Backbend · Beginner
Half Locust Pose
Ardha Salabhasana·अर्ध शलभासन·ardha śalabhāsana
Also called: Half Locust
Half Locust is where users start when full Locust is too much. The asymmetric load is easier on the lower back, and lifting one leg lets you discover that one side is almost always weaker than the other — useful information.
Benefits
- Accessible entry into back-strengthening for users not yet ready for full Locust
- Isolates one side at a time — easier to track imbalance between left and right
- Strengthens the glutes and hamstrings in extension
- Useful in physical-therapy contexts for mild lower-back rehab
How to practise Half Locust Pose
- Lie face down on a soft surface. Forehead resting on the mat.
- Extend the arms alongside the body, palms down beneath the hips.
- Press the chin gently into the mat to lengthen the back of the neck.
- Inhale and lift only the right leg up behind you. Keep the leg straight.
- Lift from the back of the leg and the glute — not by tilting the hip up.
- Hold for the duration, then exhale and lower the leg.
- Pause for a breath. Switch to the left leg.
Suggested hold: 30s · Breath: Paced
How Half Locust Pose affects your doshas
In Ayurveda the same pose lands differently depending on your constitution. This is the lens the app uses to sequence your practice.
| Dosha | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vata | Neutral | broadly neutral |
| Pitta | Neutral | broadly neutral |
| Kapha | Balancing | a good fit — helps settle this dosha |
Who should avoid or modify this pose
- Pregnant women shouldn't practice — prone position is unsafe
- Don't practice with herniated disc or severe lower-back injury
- Skip after recent abdominal surgery
- Avoid with severe high blood pressure
If you're pregnant, injured, or managing a condition, check with a qualified teacher or clinician before practising.
Modifications
- Place a folded blanket under the hip points for cushioning
- Lift the leg lower if the lower back complains — height isn't the goal, engagement is
- Practice with arms extended forward overhead (Superman variant) for more demand
- Skip if the prone position itself is uncomfortable
Traditional source: Modern hatha — Modern half-variant of Salabhasana, using one leg at a time. Not in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika Ch. 1.