SALABHASANA

Salabhasana comes from Sanskrit word Salabha + asana where Salabha means locust or grasshopper. This is why; this wonderful yoga posture is also called Locust Pose. Salabhasana (Locust pose) strengthen muscle of lower back and upper leg which are the most affected part of people seating on chair for long time.

How to perform Salabhasana:-

Before you start with salabhasana, rest on stomach by making your hand as a pillow under your head.

Bring your arms under your body and try to keep your elbows as closer as possible. Refer below image for more details. Once you are into this position, inhale and lift your right leg as high as you can. Stay in this position for upto 5-30 seconds as you can continue with breathe. Now perform the same posture with your left leg.

In full locust, you need to start with the same posture as you did in half locust but the basic difference is; you have to lift both the legs.

Benefits:-

Strengthening the muscle of lower back

Strengthen the shoulder and arm

Strengthening the muscle of upper leg

Stimulates the stomach and intestines helping to relieve gastrointestinal gas and improve digestion.

Strengthens the bladder, and stretches the spine.

Apart from these, there are various mental and physical benefits of practicing Salabhasana every day.This Asana gives a posterior curvature to the spine. It bends the spine backwards. In bending the spine it serves as a counter-pose to Paschimottanasana, Halasana and Sarvangasana which bend the spine forwards (anteriorly). Like Mayurasana, it increases the intra-abdominal pressure. It supplements the Bhujangasana. Bhujangasana develops the upper half of the body, while Salabhasana develops the lower half of the body and the lower extremities also. It tones up the muscles of the abdomen, thighs and legs. It brings down the accumulated faecal matter of the stomach to ascending colon, from ascending colon to transverse colon of large intestines, from transverse colon to descending colon and from there to the rectum. Read any book on elementary physiology. It will help you a lot.

This Asana gives a good exercise for the abdomen. It relieves constipation. It tones the abdominal viscera (organs) viz., liver, pancreas, kidneys, etc. It removes several diseases of the stomach and bowels. It cures sluggishness of liver and hunchback. the lumbo-sacral bones are toned up. Lumbago is removed. All forms of myalgia of the lumbar region (hips) are removed. The digestive fire is increased. Dyspepsia is removed. You will have very good appetite.