The word Ardha Matsyendrasana is a Sanskrit word which when translated from” half lord of the fishes pose”. One of the best asana when it comes to digestion and restoring the posture of one is the Ardha Matsyendrasana. Here in this article, we shall know all about Ardha Matsyendrasana and its benefits and how shall we perform it. Also, there are a few other things that one shall know before he or she performs this pose or asana.
Before we begin with the steps, if you want to learn this yoga asana from the root level then we strongly recommend you to join the best yoga school in Rishikesh and learn in-person or to take this best online yoga teacher training course and learn this from the comfort of your home.
Steps to perform Ardha Matsyendrasana
This is a very powerful asana and anyone can perform this pose. To do this all one needs to do is follow the steps that we have listed below. Also before you are doing the pose or asana kindly do a few warm-ups and thereafter start with it:-
- Sit in a very relaxed position on the mat.
- Then slowly cross your legs and sit in this position on the mat.
- Now carefully press the right hand on the left knee whereas on the other hand press the other hand on the ground.
- At this stage, one needs to twist the torso slightly.
- The body should not lift at all from the mat and it should remand stuck to the ground.
- Do this stage very carefully without hurting yourself.
- Now hold this position for about a minute or two as long as the body allows you to do.
- Next, untwist yourself and again repeat the same thing on the other side.
- Keep on breathing slowly as you do and do not stop breathing while performing this act.
- Also, do the twist and turns very slowly so that you do not hurt your back and sprain it.
Thus these are the steps to perform the Ardha Matsyendrasana or the half lord of fishes pose. Then comes the points which one should remember while he or she is performing yoga. All forms of physical activities should have precautions to remain safe and for this, the precautions are listed below. Thus let us see what are the precautions that one must take while doing Ardha Matsyendrasana.
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Precautions to perform Ardha Matsyendrasana
- Before even starting yoga first understands your body because stretching and twisting it to a heavy extend can be disadvantageous for you. So understanding the body’s flexibility and how your body will react is very much required.
- Next what must come is doing warm-ups even before starting the yoga in order to avoid any kind of injury or pain.
- Do the yoga very slowly and in a relaxed manner.
- The shoulders must be at the same level while you are performing yoga. If the shoulders are one up and one done then the results achieved will not be the best.
- If you have excessive knee pain or spine and shoulder pain then it’s best to ask the expert before you actually start practicing it or ask your doctor.
- The shoulder should not be strained or rigid when one is performing the act. It should remain absolutely relaxed.
- Yoga should be avoided by pregnant women and also women who are on their menstruation.
- Any sort of pain or uneasiness at the backside of the body the practicing of this form of yoga should be immediately stopped.
- Keep yourself absolutely relaxed while you are performing this to get the best results.
- By now we already know the steps and the precautions and are fully ready in order to perform the Ardha Matsyendrasana. But before even starting the practice let’s look at the benefits that one will get and how it is beneficial for the body.
Benefits of performing Ardha Matsyendrasana
- Helps in developing the posture of the body and also helps in restoring the elongated spine.
- Helps in getting relief from the lower back pain.
- Calms the body and mind giving a soothing effect to the body. This reduces stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Helps in better sleep.
- Helps people who are suffering from slipped disc or sciatica because of the position that the body is in while performing this yoga.
- The thighs and legs are stretched which makes them toned.
- Ardha Matsyendrasana helps in improving sleeping patterns.
- Makes the spine agile and flexible with regular practice.
- Often we hear the natural alignment of the spine is misbalanced because of sitting posture. But practicing this pose brings the spine back to its original position.
- Also helps in maintaining the normal rotation of the spinal cord.
- Improves digestion and helps in the performance of the digestive system reducing all types of constipation problems.
- Strengthens the shoulder, hips, and legs.
- Helps in treating mental issues like anxiety, stress, and depression as it calms the mind.
Thus these are the benefits of the Ardha Matsyendrasana. If the Ardha Matsyendrasana is practiced regularly one will get so many benefits and life will be much easier. Often the office goers face problems in their spine and back all sorts of problems related to this area will be reduced with the practice of this pose