Locust Pose
What Is the Locust Pose?
Locust Pose is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back and also engages the glutes, hamstrings, and the upper back and rear shoulder muscles that hold the arms up. It is a beginner-level movement: you lie face down and lift your chest, arms, and legs off the floor at the same time, balancing on your lower belly and holding the shape with muscle alone.
Known in Sanskrit as Salabhasana, it is one of the foundational prone backbends in yoga and usually appears alongside Cobra Pose and Sphinx Pose, often as preparation for Bow Pose. Unlike Cobra and Sphinx, no hands or forearms press into the floor, so every bit of height comes from the muscles along the back of the body. The classic arm position, shown here, has the arms stretched straight back beside the hips with the palms facing down. That is what sets it apart from Superman, where the arms reach forward past the head and make the upper body a longer, heavier lever.
The spinal erectors lift the chest and shoulders, the glutes and hamstrings lift the straight legs, and the rhomboids, lower trapezius, and rear deltoids keep the arms raised and the shoulder blades drawn back. In an ultrasound study of 52 healthy adults, the longissimus, one of the main erector spinae muscles, thickened by about 40% from lying relaxed to holding this pose, more than the multifidus, iliocostalis, or quadratus lumborum. Common variations shift the work: lifting only the legs puts more of the load on the glutes and hamstrings, lifting only the chest focuses on the upper and middle back, and clasping the hands behind the back adds a chest and shoulder opening.
The pose suits anyone who wants more endurance in the back extensors and glutes, including people who sit for long hours and yoga students working toward deeper backbends. Because it needs no equipment, it fits easily into a warm-up, a mobility session, or the floor section of a yoga class. If lifting everything at once is too much, start by lifting one leg at a time, or build the pattern with Bird Dog and Glute Bridge before holding the full pose.
Muscles Worked
- Erector Spinae
- Primary
- Gluteus Maximus
- High
- Biceps Femoris
- Medium
- Deltoid
- Medium
- Lower Trapezius
- Medium
- Rhomboid Major
- Medium
- Semitendinosus
- Medium
- Teres Major
- Low
Instructions
- Lie face down on a mat with your legs straight and together and the tops of your feet on the floor.
- Rest your arms alongside your body with the palms facing down and your forehead or chin on the mat.
- Reach back through your toes and forward through the crown of your head to lengthen your spine, and draw your lower belly lightly in.
- Inhale and lift your head, chest, and shoulders off the floor, keeping your gaze on the floor slightly ahead so your neck stays long.
- At the same time, lift your straight legs so your thighs leave the floor, keeping your legs together and your toes pointed.
- Raise your arms off the floor and reach them straight back toward your feet beside your hips, palms facing down, drawing your shoulder blades back and down.
- Balance on your lower belly and the front of your pelvis and hold the position while breathing slowly and steadily.
- Exhale and lower your chest, arms, and legs to the floor with control, then turn your head to one side and rest before the next round.
Common Mistakes
Tipping the head back
Lifting the chin to look straight ahead compresses the neck, so keep the gaze on the floor slightly in front of you and lift from the chest.
Chasing height
Forcing the chest and legs as high as possible crunches the lower back instead of spreading the bend along the whole spine.
Bending the knees
Bending the knees raises the feet without lifting the thighs, so keep the legs straight and reach back through the toes.
Shrugging the shoulders
Letting the shoulders creep toward the ears loses the upper back work, so draw the shoulder blades back and down as the arms lift.
Holding the breath
Holding the breath to stay up adds pressure on the abdomen and spine, so breathe slowly and steadily through the hold.
Injuries
Locust Pose is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. It uses only body weight and a small range of motion, but it is still a backbend, so the lower back and neck are where problems show up.
The usual cause of discomfort is chasing height. Forcing the chest and legs as high as possible jams the bend into the lower back instead of spreading it along the whole spine, and tipping the head back to look forward compresses the neck. Lengthen first by reaching back through your toes and forward through the crown of your head, then lift only as far as you can while the neck stays long and the gaze stays on the floor slightly ahead of you. Keep breathing steadily, since holding the breath and bracing hard adds pressure on the abdomen and spine.
To make it easier, lift only the legs or only the chest, or lift one leg at a time with the chest down. Sphinx Pose is a gentler backbend with the forearms supporting you. Start with holds of 3 to 5 breaths for 2 or 3 rounds. To progress, build toward holds of 30 to 60 seconds or clasp your hands behind your back, then move on to Bow Pose. Rest in Child Pose between rounds if your back feels tight.
Stop if you feel sharp, pinching, or radiating pain in the back, or tingling down a leg. People with acute low back pain, spondylolisthesis, or a recent abdominal or spinal surgery should get clearance before practicing it, and lying face down is usually avoided after the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Primary Focus
- Back
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Yoga
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Alternative Exercises
Other Names for the Locust Pose
The Locust Pose is also known as:
- Salabhasana
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the difference between Locust Pose and Superman?
Both lift the chest and legs from a face-down position, but in Locust Pose the arms reach straight back beside the hips with the palms down, while in Superman they reach forward past the head. Reaching forward makes the upper body a longer lever, so Superman is usually the harder of the two for the back and shoulders.
- Q: How is Locust Pose different from Cobra Pose and Upward Dog?
In Cobra Pose and Upward Dog your hands press into the floor to help lift the chest. In Locust Pose nothing pushes you up and the legs lift too, so the back, glutes, and hamstrings have to do all the work.
- Q: How long should I hold Locust Pose?
Start with 3 to 5 slow breaths for 2 or 3 rounds, resting face down between them. As your back endurance improves, build toward holds of 30 to 60 seconds.
- Q: Is Locust Pose good for lower back pain?
It can be a useful way to build endurance in the back muscles once pain has settled, starting with one leg or the chest only and lifting just a little. With acute pain, spondylolisthesis, or pain that spreads down a leg, get advice from a clinician first, and stop if the pose causes sharp or pinching pain.
- Q: Should I squeeze my glutes in Locust Pose?
Firm them enough to lift the legs, but avoid clenching so hard that the thighs roll out and the feet splay. Pressing all ten toes back and turning the inner thighs slightly up keeps the legs straight and the lower back long.