Simplification of the word
The word itself is bringing out the meaning of this asana, that is the practitioners have to recline their body by bending back like a fish (Anusha, Dubey, Raju, & Pasha, 2019). The Sanskrit word Matsya means Fish. Hence, another name of this asana is a fish pose. Yoga involves the bending of the back and the opening of the throat and abdomen while stretching out the hip.
The goodness of Matsyasana
The yoga pose involves stretching of the back and neck, thus it helps in strengthening the muscles in this region and relaxing them. In case of respiratory problems, regular practicing of this yoga helps in the expansion of the bronchial tubes (R Rajbhar, Singh, & Sangada, 2021). Individuals especially those who want to shed their extra fats are instructed to do this pose, as a fish pose can enhance the embolic rate and thus be effective in shedding off the fat. By maintaining proper metabolic rate, this yoga also helps in improving the digestive system and helps the individuals suffering from constipation (Anusha, Dubey, Raju, & Pasha, 2019). Moreover, regular practici8ng of this yoga helps to get rid of menstrual cramps. Additionally, besides all these advantages, matsyasana also helps in reducing the stress and frustration level, by calming down the brain.
Things to be noted before doing the yoga
The yoga instructors suggest that individuals suffering from high blood pressure and low blood pressure should avoid this yoga (R Rajbhar, Singh, & Sangada, 2021). Yoga involves folding of knees, thus individuals who are suffering from knee injuries or knee pain. While bending, the practitioners are instructed not to put much pressure on the back, as it can cause further pain in the back muscles.
Some alternative postures for Matsyasana
There are some alternative postures for Matsyasana, for those who are unable to perform the pose. For beginners it would be difficult for bending the back, for this reason, the beginners can use a blanket beneath their back, to have support (R Rajbhar, Singh, & Sangada, 2021). Individuals suffering from any kind of back pain or injury can have the support of their elbow to avoid the back pain. In case of any kind of knee injury, or the practitioners suffering knee pain can leave their legs stretched straight away, rather than folding them like padmasana. It would ease the knee pain and help them in performing yoga.
References
Anusha, M., Dubey, S., Raju, P. S., & Pasha, I. A. (2019). Real-Time Yoga Activity with Assistance of Embedded based Smart Yoga Mat. In 2019 2nd International Conference on Innovations in Electronics, Signal Processing and Communication (IESC) (pp. 1-6). IEEE. Retrieved from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8902371
R Rajbhar, S., Singh, R., & Sangada, M. (2021). Effect of Yoga on Primary Dysmenorrhoea among Adolescent Girls–A Literature Review. Retrieved from http://libraryaplos.com/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/6428/33107-Article%20Text-60185-1-10-20211101.pdf?sequence=1