Lord of the half fishes pose.
How to perform Ardha Matsyendrasana
1. Sit on the ground, your legs straightened out in front of you, and buttocks placed on a folded blanket or the edge of a long bolster to elevate the hips (with an anterior tilt) and support the knees in the pose. Bending your knees, place your feet on the ground, bring your left foot under your right leg and place it outside your right hip. Firm the edge of your left foot into the floor, dorsiflexing the foot (ha-pada bandha). Put the outside of the left leg on the ground. Put the right foot on the left leg and place it on the floor outside your left hip. Raise the arch of that foot, keeping the sole on the ground. Lift the toes to increase the arch of this foot (ha-pada bandha). Your right knee will face directly up at the ceiling in this position. Firm and tighten around the back of the knee joint as if you were holding a piece of paper there (janu bhandha).
2. During exhalation, rotate in the direction of the inside of the right thigh to create a twist. Push the right hand against the side of the supporting bolster, stretching along the arm, the biceps and pectorals. If possible, just behind your right hip/buttock and place your left upper arm (elbow or hand) on the outside area of your right thigh near the right knee. Press the elbow to the knee or press the hand onto the outer knee, keeping your elbow bent and arm active. Keep your chest lifted and open as you elevate the spine, twist gently and bring the front portion of the body and inner right thigh together.
3. Continue actively pressing the inner right foot into the ground with lifted arches and toes. Chest open, trying to elevate, left and “separate” the collar bones.
4. Turn your head in either of the two directions depending on the strength and conditioning of your neck, using appropriate feedback as to which way to compassionately place your neck. Continue the turn of the body by twisting the neck and eyes (and ocular muscles) to the right or counter the body’s turn by twisting it to the left and looking at the right foot over the left shoulder, again using the eyes to stretch the neck and torso further to the left.
5. On each breath, pull a little more through your sternum, pressing your hand against the ground/brick or the side of the bolster. Twist a little more during each gentle exhalation. Take care to distribute the turn or twist evenly throughout the length of the spine and refrain from concentrating on the lower back region. Again, try and refrain from collapsing through the chest. Lift the collar bones and keep the chest open. Stay in this pose for 30-60 seconds.
6. Exhale and release the pose, returning to the starting position. Repeat for the same duration of time to the left side.
Ardha Matsyendrasana Benefits
Western Physiology
Ardha Matsyendrasana has a therapeutic effect on mental and physical health.
- Ardha Matsyendrasana improves mental health:
- This pose, in tandem with others, improves the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and quality of life (Singh et al., 2020).
- Ardha Matsyendrasana stretches and strengthens the muscles:
- Ardha Matsyendrasana, in tandem with other poses, helps stretch and strengthen the neck, shoulders and hips (Lau & Woo, 2015).
- Where the shoulder is stretched, the rhomboids stretch when the elbow meets the knee with pressure.
- Ardha Matsyendrasana, in tandem with other poses, helps strengthen the spinal muscles and improves the flexibility of spinal muscles (Lau & Woo, 2015).
- Ardha Matsyendrasana reduces fatigue and muscle pain:
- Ardha Matsyendrasana may help in relieving the symptoms of fatigue, back pain and sciatica when performed correctly.
- This pose, along with OM chanting and neck stretching exercises, improves the cervical range of motion and reduces symptoms of neck pain (Singh et al., 2021).
- Ardha Matsyendrasana benefits metabolism:
- Ardha Matsyendrasana will aid digestion when practised with mindful breathing focussed on a long out-breath, reducing the modern scientific stress-induced dysregulation of the brain-gut axis as it relates to IBS.
- It improves liver and kidney function (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- This pose regulates the bile secretion (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- It improves constipation and indigestion (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- Other therapeutic effects of Ardha Matsyendrasana include but are not limited to:
- Ardha Matsyendrasana may have therapeutic benefits for cases of asthma where the focus is on improving the flexibility of the breathing apparatus muscles whilst keeping the chest open, increasing lung capacity and oxygen supply. Breathing work should be done through the nose (not through the mouth) to increase nitric oxide production, which aids asthma recovery (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- This pose controls the adrenaline secretion (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- It increases blood purification (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- It helps tone the spinal nerves and optimise spinal cord function (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- It makes the spine more elastic (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- It helps treat infertility and menstrual disorders (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- This pose positively affects people with diabetes (Kumar, 2012; Madavi & Desai, 2016) and urinary tract disorders (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
- This posture, combined with Dhanurasana, Vakrasana, Matsyendrasana and Halasana, stimulates the pancreas by squeezing the abdomen (Kaduskar & Suryanarayana, 2015).
Yogic Physiology
- Ardha Matsyendrasana helps move Apana Vayu, affecting the liver and kidneys. Use a long out-breath.
- Ardha Matsyendrasana helps to stimulate the digestive system through the movement of Samana Vayu. Use an equal and stable breath.
- Ardha Matsyendrasana helps affect Apana Vayu, relieving menstrual discomfort and infertility. Use a long out-breath.
- According to traditional texts, this yoga pose helps increase appetite and kill the deadliest diseases.
