Locust Pose

            A lot of people have no trouble with full expression of this pose. It helps if you have rock hard abs and muscular legs. For the rest of us, we need to break down this pose. Classes are usually filled with people of different levels and it can be intimidating. The best breakdown of the pose was at Bikram’s where I started to really understand building the pose.

            In the series, you do palms facing downwards and side by side underneath your chest. Your chin is on the ground. You feel good pain in the arms. You lift each leg to at least 45 degrees separately. This gives you a chance to feel and use the muscles in the butt and legs. You have to make sure not to twist your hips. My body likes to cheat and redistribute the weight to avoid pain so be aware. My recent teacher always tells us, yoga is an inside job. (A variation that I added for home practice was using leg weights to increase the working of the legs and butt)

Half Locust

          

         Now you lift both legs up and the chest. It can be hard to lift the chest if your lower abs are not strong. With scoliosis, my back has taken a lifetime of laziness from the lower abs. You can call it an unhappy marriage; imagine a slob husband sitting on the couch watching football while his fit attractive wife is in the kitchen slaving away.

I started doing cobra as an exercise now to beginning feeling the lower abs separately from a yoga sequence. I do a series of twenty five at a time. If you have your shoulders right to your side and elbows at ninety degrees, you feel your lower abs. My arms had a tendency of flaring to compensate again for the lower abs, be aware of that.

           Cobra is a good way to check in and make sure you really are feeling the lower abs. If you are in class and you are not feeling something during any abs exercise never be shy about asking your teacher, that is what they are there for and chances are if you’re having an issue there is someone else in your class that is too. Honoring yourself is also speaking up for yourself and saying what you need.       

Cobra

            There are a lot of abdominal exercises but conscious contraction of the muscles is everything. I remember quite a few times where I would go at a series and get frustrated. I knew intuitively it was too easy. Listen to your intuition. Obviously test was I could not see the strengthening and toning in my lower abs. When I would get to Locust and Bow, I knew it because I could not lift upwards. Listen to your body and when you hear a voice saying something isn’t right, listen and get guidance on how to correct it. Yoga teachers should always be willing to assist you as they are experts on anatomy. If you have special needs like me with scoliosis ask them what they know. If they are not familiar, find another teacher who might be able to speak to your needs. You have to seek the knowledge for yourself. A teacher can only teach what they know.

            In a class you might feel obligated to do as the rest of the villagers but remember it is only ego. Most people have taken a lot of time to get where they are at. Ego is the hardest lesson because it stops us from asking questions, learning and growing. Yoga is a metaphor for life. Be good and kind to yourself, the advice comes from someone who has had to overcome a lot of physical challenges. I use to be so stubborn and kept trying to get to the end but that was not honoring the beauty of my own form and where I was in my growth. Grow the pose! Grow in Life!

             

Locust (Fullest Expression)