How Do You Do That Posture? Full Locust

Posture: Full Locust Pose (Poorna-Salabhasana)

Expert: BYV Teacher SunWu G.

Feeling Full Locust Pose:

1. Listen to and follow the dialogue to the best of your ability. Personally, I always find the dialogue to be the best guide for growth and discovery within the body.
2. Setup is important: chin forward, “arms out to the sides like airplane wings,” strong arms and all of the fingers together.
3. Keep your thigh and butt muscles contracted and your legs together … really squeeze them! You may notice when you lift up that you lose some strength in your contraction; go back to these major muscles and use them!
4. Your breath is key as you lift up; one deep, strong inhale will make the lungs feel charged and buoyant. When you come up to your comfortable full height, stay there for a few seconds and then find that contraction in the lower body and try to lift your chest up more at the same time, bringing your arms up and back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. At this point, make sure that, from the butt down, you remain “tight, solid, concrete, one piece.” I find it helpful to look back, relaxing my head back and feeling the whole front side of my body opening.
5. Lift and peel your upper body back with your hip bones touching the floor, abdominals contracted and spine bending back with the help of your strong, contracted lower body. Your arms open your chest with the help of your shoulders blades squeezing together.
6. Last but not least, fly like a 747 taking off!