Health Benefits of Shalabhasana

Detoxifying our body from the inside is essential for every individual. One can do this with different techniques, but the most natural way is to boost the body's own cleaning process. Yoga is an effective way to do so.

There are different yoga poses for various health issues, for example, Shalabhasana, which is easy yet effective. It can strengthen your core muscles and give your body a good stretch. To know the benefits of Shalabhasana, keep scrolling.

What Is Shalabhasana?

In Sanskrit, ‘Shalabha’ means locust, and asana means ‘pose’. Therefore, Shalabhasana means a yoga posture that looks like a locust. You must perform this posture by lying on your belly and lifting your lower body off the ground. Therefore, your body will rest on your belly. During the process, you need to keep your hands and legs straight. Shalabhasana is highly beneficial for core muscles, fatigue and stress. Below is a detailed list of the benefits of Shalabhasana.

What Are the Top 13 Benefits of Shalabhasana?

There are different health benefits of Shalabhasana; some are listed below:

1. Helps in Conditioning Neck and Back

Nowadays, people work for hours sitting in a single position. Therefore, the issue of a stiff neck and back is very prevalent. Shalabhasana is a perfect remedy for these issues. It helps to stretch your body and backbone, thus activating the flexibility of your body.

2. Helps in Blood Circulation

Proper blood circulation is important for healthy body functioning. Shalabhasana is extremely beneficial for nurturing your heart and increasing its capability to pump blood. Further, it helps blood flow to every part of the body, ensuring the optimum functioning of body parts.

3. Aids in Weight Loss

In this posture, you need to lie on your belly and stretch your whole body. Therefore, it will put a light pressure on your abdomen and waist and reduce excess fat from these areas. In modern times, lifestyle disorders and unhealthy diets cause increased weight. You can practice Shalabhasana to reduce all these issues naturally.

4. Beneficial for Shoulder and Neck

In Shalabhasana, the neck and shoulder play an important role. Therefore, these parts will undergo extreme stretching, which in turn will strengthen them. Therefore, you can get a toned shoulder and neck by practising Shalabhasana.

5. Tones Lower Back Muscles

As in this pose, you lift your lower body with belly support; therefore, the lower back muscles get tightened. So, if you want to tone your lower back muscles, Shalabhasana can be a great pose. It will help you to tone your hips and pelvis parts naturally.

Other Benefits:

Tones leg and thigh muscles
A very beneficial warm-up for the sportspersons
Boosts body’s metabolism
Helps to tone the sciatic nerve
Beneficial for kidney and liver
Improves digestive system
Helpful for stimulating appetite
Relieves menstrual pain

How to Perform Shalabhasana?

shalabhasana perform — (source: blogspot)

To get the maximum benefits from Shalabhasana, follow this step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Lie on your belly on a yoga mat

Step 2: Rest your hands by your side with your palms upward

Step 3: Inhale deeply and try to lift your lower portion and leg upward

Step 4: Keep your arms resting by your side while doing the pose, and keep your knees straight

Step 5: Lift the whole body weight with the support of your belly, lower ribs and pelvis

Step 6: Stay in this position for a few moments and hold your breath

Step 7: Slowly get back to the starting position

Step 8: Repeat the steps two to three times

What Are the 3 Tips For Practising Shalabhasana?

As a beginner, you should perform Shalabhasana very carefully so that you do not end up forcing your body to fit into the posture. If you follow the below-mentioned tips, you can get the maximum benefits out of it:

1. Position of Shoulders

While performing Shalabhasana, you should keep your shoulder close to the ground. This is the right way to practise this posture and will give you proper benefits. Do not lift your shoulders to your ears.

2. Leg Stretching

In this pose, you need to stretch your legs by keeping them straight. Also, ensure that you lift them upward enough to attain the correct posture.

3. Be Careful With Your Neck

When performing Shalabhasana, do not put excessive pressure on your neck. Keep your neck straight, and your chin tucked in slightly to avoid any injury to your neck.

What Are the Precautions and Contraindications of Shalabhasana?

Shalabhasana seems to be easy; however, beginners will find it challenging. In addition, neck cramps or faulty body posture can occur during this pose. Therefore, you need to maintain certain precautions to avoid any risky consequences:

If you already have a neck injury, refrain from practising this posture
Avoid practising if you have hernia
Avoid practising if you have frequent headaches
Take advice from an expert if you are a beginner to know about the correct procedure and posture
People with abdominal surgery should refrain from practising Shalabhasana
Intestinal disorders and peptic ulcers should be cured fully before practising Shalabhasana

What Are the Easy Modifications of Shalabhasana?

If you face issues while performing Shalabhasana, you can modify it slightly to simultaneously get the benefits and comfort. These modifications are listed below:

Use Props: If you feel pain in your abdomen while performing the pose, try to put a soft blanket underneath. This will help you to complete the pose easily.
Try Half Way: If you cannot raise the whole lower body at one go, you should try to raise it a little bit at first. Further, you can perform the pose by lifting one leg at a time to avoid discomfort.
Place Your Forehead on the Floor: If you face discomfort in your neck and chin while lifting, you can rest your forehead on the floor. Further, you can put a blanket under your throat and chin to avoid pain.
Use Your Palms: In the beginning, if you can’t lift your body fully, you can use your palm for support. Hence do not give much force to your palm as it may harm your wrist.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Who cannot perform Shalabhasana?

Pregnant women, people with high blood pressure, sciatica pain, back injury, or slip disc issue should refrain from practising Shalabhasana.

How many times should you do Shalabhasana?

It is recommended to practice at least 10 sets of Shalabhasana for effective results. However, it depends on your capability. Further, you should start slowly by not forcing your body.