The Half Lord of the Fishes Pose brings energy to the spine as well as invigorates digestions.

POSE INFORMATION

GENERAL INFO

Name in Sanskrit: Ardha Matsyendrasana

Difficulty: Medium

POSE BENEFITS

  • It stimulates the body organs such as he kidney and the liver.
  • It flexes he hips, neck, and shoulders.
  • It make she spine stronger.
  • It invigorates digestion in the stomach.
  • It also helps to calm menstrual pain, sciatic, backache and fatigue.
  • It helps in relieving infertility and asthma. 
  • According to traditional text, the Half Lord Pose improves appetite, destroys harmful diseases and fire up kundalini.

POSE CAUTIONS

Those who have spine or back injury should perform the pose under the watch of an expert or experienced teacher.

Arda Matsyendrasana

HOW TO PRACTICE THIS ASANA

ONE

Start by sitting on the floor and extending your legs straight forward, while your buttocks is supported over one folded blanket. Fold the knees and place the fee over the floor. After that, place the foot beneath the right leg to the exterior of the right hip.

Place the exterior of your right leg over the floor. And step the right foot on your left leg while you stand it over the floor at the exterior of the left hip. A this stage, your right knee should be facing the ceiling.

TWO

Breathe out and twist to the interior of your right thigh. Push your right hand over the floor just at the back of the buttock and place the left upper arm over the exterior of the right thigh towards the knee.

Push the front body and interior right thigh closely together. Push the inner right foot strongly on the floor; bring down your right groin, while extending the front body. Bend he upper body back a bit over the scapula and keep extending the tailbone to the floor. 

THREE

Face the head to a direction. Turn to the right to keep the body twist. Or switch the body twist and turn it to the left. Ensure you look on your left shoulder at your right foot.

FOUR

As you breathe in, carry a bit more between the sternum. Press your fingers on the floor in an attempt to make it easy. Continue twisting as you breathe in. Ensure you spread the twist totally through the overall length of your spine. Your focus shouldn’t be on the lower part of your back.

Hold this pose for about 30 seconds or 1 minute. After that, loosen up and breathe out simultaneously. Go back to the position you assume at the beginning and do for the left all what you have done for the same period of time.

How to do the Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Arda Matsyendrasana)

BEGINNERS TIP

The pose has versions. For this one, your opposite-side arm wraps the exterior of your raised-leg and its upper thigh. Beginners find it difficult to do this because they think it is harmful and impractical.

Ensure you sit up on blanket as support. Wrap the arm over your raised leg and hold your thigh to the body. 

MODIFICATIONS & PROPS

For beginners, it is almost impossible to keep to the body snug over your inner thigh. Stand at a foot or more from the wall, the distance between you and the wall would be determined by the length of the performer’s arm. Turn your back against this wall.

Don’t sit too close to the wall to ensure your arm isn’t quite extended. Push against the wall and push the front body over the thigh. 

PARTNERING

Your partner assist in working your opposite side elbow to the exterior of your upper thigh. Place the legs in the position that was explained above. Face the right. Let the partner sit at the right side to your position. She is afoot away and faces you. Reach the left arm to her and press your arm (the back) over the top of your right thigh.

The person can hold your wrist firmly, while the partner presses her feet over the outside of the performer’s right thigh. Slowly, the partner pulls with her hands and pushes with her feet, drawing your left side of your body out of your inside left groin. As you do this, move the back arm deeper along and place the left side completely over your op thigh.

Don’t forget that your partner is not meant to force your body into a deep twist. She is there to help extend and lengthen easily.

Joanne Lipston is a certified Yin Yoga teacher in United States, passionate about the transformative power of this practice. With a dedication to promoting strength, flexibility, and mindfulness, Joanne creates an energetic and supportive environment in her classes.