Fish Pose

Benefits

• ▸Opens the heart and chest, stretching the intercostal muscles between the ribs.
• ▸Counteracts rounded shoulders and neck fatigue.
• ▸A classic counter pose to Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana).
• ▸Gently stretches the throat and neck.

How to do it

• ▸Lie on your back. Extend your legs straight out on the mat with your feet pointed or flexed.
• ▸Position your arms. Slide your hands palms down underneath your seat or upper hips, and tuck your elbows and forearms close to your torso.
• ▸Lift your chest. Inhale, press firmly into your elbows and forearms, and arch your upper back to lift your chest and head.
• ▸Release the head back. Gently tilt your head back to rest the crown or back of your head lightly on the floor, keeping most of your weight on your elbows and chest rather than your neck.
• ▸Hold and breathe. Breathe deeply into your ribcage and chest for 5 to 10 breaths.
• ▸Release. Press into your elbows to lift your head, then gently lower your upper back and head to the mat.

Modifications and props

• ▸Supported Fish with blocks: one block between the shoulder blades, horizontal or lengthwise, and a second block flat under the back of the head.
• ▸Blanket support: a rolled blanket, towel or bolster under the mid back or head if the neck is uncomfortable.
• ▸Leg variations: knees bent with the soles of the feet on the floor, Supta Baddha Konasana, or Lotus (Padmasana) for those with the flexibility.

Adding the legs

Once the legs lift, scale the intensity to your core and neck stability.

• ▸Gliding Fish: set up the traditional pose with the forearms pressing firmly into the mat. Once stable, engage the lower abdominals and quadriceps and lift both legs straight up at 30 to 45 degrees. Keep the toes pointed or the heels pushed out so the legs stay active.
• ▸Full Flying Fish (Uttana Padasana): lift the hands and arms off the floor as well. Extend the arms straight out, parallel to the lifted thighs, and press the palms together with the fingers pointing toward the toes.

Precautions

• ▸Avoid or modify with a severe neck or back injury.
• ▸Keep minimal to no body weight on the crown of the head to prevent cervical compression.

Ways to incorporate it

In an all levels flow, Fish belongs near the end of practice, in the cool down. It is a deep chest opener and backbend, so it needs a thoroughly warmed up spine, and it is mainly used to neutralize the body after inversions like Shoulderstand.

• ▸Supported Fish, with blocks or a bolster under the back, or in a yin or restorative class, can open the practice as a passive chest opener, or stand in for Savasana at the very end. It lets the nervous system slow down and opens breathing capacity without muscle strain.
• ▸After holding it, counter with poses that flex the spine the other way and release the lower back and neck: Knees to Chest, a Supine Twist or Happy Baby.

A closing thought

• ▸Encourage students to experiment with the variation that works best in their bodies.

See it in the sequence