Matsyasana: Fish Pose

The Matsyasana or Fish Pose is a great pose for helping to strengthen your flexor and intercostal aka the muscles between the ribs. This pose can also help to relieve tension in your throat, shoulders, and neck while helping to improve posture and relieve irritation and stress. In this post I will give you the steps needed to complete the Matsyasana correctly for beginners.
STEP 1: Lie with your back touching the floor with your feet on the floor and your knees bent. Slightly lift your pelvis off the floor and with your hands slide them, palms facing downward, below your buttocks. Take your buttock and rest it on the backs of your hand but make sure they don’t lose contact as you perform the pose. Tuck your elbows and forearms up close so they are beside your torso.
STEP 2: Firmly press your elbows and forearms against the floor as you inhale before pressing your scapulas into your back. Inhaling take your upper torso and head, and lift it away from the floor. Release your head back down to the floor. Depending on how high you can lift your chest and arch your back will depend on whether the crown of your head or the head itself will rest onto the floor. To avoid crunching of your neck there should be minimum weight resting on your neck.
STEP 3: Straighten your legs out and onto the floor as you keep your knees bent. Keep your thighs active and press through your heels.
STEP 4: Hold this pose for up to 30 seconds before breathing smoothly. Exhaling, lower your head and torso to the floor before you draw your thighs into your belly and squeeze them.