Twist yourself fabulous with the Lord of the Fishes

Get a spring in your step with arguably one of the most beneficial yoga poses in the book. Ardha Matsyendrasana or Half Lord of the Fishes Pose is a spinal twist that will help your feel fabulous in oh so many ways:

1. Spine – this pose has obvious benefits for the spine, the fact that you are opening and releasing the space between the vertebrae will aid in alleviating back pain, especially that caused by sitting at a desk etc.
   
2. Alignment – following on from the above, because the whole of the spine is used, the problems associated with many back complaints can be helped with this pose, such as sciatica, scoliosis and lordosis.*
   
3. Digestive system – the positioning of the front of the body means that your internal organs around your tummy will get mildly compressed. This means that blood gets restricted to the area and then, when released, fresh new blood rushes into the digestive system and stimulates the system to work better.
   
4. Upper body stretch – the chest opens with the full twist, which serves to stretch the shoulders and neck.
   
5. Hip stretch – because the spine is twisting on its access, the hips will also feel the effects of the stretch.
   
6. Fertility – there are also some schools of thought that the reproductive system is also stimulated through the position and therefore helps with fertility
   

*please note, any back problems involving discs, slipped or bulging, consult your yoga practitioner or medical professional for individual advice, as this position may exacerbate the problem.

How to…

A step-by-step guide of how to get in and out of the position

1. Sit with legs out-stretched
   
2. Bend the right knee and place the right foot to the left hand side of the left leg, roughly in line with the left knee
   
3. Make sure that the right hip doesn’t raise and both hips are on the floor. It may be beneficial to remove the flesh from the sit bones (underside of the pelvis) with the hands to ensure that you are sitting comfortably and flat.
   
4. Place the right hand behind the base of the spine for support, you may find it easier to place the hand flat or come onto the finger tips, whichever is better to get you in a good position to make the spine as upright as possible.
   
5. With a deep inhale, raise the left arm up alongside the ear to stretch the right side of the body.
   
6. Bend the left arm at the elbow and position the elbow to the right hand side of the right knee, whilst keeping the stretch through the left side of the body. Do this with your exhale breath.
   
7. On your next inhale, push the right fingertips (or palm if the hand is flat) into the floor and raise the crown of the head (the central part of the top of the head, not the chin) to lengthen the spine and open the front of the body.
   
8. On your next exhale, use the left elbow as a lever to start to rotate the lower body, from the bottom of the abdomen to the right, work up from the bottom, so the belly, then ribcage, shoulders, the neck and the head. Try to avoid taking the head round straight away, as you’ll get a deeper twist if you start from the bottom of the spine.
   
9. The twist is active, so every inhale sit up taller and every exhale twist just a little further, but don’t overstrain the body and use your breaths.
   
10. Repeat on the opposite side.

If you haven’t practiced this position previously I suggest 2 big inhales and exhales and then release on your last exhale. If you get more comfortable in the position try holding for 5 breaths, then a period of 30 seconds to 1 minute to achieve the full benefits of the pose.

Modifications:

• If you’re having trouble bringing the front of the body close to the right thigh, you may find it easier to move the right foot slightly further forward towards the left shin, as leg-length can determine the best leg-position for you.
• If your right shoulder is hunched closed to the ear you might bend the elbow, so that the shoulder can move away from the head, however if you bend the elbow away from you there is a tendency for the spine to sink, so bend the elbow in towards the spine, which means you still have full support, but the chest is more open.
• If your left shoulder is hunched towards the ear, you may find it easier to bring the left arm straight, with the palm open facing the right hand side. Again, arm length can determine which position is best for you.
• If you would like a deeper stretch for the hips you can bend the left knee whilst still keeping the leg on the floor, bringing the foot back towards the right sit-bone. Do ensure that both sit-bones stay firmly on the floor, if the hips start to raise, then please bring the leg out straight again.
• If you would like to open the chest even further and use more of the body to help you twist further by binding. Once in the twist you can bring the left arm underneath the right thigh and grab hold of the outer edge of the left though or hip. Or, if you’re feeling Über flexible, you can take the right had around the back to meet the left hand and grab the wrist to use the extra resistance to aid the twist. 

Please note – if you remove the right had from the base of the spine and there is any sinking in the spine, please replace the hand, as it’s much more important to keep the spinal column upright, rather than binding.