Ardha Matsyendrasana | Half Lord of the Fishes Pose – Steps and Benefits

‘Ardha Matsyendrasana’ or ‘Half Lord of Fishes Pose‘ is also known as ‘Vakrasana’ or ‘‘Half Spinal Twist Pose’. It’s an intermediate asana that helps to prepare your body for deeper back bending and other heart-opening yoga postures. Here, we’ll discuss various such benefits, steps and precautions for performing Ardha Matsyendrasana.

The Sanskrit name ‘Ardha Matsyendrasana‘ ( अर्धमत्स्येन्द्रासन ) is the combination of three words – Ardha ( अर्ध ) means ‘Half’, ‘Matsya’ ( मत्स्य ) meaning ‘Fish’,  ‘Indra’ ( इंद्र ) means ‘King’ and ‘Asana‘ ( आसन ) meaning ‘Seat‘ or ‘Pose’. This half spinal twist pose is named after Yogi Matsyendranath who was the founder of Hatha yoga & ancient Nath tradition.

In this seated spinal twist pose spine gets rotated around its axis that helps to improve flexibility, postural and bodily awareness. Plus it stimulates digestive system and tones the spinal nerves and ligaments as well.

Ardha Matsyendrasana is an excellent yoga pose that work as effective warm up exercise before doing any intense and advance yoga poses. Moreover, this hip opening yoga posture also relieves pain and stiffness.

How to perform Ardha Matsyendrasana ( Half Lord of the Fishes Pose )

Following are the Step – by – Step instructions that would help you to practice Ardha Matsyendrasana ( Half Lord of the Fishes Pose )

Step 1 :

• Sit on the floor with legs stretched out in front of you and butts supported on a folded blanket.

Step 2 :

• Bend your left leg at your knee and bring the left foot close to the outer edge of the right knee.

Step 3 :

• Now fold your right knee, on the floor and slide your right foot under your left leg near left hip.

Step 4 :

• Bring the right arm placing it outside on your left knee & hold the left toe with your right hand.

Step 5 :

• If you can’t grip your toe you can hold a part of the lower leg or ankle to begin as modification.

Step 6 :

• Position your left hand on the floor behind you and keep your left hand parallel to the left leg.

Step 7 :

• Twist your waist, shoulders and neck to the left with exhalation and look over the left shoulder.

Step 8 :

• As you inhale raise a little more through the sternum pushing fingers against floor for support.

Step 9 :

• Keep your spine erect and maintain the pose for 30-60 seconds or as per your body’s comfort.

Step 10 :

• To release the pose, exhale and unwind your hand, waist, chest, neck & sit up relaxed straight.

Step 11 :

• Rest for few moments & repeat all the steps on the other side as well for same length of time.

Top 7 Benefits of Ardha Matsyendrasana ( Half Lord of the Fish Pose )

The powerful calming effects of Half Lord of the Fishes Pose makes it easier to hold the body in seated meditation for long.

Following are Health Benefits of Ardha Matsyendrasana – Half Spinal Twist Pose that you would attain with regular practice :

1. Ardha Matsyendrasana helps to improve your Digestion

• The twisting of the digestive system during Ardha – Matsyendrasana aids to improve digestion by releasing digestive juices.
• It offers a massaging effects to the abdominal organs that cures digestive disorders such as loss of appetite and indigestion.

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2. Ardha Matsyendrasana helps to treat chronic Constipation

• The constant practice of Half Lord of the Fishes Pose assists in cleansing of internal organs and treating chronic constipation.
• This pose stimulates intestinal peristalsis that aid progressive movement of fecal matter and elimination of toxins and wastes.

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3. Ardha Matsyendrasana helps to improve Reproductive Health

• Ardha Matsyendrasana or Vakrasana is considered to be the excellent yoga pose for improving women’s reproductive health.
• It also relieves menstrual disorders & urinary infections by improving the flow of nutrients and blood towards urinary regions.

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4. Ardha Matsyendrasana helps to improve Mental Health

• The regular practice of Half Lord of the Fishes Pose helps to calms your mind and reduces stress, anxiety and mild depression.
• Moreover, it also relieves headaches, improves blood circulation towards the brain that results in refreshing the state of mind.

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5. Ardha Matsyendrasana strengthens Different Muscles

• This pose not only stretches and strengthens shoulders, hips, spine and neck but also relieves built up tension arms and back.
• Thus it is one of the effective exercise that’s helpful in alleviating the symptoms of fatigue, backache, sciatica and slipped disc.

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6. Ardha Matsyendrasana improves Respiratory Disorders

• Regular practice of this pose opens chest, increases oxygen supply to lungs & reduces risk of respiratory diseases like asthma.
• Apart from this, it also stimulates energy levels of your body by deepening your breathing and improving the blood circulation.

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7. Ardha Matsyendrasana awakens your Kundalini Shakti

• Regular Practice of this asana helps to awakens Kundalini Shakti that promote spiritual enlightenment and self-consciousness.
• Moreover, this power also responsible in improving the cognitive functioning & boosting self-perception and self-appreciation.

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Precautions and contraindications

• Hyperthyroidism patients must avoid doing Ardha Matsyendrasana as it may aggravate the conditions.

• You should avoid the practice of Ardha Matsyendrasana if you have peptic ulcers, hernia or stiff spine.

• Although it offers healing effects in mild slipped disc but it may have opposite effects in severe cases.

• People should avoid the practice of this asana if they have any injury in the stomach, back or spine etc.

• People should not practice this asana if you have been through any abdominal, brain or heart surgery.

• Women should avoid this asana during heavy periods and pregnancy due to the twist in the abdomen.

Preparatory Poses

• Baddha Konasana

• Bharadvajasana

• Virasana

• Supta Padangusthasana

Follow-up Poses

• Padmasana

• Janu Sirsasana

• Ustrasana

• Paschimottanasana

Tips For Beginners

• Ardha Matsyendrasana is an intermediate level asana thus you may add as your warm – up exercise in your daily regimen.

• You can practice this pose both in morning and evening with gap of two hours gap between your meal and your practice.

• If you’ve any medical ailment, consult healthcare provider & practice it under the supervision of an certified yoga teacher.

Conclusion

Ardha Matsyendrasana offers numerous health benefits – stimulates digestive fire, regulates secretion of bile juices, makes spine supple, useful for diabetic patients, improves blood circulation, detoxifies internal organs, strengthens abs & obliques etc.

We really hope that this article would be useful guide for your practice of Ardha Matsyendrasana. Try out this excellent asana after a long tiring day and do share your thoughts, views and suggestions on this article in the comment section down below.

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Lolasana

FAQs Related to Ardha Matsyendrasana and its Health Benefits

Do the practice of Ardha Matsyendrasana really improve overall flexibility ?

Ardha Matsyendrasana offers many incredible health benefits for example increasing flexibility of spine and hips, decrease tendency towards round shoulders, relieves stiffness of muscles, loosens hip joints, tones spinal nerves, prepares body for the advanced poses.

Can the practice of Ardha Matsyendrasana aid to stimulate internal organs ?

Daily practice of Ardha Matsyendrasana stimulates spleen, kidneys, lungs, heart, liver, pancreas and reproductive organs. This pose increases purification of blood, therapeutic effects in cervical spondylitis, cures infertility, control sugar levels and releases excess body heat.

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