CloseMenu6PowerfulVariationsofYoga’sLocustPoseBridgetFrederick,eRYT500Updated: September11,2021Original: July10,2021TweetBecauseoureyesareonthefrontofourheads,mostthingswedotendtotakeplaceinfrontofus.Overtheyears,themusclesinourfrontbodycanstarttoshortenasthemusclesinthebackbodyareneglected.Thiscancauseanimbalancethatcanleadtoaforwardheadposition,slumpedshoulders,and,inextremecasesthatusuallyalsoinvolveosteoporosis,vertebralcompressionfractures.Themorefocuswehaveonkeepingournaturalcurvesofthespineandonmaintainingabalancebetweenfrontandbackbodystrength,thefewercomplicationsthatcanariseasweage.  LocustPose(Salabhasana)issuchagreatposeformaintainingorbuildingstrengthinthebackbody,andbecausetherearesomanyvariations,itcanmeetyouwhereyouare.Notonlyisitagoodstrengtheningposeforthebackbody,butthelegsandshouldersalsoworkhere.Andbecausecorestrengthrequiresstrengtheningfromalldirections(notjustabdominalwork),LocustPosestrengthensthecorefromtheback.Thisincludesmusclessuchastheerectorspinae,runningalongthesidesofthespine,andthequadratuslumborum(QL),connectingthebottomoftheposteriorribcagetothetopridgeofthepelvis.Inthesameway,yourrectusabdominusinthefrontbodypullsthebottomridgeofyourribcagetowardyourpubicbone,asinacrunch,thequadratuslumborumpullsthebackbottomribcageandpelvicrimtogether,likeareversecrunch.HowtoPracticeLocustPoseVariations1.UpperBodyOnly:Thisismyfavoriteone.LocustPoseputsyoufacedown,whichcangetalittleclaustrophobic,butthisversionofittiltsyouupandletsyouexaminethehorizoninsteadwhilestillworkingyourbackandarms.Thisversionisgoodifyouhavealessflexiblebackbendorhavepainliftingyourupperbody,whetherthisisduetoweaknessorinjury.Andtakingsomeoftheweightoutoftheposeallowsyoutoworkyourmusclesmoregentlyasyouopenyourchestmorefully. Becausethebolstersitssquarelyinthespacebetweenyourbottomribcageandthetopsofthehipbones,thisoneisnotrecommendedforduringpregnancyorforanyoneexperiencingabdominalpainordiscomfort. Inthisvariation,keepyourlegsonthefloorbutengageyourlegmusclessoyourlegsca