SHALABHASANA
Shalabha is usually translated as “locust,” but it can also mean “grasshopper.” This makes perfect sense
because these insects look very much alike and, given the right conditions, a locust will turn into a
grasshopper. I found around 10 variations, all performed lying prone, though not all of them are named
Locust. One yogi calls several Locust-like positions “balancing on the belly,” another Grasshopper and
Boat. The main difference between these versions is mostly in the position of the arms, though the legs
have one variation too. Let’s go through a standard modern version, then have a look at some variations.
PREPARATION
Locust is sometimes called a “baby backbend” because of its relative ease when compared to the “teens”
and “adults.” That doesn’t mean, however, that it can be performed without the same care needed for its
older family members. Lie prone on your mat (padded with a blanket if needed) with the little toe side of
your feet on the floor. This imparts a slight internal rotation to your thighs, which helps to widen the back
pelvis, a necessity for every backbend regardless of its imaginary age group. It’s important to remember
too, that whenever your belly is pressed against a resisting surface, as it is here against the floor, to
consciously direct your inhales into your back torso. Always move into any backbend with an inhale, and
when in the pose, don’t forget it’s very important to BREATHE.
Now clasp your hands behind your back and rest your thumbs slightly above the sacrum on your lowest
low back. With an inhalation, slowly slide your thumbs along the bone’s mid-line and out across the tail
bone, imagining that it’s lengthening toward your heels. As you do this, you can lift your head and upper
torso slightly off the floor. Hold for a few breaths, then release. Repeat this process several times until
you’re confident you can re-create this action without using your hands. Internal rotation of the thighs and
a lengthened tail bone are crucial to all backbones. Remember though to lengthen the bone, like a
kangaroo’s tail reaching back along your legs, don’t press it down toward the floor.
Next, against the lengthening of the tail, inhale, and lift your right leg off the floor. It needn’t be lifted
very high; in fact, the text in which this pose is described, dating back about 300 years, says to lift the legs
one vitasti, about nine inches. Hold for 30 seconds or so with the big toe turned in, release and rest, and
repeat with the left leg for the same length of time. Then, after another rest, inhale, lift both legs and hold
to capacity.
Let’s now turn to the arms, upper torso, and head. I’ll describe the position of the arms as I was taught
more than 40 years ago. Stretch your arms alongside your torso, backs of your hands on the floor. Inhale,
and keeping your hands on the floor, slide them back toward your feet and lift your upper torso and head
off the floor. Be sure NOT to simply arch into your lower back. As you lift, think of the tail reaching to
your heels and the top of your sternum reaching forward, oppositely. If, when you lift your sternum you
feel your front ribs press more sharply into the floor, you know you’re taking too much of the backbend
into your lower back. Release immediately, practice lengthening your tail bone some more and try again.
Back bends shouldn’t be concentrated solely in the back. All 24 movable vertebrae should participate
equally to their capacity in the pose.
Now imagine your favorite movie star is straddling your body (you could actually have yoga friend do
this) and with their hands are providing some downward resistance to the backs of your upper arms.
Inhale and press up against this imaginary resistance, bringing your arms about parallel to the floor. You
can look forward if your neck has no issues, look at the floor if it does. Hold for 30 seconds and release.
THE POSE
And now you’re ready for the moment of truth. Inhale and lift into the full pose. Remember to maintain
that inward rotation of your legs, big toes closer than the heels. Be sure you rotate from the hips, not just
the ankles. As a quick aside, one teacher, lifting his torso and legs, but leaving his back hands on the floor,
calls this the Grasshopper. Hold to capacity and release on an exhale, cross your forearms to pillow your
forehead.
VARIATIONS
As I mentioned earlier, most variations involve the arms, but the legs are also involved in one variation.
Our model, as you can see, is demonstrating one rather uncommon variation, the positioning of his arms is
often called “cactus arms.”
The traditional pose presses the hands below the shoulders against the floor. The sharp bend of the elbows
mimics the locust’s legs. If you work with this variation, be sure not to push your torso back and compress
the lower back. Press your hands down against the floor and back, using the backward pressure to move
the sternum forward. Should you want to be sure you don’t compress your low back by pressing bback,
hold your hands slightly off the floor.
There’s one variation with the hands in the under-the-shoulder position, with the legs raised but bent at the
knees so the forelegs are perpendicular to the floor. B.K.S. Iyengar calls this variation (although his arms
are stretched back) Makarasana, the “Sea Monster.” The challenge is to maintain the lift of the legs and
the knees inside the line of the outer hips.
A very popular and slightly more challenging position has the arms stretched forward. The arms can be
held parallel, or you can press your palms together. A variation of this variation is to simultaneously raise
opposite arms and legs, that is, right arm, left leg, left arm, right leg.
You can also do a variation of Locust with your hands clasped behind your back, as you did during the
preparation, and raise your arms, in what is called the Sarpasana, the Serpent. You can clasp your hands
on the back of your head. I like to hook my index fingers just under the base of my skull (at the occiput). I
can then draw the occiput away from the back of the neck to keep the neck free. Generally, the elbows are
reached out to the sides, but you might also press them together in front of your face. One yogi calls this
Navasana, the “Boat.”