations after you have mastered locust pose:
1. Interlace your fingers behind your again earlier than you elevate up into the pose. As you elevate up, roll your shoulders again and prolong your arms straight behind you, conserving your fingers clasped. Begin to elevate your fingers off your again up towards the ceiling.
2. If you elevate your torso, concurrently elevate your legs off the ground, conserving them straight. Interact your total leg, even reaching out by your toes. Hold your chest excessive.
3. For a sophisticated problem, prolong your arms in entrance of your physique as an alternative of behind. You’ll have to work additional laborious to maintain your chest lifted.
4. Begin to prolong the period of time that you simply maintain the pose. Work as much as 10 breaths, ensuring that you’re sustaining the integrity of your alignment all through.
Security and Precautions
This pose shouldn’t be really helpful for many who are pregnant or have a again, neck, or shoulder damage or current belly surgical procedure.
Should you really feel any discomfort throughout the pose, whether or not in your again, neck, or shoulders, launch the posture till you are feeling comfy.
Attempt It Out
Incorporate this transfer and related ones into one in all these standard exercises:
- Sivananda yoga sequence
- Yoga poses for swimmers
- Intermediate abs and core exercise
