ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA VARIATION

Sitting & Lying Asanas

Difficulty:

Description

ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA VARIATION Asana group: sitting and lying (twists) Translation of the name from Sanskrit: • ardha — half; matsyendra — the sage Matsyendra; asana — pose. 1. Setup Starting position: sit tall. Bend the right knee and place the foot on the floor beside the left thigh. Bend the left leg and bring the heel toward the right side of the pelvis, or cross the foot over the knee. On an exhale rotate the torso to the right and hook the elbow outside the knee. Gaze over the shoulder. 2. Simplified and advanced variations Simplified variations: • keep the underneath leg extended; • press the hand on the floor instead of hooking the elbow. Advanced variations: • bind the hands behind the back; • deepen the rotation with an even breath. 3. Injury prevention Rotate from the base of the spine upward without jerking. Avoid during a herniated disc flare-up.

Effects

digestion
flexibility
back_pain