Full Locust for Beginners and Men | A Step-by-Step Tutorial

This is a challenging, full-body pose that improves spinal mobility and strengthens your core, spine, and lower body. It’s a great way for athletes and fitness enthusiasts to take core strength to the next level. Full locust should be a slow and controlled movement of every inch—don’t jerk your body off the floor.

Full Locust Target Areas

corespinebackhips

Full Locust Benefits

Strengthens entire back side of the body Increases lowerbody endurance and strengthImproves posture

– click images to enlarge –

Full Locust – Step 1Full Locust – Step 2

How to Do Full Locust

Lie on your stomach. Rest your arms at your sides, palms facing down, and straighten the legs. Relax your forehead on the floor. Engage your core and thighs, and rotate your thighs inward so kneecaps face down, and all 10 toes touch the floor.Inhale as you lift your legs, arms, and chest away from the floor, and exhale to lengthen your body, pressing toes further back and head further up. Completely engage core and hips. Squeeze thighs to lock knees, and press toes back as far as you can, making legs as long as possible. Squeeze arms toward each other to engage the mid-back and open the chest. Hold the posture, inhaling to lift higher and increase arch, and exhaling to create more length from toes to head.

Cues for Full Locust

Press hips toward floor to engage coreTops of all 10 toes touch floorSqueeze shoulder blades togetherPress crown of head away from shoulders and gently lift chinMaintain consistent arch through spinePoint toes back as far as possibleKeep knees locked

WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL

Intense engagement of legs and coreEngagement of back and tricepsStretch in chestLength in spine from tailbone to head

WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL

Spine and neck pain; if you do, lower torso slightly and keep core engaged

Full Locust Pro Tip

The key to this pose is focusing on length first, and then focusing on the lift. Press your toes and your head as far away from each other as possible, and then work on using your hips and core strength to lift. Depth comes with time and effort.

Full Locust ALTERNATE VIEW

If you lack the strength to lift your entire body away from the floor, focus on developing proper muscle engagement first, and lift only slightly as you’re able.Full Locust – Modification