Fish Pose Matsyasana
Fish Pose, or Matsyasana, opens the chest and stretches the spine. This pose promotes relaxation and improves respiratory function.
- Begin by lying on your back with your legs extended.
- Place your hands under your hips, palms down.
- Inhale and lift your chest, arching your back.
- Rest the crown of your head on the floor, keeping your neck relaxed.
- Hold the position, breathing deeply.
How to perform the Fish Pose Matsyasana
- Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Fish Pose Matsyasana using your body weight.
- Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your primary working muscles.
- Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.
Coaching cues
- Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
- Drive force through your working muscles rather than momentum.
- Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.
Common mistakes
- Using too much weight and losing positional control.
- Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
- Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.
Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.
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