Poses >> Ardha Matsyendrasana I

Ardha Matsyendrasana
Ardha (half)
Matsyendrasana (Lord of the Fishes Pose)

1. Sit on the floor with the legs stretched out straight in front of you, hands beside the hips and the back lifted tall and straight in dandasana. If the lower back rounds and as you straighten the legs, place one or two folded blankets underneath your sit bones to sit up taller.
2. Draw your right heel in toward your right sit bone and then cross the foot over to outside of the left thigh with the foot planted on the floor and parallel to the thigh. Hug the thigh close to the chest and lift up out of the root of the sit bones to stretch the iliotibial band.
3. Bend the left leg and lay it on the floor as you place the left foot around the outside edge of the right buttock. If you find that the right sit bone cannot stay rooted to the floor as you sit this way, keep the left leg straight out in front.
4. Inhale and lift the left up arm up to the ceiling, creating maximum extension on the left side. Lengthen the ribs and arm pit and on the exhale, revolve the whole torso, keeping the hips stable, and bring as much of your left upper arm as you can past the right thigh, hooking the root of the upper arm on the outside edge of the bent leg. If you need a little more assistance in this action, take your right arm and pin your leg into your chest as you work the left arm over.
5. Once the arm is hooked, bend the elbow and bring the hand up so that it’s in line with your face. As you inhale, lift the front and back body evenly, paying attention to the belly button as if you could lift it up and out of the way of the leg. As you exhale, begin to turn the torso to the right. Press the shoulder blades deeply into the back and lengthen the left waist, as it tends to shorten as the right ribs puff out. Soften right ribs in and lengthen the left side. Continue to plant the sit bones evenly down and root right hip forward as you lift and revolve out of it.
6. Continue to turn in this manner on each exhale, taking 5 to 10 breaths.
7. To release, turn head and look straight forward, release torso and straighten legs out back into dandasana.
8. Repeat on the other side.

*Breathing can feel restricted in twists so take your time to sip the breath in slowly.

Video and Text by Featured Yogamates Teacher: Claire Hartley