Do you often feel sad and rejected in your daily life? Are you tired of falling sick? Are you a textbook procrastinator? If yes, then stop everything and practice the pose which will transform your life and introduce you to the wisdom of lord Vishnu – The Fish pose.
Also known as the destroyer of all diseases and the Matsyasana pose, this yoga asana is a complete exercise and stretches limbs – from throat to spine to pelvis, stimulates blood circulation and improves overall balance and emotional outlook of the practitioner.
Let’s dive deeper and understand how to practice the correct posture of the fish pose, its benefits and how to customize it to suit your needs and fitness levels.
Fish pose – Step by Step Instructions
Time needed: 10 minutes.
How to practice the correct posture of the Fish Pose
- Lie down on your back with feet touching each other and arms on the side
Lie down on your back with feet touching each other and arms on the side. Inhale and exhale a few deep breaths till your body and mind are completely relaxed.
- Now bring your palms under your hips. Make sure your palms are facing the ground.- Advertisement -
Now bring your palms under your hips. Make sure your palms are facing the ground. Bring your arms and elbows a little closer. Inhale a deep breath and lift your chest, take the head back and try to touch the crown of your head on the floor. Make sure the bodyweight is on the elbows and not the head. Keep your legs together, chest up, back arched, and softly gaze forward. Inhale deep breaths and hold the pose for a few seconds (as long as you can).
- Come out of the pose, relax the arms, lower your chest
To come out of the pose, relax the arms, lower your chest, and bring your body in a straight line. Relax for a few seconds before practicing the yoga asana again
Beginners tip
When practicing for the first time, it is common to overexert your neck. Make sure you raise your chest slowly to ease the neck into the correct alignment or keep a folded towel/blanket under your neck, till you have perfected this yoga asana.
Best time to perform
It is best to practice this yoga asana is in the morning as it energizes the body, collects your focus and prepares you for the day ahead.
In case you can’t work out in the mornings, it is ok to practice in the afternoons and evenings. Just make sure you have an empty stomach and you had last meal at least 4 hours before you begin the workout.
Benefits
Health benefits
The fish pose stretches and releases tension in the chest, neck, shoulders, and back. Regular practice of yoga asana helps in better nutrient absorption, relieving symptoms of constipation, asthma, indigestion, fatigue and menstruation cramps. The yoga pose also stimulates pituitary and pineal glands and maintains hormonal balance.
Therapeutic benefits
The fish pose is an excellent grounding pose and also works in the opening of solar plexus, heart, throat, and crown chakra. The pose grounds your energy into the earth and helps in regaining focus, clarity, calm, and a sense of balance. The yoga asana helps in soothing symptoms of chronic fatigue, anxiety, and depression.
Precautions
Avoid this yoga asana if you suffer from high/low blood pressure, insomnia, migraine, slipped disc, or have recently undergone surgery or childbirth.
Conclusion
A back-bending yoga asana that expands the chest cavity and spinal strength deepens the breathing and increases nerve impulses and blood circulation. The fish pose improves balance and works in correcting rounded shoulders.
Additional facts
Preparatory poses – Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, Salabhasana
Follow up poses – Ustrasana, Gomukhasana, Virasana, Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Alternate poses – Bitilasana
Sanskrit name – Matsyasana (pronounced as Mut-See-Ahs-Ana)
Matsya – Fish, Asana – Pose
The pose gets its name from the resemblance to a fish
Difficulty level – Intermediate
“To the yogi, all experience is seen as one, as a means to help him cultivate devotion. All experiences have equal meaning and value.” – Prem Prakash
Fun fact – Matsya is believed to be the fish avatar of Lord Vishnu’s. It is believed that the fish saved the earth and Manu (the first man) from a big flood. Matsya is depicted in a human-animal form – the upper half as a man and the lower half as a fish.
