What is Matsyasana - Health Benefits, How to Do It & Precautions

According to ancient Yogic texts, Matsyasana can restore spinal strength, overall balance and improve your mobility. In addition, it requires you to lie with a back arch, which helps to take care of back and spinal pain. It can also be the perfect yoga asana for meditation and mental well-being.

Are you willing to learn all about the health benefits of Matsyasana? Then, stick to the end of this article for a complete overview.

Matsyasana, or the fish pose, is mainly known for increasing your flexibility and muscle strength. Matsya means fish since this position resembles a fish. Apart from its multiple health benefits, this yoga position is also popular for being capable of creating harmony between mind, body and soul. It is one such yoga asana that can be perfect for stretching your muscles and relieving pain and discomfort.

There are multiple health benefits of Matsyasana yoga, which has increased its popularity recently. Here are some of the major benefits of this yoga asana:

1. Enhances Breathing

Practising the Matsyasana can help improve the function of your respiratory system. In this pose, you can take long, deep breaths, enhancing your lung capacity. This position is, therefore, effective for treating respiratory disorders like asthma and bronchitis. You can consequently ensure better breathing and protect yourself from breathing troubles with this asana.

2. Improves Posture

Maintaining a proper posture can be essential to avoid slouching and maintain mobility for a long time. Matsyasana allows you to stay in a position for a long time, where you get to arch your back and stimulate blood flow across your body. It expands the chest and stretches the spine, which contributes to the improvement of your overall posture. In addition, it prevents your body from hunching forward and, in turn, improves mobility.

3. Strengthens Neck, Abs & Thighs

Pain in the neck and shoulders is common with excessive workload. While stretching your back and lying down in Matsyasana, your neck muscles become stronger. In addition, the muscles in your abs and thighs improve with better blood circulation. Further, this yoga asana will help you maintain the proper shape and avoid pain in these areas.

4. Relieves Stress

Yoga asana, like Matsyasana, can be effective for both physical and mental well-being. It requires you to lay in a specific position while breathing deeply. This helps you to collect your thoughts and reflect upon your activities, taking a positive outlook. In addition, it can be effective for controlling anxiety and calming the nerves. This way, you can control the feelings of fear, anxiety and tension, maintaining mental well-being.

5. Reduces Abdominal Fat

Accumulation of excessive fat in the abdominal areas is a common issue. If you do not prefer weight training, Matsyasana can be the perfect way to get rid of this fat. Its leg raised variation requires you to lift your leg upward with a perfect arched back. This position can effectively burn the fat from your abdominal areas and help to maintain a better shape.

6. Stimulates the Endocrine Glands

Hormones are a major requirement for the proper functioning of the organs. The endocrine gland is important since it helps produce hormones and ensure they travel to all body parts, from blood to veins. With Matsyasana, you can maintain and stimulate this gland. Additionally, you can stimulate the pituitary and pineal glands with this asana while increasing brain blood flow. As a result, it maintains the proper functioning of the body parts.

7. Improves Digestion

Indigestion has become a liability with unhealthy eating routines and can cause various abdominal issues. Matsyasana is effective for stretching the abdominal and core muscles. It gently massages the internal organs within the abdomen, thereby improving its digestion abilities. This way, it controls the possibilities of digestive issues, like constipation, diarrhoea, nausea and bloating.

8. Helps with Metabolism

Metabolism is important when it comes to managing a healthy weight. Cravings for fast food can take a toll on your shape. Here, Matsyasana can come to your rescue. As it stimulates your abdomen and massages the muscles, it can increase your metabolism. As a result, your weight remains healthy and balanced with better digestion. This way, you can avoid gaining excessive weight.

9. Tones the Thigh and Glutes Muscles

Having toned legs and thighs are desirable for most people. However, rigorous workout routines can be challenging. Matsyasana is a simple yoga pose that can work wonders in this context. As it holds the legs strictly, the thigh muscles open up and receive blood circulation. Moreover, it also tones the muscles in your glutes, hamstrings, groyne and psoas. This way, you get to maintain proper body proportions.

10. Manages Menstrual Pain

Pain and discomfort during the menstrual cycle can disrupt work and daily life. Here, you can practise Matsyasana to reduce these issues. As this poses massages and stimulates the abdominal muscles, it can control the menstrual flow. This way, it helps to manage the usual pain and discomfort during this period.

Now that you know the advantages of Matsyasana, you must be curious to see how to perform it. Here are the steps to help you out:

Step 1: Start with the Savasana (Corpse Pose). It requires you to lie down on your back with your feet and legs apart.

Step 2: Bring your legs and hands together. Stretch your body completely, and make sure that the toes are pointed.

Step 3: Start lifting your body while keeping your hands under the torso. Then, rest your weight on the floor with your elbows.

Step 4: Keep your head and slightly lift your back to form an arch. Hold this position while inhaling and exhaling deeply.

Step 5: While holding your feet with the palms, rotate your wrists to release tension from these muscles. Relax your body and mind, and retract to the original position after 30 seconds.

Matsyasana has several health benefits. However, achieving this pose can be challenging for beginners. The following tips can be beneficial for them while attempting this asana: 

• It will be better to start by lying supine. Then, you can begin folding your legs as in Sukhasana, Ardha Padmasana or Padmasana.
• If you feel discomfort in the neck or throat, you can lower the chest slightly toward the floor.
• If arching seems difficult or painful, you can place thick clothing or blankets to support your back and spine.
• It is advisable to avoid putting excessive pressure on the back to prevent pain and injury. If you feel pain, retract to the original position immediately.
• Practise this asana early in the morning on an empty stomach else it can cause nausea.
• You can intensify this pose by bringing your arms up toward the ceiling with your palms touching each other.

Even though Matsyasana helps to have a healthy life, there can be certain precautions and contradictions that one should consider. Here are some precautions associated with this asana:

• It is advisable to avoid this yoga asana if you are suffering from high or low blood pressure and insomnia issues.
• If you are a beginner, do not perform this yoga asana without the presence of a yoga professional.
• People with a knee injury should also avoid this asana. This is because it pressurises these muscles, which can be painful.
• While lifting the upper body, root into your forearms, heels and engaged thighs. Otherwise, your head will not find enough support and might cause a neck injury.
• Avoid overstretching your body or straining your neck. These can cause serious pain and injuries.
• If you recently had a hernia or abdominal surgery, you can skip this yoga asana.

There can be some easy modifications of Matsyasana for beginners who find it difficult to perform. Here are some of them that you can practise. 

• You can place a blanket or block under your head if the crown faces difficulty coming up while arching the back.
• Hanging the head can also make you feel better in this position.
• Placing a rolled blanket under the back can greatly support performing this yoga asana.
• Stretching the legs forward will be easier than keeping them folded in Padmasana. It can be effective in the beginning.
• You can take support of your elbows while lifting the upper body if you feel pain in the back and spine.

Hopefully, now you have a better idea about the health benefits of Matsyasana. As this article pointed out, it can be a slightly challenging pose for beginners. However, you can nail it with regular practising. You should be aware of its contradictions and avoid possible mistakes in this process.