Ardha Salabhasana for Pelvic Muscle Exercises

Ardha Salabhasana is also known as Half Locust Posture and Adha Salabhasana. This yoga posture is meant for anyone who cannot perform the Salabhasana or the Locust Pose. When you work on Ardha Salabhasana you’ll realize that it is different from Salabhasana or Locust Pose, and in this you only have to lift your legs upwards. This is a good pelvic exercise, and one of the well-known pelvic muscle exercises in yoga.

Method: We suggest that you learn this yoga posture as well as any other yoga posture from a qualified yoga teacher. However, this step-by-step guide will help you get an idea about this particular pose.

• Lie down in the prone position with your fists closed, hands next to the body, forehead touching the ground. Your legs should be together with toes pointing outwards and the soles facing upwards.


• Push your chin forward gently and allow it to rest on the ground.


• Your right leg should be raised gently without bending the knee. Make sure that the pelvis is not tilted. Be in this position for sometime.


• Then return to this position. Repeat the same sequence of steps with the other leg. This is Ardha-Salabhasana.

What you need to remember:

• Do keep in mind that you should not tilt your pelvis when you raise your legs.


• When you are raising your leg, make sure that you do not bend the knee.

Benefits of Ardha Salabhasana:

• This is a good pelvic muscle exercise.


• This yoga posture can strengthen the muscles of the legs, arms, buttocks, and spine.


• This pose is known to stretch the muscles of the thighs, belly, chest and shoulders.


• It improves your overall posture.


• This yoga posture stimulates the organs of the abdomen, and strengthens the lower abdomen muscles.

Caution:

• If you suffer from lumbar spondilitis, then you should not do this posture.


• If you have muscle cramps, then you must do this posture carefully and with utmost caution.


• If you suffer from neck injuries, then make sure to keep your head in a neutral position and look down at the floor. You can use a thick, folded blanket a as prop and use it to support your forehead.


• If you suffer from back injury or have a headache, then do not do this posture.

Other positions: Some of the other postures that have similar health benefits include –

• Padangusthasana or the Big Toe Pose: It lengthens as well as strengthens the hamstring muscles.


• Ardha Bhekasana or Half Frog Pose: This posture opens up the thighs, chest and shoulders.


• Bitilasana or Cow Pose: This posture is good for warming up the spine.