Strengthening & Toning Your Back with Salabhasana: Tips and Techniques
Salabhasana (Locust Pose) in Bikram Yoga is a powerful posture that can help to strengthen and tone the muscles in your upper and lower back, stretches the legs, improve your balance and stability, and increase your flexibility and range of motion.
Strengthening and toning the muscles in your back is important for a number of reasons. Having strong back muscles can help to improve your posture, reduce the risk of back pain, and increase your overall fitness and mobility. Strong back muscles also play an important role in activities such as walking, running, and lifting.
Additionally, having a strong and toned back can also improve your appearance, giving you a more defined and toned look.
Another important aspect of the Salabhasana is the improvement of balance and stability, which can help you prevent falls and injuries, particularly as you age.
Salabhasana also helps to increase flexibility and range of motion in the back and legs, which can help to reduce stiffness and soreness in those areas, and improve overall mobility and fitness.
Finally, by stretching your legs and elbows, the benefits also include better circulation by easing stress on blood vessels and improving their elasticity.
Here's how to perform Salabhasana correctly and safely:
Lie on your stomach: With your chin resting on the floor. Place your arms under your body with your elbows turned up against the abdomen and palms flat on the floor, fingers spread and pointing toward your feet, little fingers side by side.
Both arms are pinned under your body. Feet together.
Now raise the right leg, keeping it straight with the knee locked, to a 45-degree angle with the floor. Don’t lift all the way up to the hip; the right hip should stay down. Don’t rotate, twist or bend the leg in any way. Hold the right knee for 10 seconds.
Slowly lower the right leg to the floor. Maintaining the same position of body and arms, lift the left leg up to a 45-degree angle and hold for 10 seconds. Slowly lower the left leg.
Release your head and chin so you are now facedown, with no bend in the neck. Your arms are still trapped. Now lock both knees, point your toes, and tense your thigh and hip muscles until they are hard as rocks.
Squeeze your legs together, take a big inhale, and raise both of your legs -and the hips, this time - off the floor as high as possible. Hold the pose for 10 seconds.
After the 10 count, lower both legs slowly, under control, knees locked.
Repeat each part of the pose for 10 seconds.
It's important to remember that if you are new to yoga, it is always best to start with a beginner class or to practice under the guidance of a certified instructor.
By following these tips, you'll be able to perform Salabhasana correctly and safely, and enjoy all the benefits that come with it.
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