- Ardha Matsyendrasana also helps to awaken the kundalini. Use the Sushumna breath for breathing evenly through both nostrils, which is scientifically almost impossible as the dominance of nasal breathing in the average healthy person changes every 3-6 hours.
- Ardha Matsyendrasana stimulates the navel (nabhi) marma point and bladder (basti) marma points.
- Where the shoulder is stretched, the marma point, amsaphalaka, is activated when the elbow meets the knee with pressure.
- Ardha Matsyendrasana awakens the chakras, Muladhara and Kundalini (Madavi & Desai, 2016).
Contradictions & Cautions
- If you are suffering from a back or spinal injury or disc problems, you should do this pose only under the supervision of an experienced yoga therapist or physiotherapist.
- Pregnancy: The posture must not include the full twist, so rotate in the opposite direction, away from the inner thigh, leaving it as an open twist with no pressure on the growing abdomen.
Preparatory Asanas
- Baddha Konasana
- Dandasana
- Paschimottanasana
- Bharadvajasana
- Janu Sirsasana
- Parivritta Janu Sirsasana
- Virasana
Counter Asanas
Tips for Beginners
In this version of the pose, the arm of the opposite side is wrapped around the upper thigh with the leg raised. In the advanced position, the arms are brought together, and the hands wrap around the leg. This can be impractical and potentially harmful for beginning students. Be sure to sit up well on blanket support or the bolster mentioned above (even a brick) and begin by wrapping your arm around the raised leg and hugging the thigh to your torso. The progression from here would be to bring the arms closer by holding a belt between the arms, bringing them closer together using the belt pull.
Modifications and Props
Use a wall:
It’s often difficult at first to get the torso close to the inner thigh. Position yourself a foot or so away from the wall with your back to the wall; the exact distance will depend on the length of your arms. Exhale into the twist and reach back for the wall. Your arm should be almost but not quite extended (make sure you aren’t sitting too close to the wall, which will jam the shoulder). Push the wall away and move the front torso against the thigh.
Use a Belt:
The arms are held together in the advanced position, and the hands clasp around the leg. Bring the arms closer by holding a belt between the arms, bringing them closer together using the pull of the yoga belt.
Use a bolster:
Sit on the edge of a long bolster to elevate the hips and provide an anterior tilt to the pelvis, which is an excellent modification for the lower back and correct postural alignment of the upper chest.
Deepen the Pose
To practice correctly, have the legs in place, exhale, and turn to the right. Lean slightly back, away from the upper thigh, and bend the left elbow, pressing it against the outside of the upper right thigh. Drop the left shoulder slightly in front of the right knee and press the knee and elbow firmly together. Take it further and see if you can then take a left upper arm further onto the outer leg until the back of the shoulder presses against the knee. Keep the elbow bent and the hand raised towards the ceiling, or if you have the flexibility in the hips and spine, you can bring the upper left arm to the outside of the upper right thigh and try to bring it through the right leg to connect with the hand that is placed behind you. You must try not to lose the opening of the chest and the extension of your spine as you try and bring the hands together. Lean into a slight upper-back backbend, firming the shoulder blades against the back, and lift the front torso through the top sternum. Press the front floating ribs towards your spine and avoid overextending the lower back into a backbend by fleshing out through the lower back and drawing energy into the kidneys (apana vayu).
References
Singh, V. P., & Khandelwal, B. (2020). Effect of Yoga and Exercise on Glycemic Control and Psychosocial Parameters in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Study. International journal of yoga, 13(2), 144–151. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_45_19
Lau, C., Yu, R., & Woo, J. (2015). Effects of a 12-Week Hatha Yoga Intervention on Cardiorespiratory Endurance, Muscular Strength and Endurance, and Flexibility in Hong Kong Chinese Adults: A Controlled Clinical Trial. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2015, 958727. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/958727
Singh, Aditi & Sethi, Jasobanta & basavaraddi, Ishwar. (2021). Effect of Ardh Matsyendrasana, OM Chanting and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Cervical Range of Motion and Health Related Quality of Life in Subacute Bilateral Mechanical Neck Pain: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. 15. YC06-YC10. 10.7860/JCDR/2021/51423.15481.
Madavi, Nitin & Desai, Priti. (2016). ROLE OF ARDHA-MATSYENDRASANA ON DISEASES OF ANNAVAHA SROTAS IN PERSPECTIVE OF SHARIR. 4. 3453-3460.
Kumar, Kamakhya. (2012). A study on the effect of Yogic intervention on serum glucose level in Diabetics. International Journal of Yoga and Allied Sciences. 1. 68 – 73.
Kaduskar, P., & Suryanarayana, K. M. (2015). Yoga: An endocrine therapy. Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism, 19(3), 437–438. https://doi.org/10.4103/2230-8210.152801
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All research and literature based on original documents written by Celia Roberts. This manual and the information contained within it is not to be copied, replicated, or distributed without permission. Images and additional information has been sourced from Light on Yoga by B.K. Iyengar, yogajournal.com, yogajournal.com.au for your convenience.