Grasshopper pose

The Grasshopper pose of yoga is also known as the Locust pose or the Shalabha asana. This pose is a good one for nourishing your hips, spine and the muscles of your back. It also provides a stretch to your shoulders, chest, abdomen, arms and thighs.

You start from a position of lying face down on your stomach. Turn your face to one side, to facilitate breathing. Your arms are by your sides and legs straight down your hips in the normal face-down position. Now move your arms, bend them from the elbows, and bring your palms alongside your face. Place your palms flat on the mat and push the floor down with your palms, to raise your chest off the floor.

Stiffen the muscles of your buttocks, thighs and your calf muscles. Lift your legs off the floor and hold them about a foot or so above the floor. Initially you will not be able to raise your legs higher than a few inches. Keep the muscles of your legs and buttocks stiff, to enable you to hold your legs up.

Now rotate your arms behind your back and interlace the fingers of your right palms into those of your left. Stiffen your spine and the muscles of your arms. Hold yourself stiff in this position with your body resting and balanced on your abdomen.

Fix your gaze at a point about a foot from your face, to avoid straining your neck. To hold on to this position, you need to stretch back with your arms and legs and hold your limbs and spine stiff. You can be in this position for between half an minute to a minute and then exit this pose, by relaxing the muscles of your limbs and spine and lowering your chest to the mat.

Sources:

CorePower Yoga Salambhasana (Locust Pose)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwkZ_2JhIwU

Shalabha-asana The Locust or Grasshopper Posture

http://www.santosha.com/shalabha.html

How to do a yoga grasshopper and peacock pose

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-do-a-yoga-grasshopper-and-peacock-pose-322831/