Stretch & release your back, shoulders, core, and more in Standing Locust Pose…

Standing Locust Pose (Baddha Hasta Utthita Stiti Salabhasana) – also known as Rising Locust Pose or Hands Bound Rising Locust Pose – is a beginner-level standing yoga pose that offers a gentle stretch for the spine and back muscles. It also stretches and strengthens muscles in the chest, core, shoulders, and arms, and provides a nice stretch for the abdominals, neck, and psoas muscles.

This pose functions as a heart-opening pose and a gentle standing backbend, and it’s a great warmup for more intense back bend yoga poses. It’s also a great pose to do after spending lots of time in a forward-oriented position, such as seated at a computer desk or in the car.

If you have problems maintaining your balance, you may wish to have the back of a chair handy to use for balance if needed. While this is a fairly simple pose, those with injuries to the neck, spine, or shoulders should avoid this pose.

How to Do Standing Locust Pose:

• Begin standing in Mountain Pose, and find a stable and relaxed stance as you take a few deep breaths.
• Bring your arms behind you and interlace your fingers, knuckles facing the floor and palms facing up.
• Exhale and stretch deeper, pressing your shoulders down and clasped hands towards the floor.
• Slowly bring your nose to the sky, arching your neck backwards, and open your chest towards the ceiling into a gentle, standing backbend stance.
• Keep your knees straight and your hips pressed forward while you maintain strength through the chest and belly to help you stay stable and balanced.
• Remain here for 2-3 breaths, then slowly raise your head, release your hands, and return to a relaxed stance. You may wish to follow this pose with a counter stretch such as Cat Pose.

Image Credit: Mr. Yoga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons