Shalabhasana

The Gheranda Samhita describes Shalabhasana plainly: lie face down, place the hands beneath the thighs, and raise the legs like the locust. It is the counterweight to the cobra — where Bhujangasana opens the front of the body, the locust forges the back. Classically it belongs to the group of prone poses that strengthen the spine and kindle the inner fire before the sitting practices; the effort is deliberate, the heat intentional. The locust in Indian fields lifts straight up from the ground with sudden, whole-bodied force — the pose asks for exactly that quality from the back muscles.

1. Lie face down, chin or forehead on the floor, arms alongside the body or hands under the thighs, palms down.
2. On an inhale, lift one straight leg without bending the knee; lower on an exhale. Repeat with the other leg.
3. When both legs alone are easy, lift the chest, arms, and both legs together on an inhale, reaching the fingertips back.
4. Keep the neck long and the gaze on the floor; breathe — do not hold the breath.
5. Hold for three to five breaths, lower, and rest with the cheek on the floor.

Shalabhasana is a direct strengthening exercise for the spinal extensors, the glutes, and the back of the shoulders — the posterior chain that desk life weakens. Research on back-extension exercise supports its value for building endurance in the muscles that protect the lumbar spine, and physiotherapists use closely related movements in rehabilitation for chronic low-back pain. The load on the lumbar spine is significant, which is why the pose is built from single-leg versions and is contraindicated in acute back conditions.