Śalabhāsana
Lie prone and lift everything, chest, arms and legs; like a locust in flight; a quiet strength-builder for the whole back line.
How to practice
Inhale to lift, breathe evenly while holding, exhale to lower.
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Lie face down, arms alongside the body, palms down, chin resting lightly on the mat.
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Exhale to firm the belly; press the hips and pubic bone down into the floor.
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Inhale and lift the chest, arms and legs away from the floor; reach back through the fingers and toes.
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Keep the neck long, gaze slightly forward and down; hold 3–5 breaths.
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Exhale and lower with control; rest, then repeat once or twice.
Benefits
- Strengthens the entire back body, glutes and hamstrings
- Opens the chest and improves posture
- Stimulates digestion and the abdominal organs
- Builds heat and counters long hours of sitting
Contraindications & cautions
- Pregnancy, this prone lift is not practised after the first trimester
- Recent back injury, lift lower and for fewer breaths, or rest the hands
- Headache, keep the neck in line and the gaze down
Skip or modify the pose on days a caution applies to you, and work with a qualified teacher for injuries, pregnancy or health conditions.
In the tradition
Śalabha, the locust, flies low and works hard. The pose looks modest and demands much, which is why teachers love it for kapha constitutions and desk-weary spines: it restores the strength that slouching borrows, without the drama of deeper backbends.
Sources & further reading
- Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā , Gheraṇḍa (chapter 2, the locust among the classical āsanas)
- Light on Yoga , B. K. S. Iyengar (Śalabhāsana)
Classical citations mark where a tradition is drawn on; modern books and videos are shared as further guidance, not as prescriptions.