Fish Pose

Difficulty: ⭐ Beginnercore

Home Setup

Practice on any comfortable floor surface with enough space to lie down fully extended

yoga mat or thick towelfolded blanket for support

💡 Pro tip: Place a folded blanket under your upper back for additional support if the backbend feels too intense

Gym Setup

Yoga mat in stretching or group fitness area

Safety: Avoid if you have neck injuries or severe spinal issues; keep weight primarily on forearms rather than the crown of the head

💪 Muscles Worked

Pectoralis MajorIntercostalsHip FlexorsErector SpinaeNeck Extensors

⭐ Why This Exercise?

Fish Pose counteracts forward head posture and rounded shoulders from prolonged sitting by opening the chest and throat. It stimulates the thyroid gland, improves breathing capacity, and releases tension in the upper back and neck while gently strengthening the upper back muscles.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Supported Fish Pose with Bolster

yoga bolster + yoga mat + blanket

Provides passive support for the backbend, reducing muscular effort and intensity

2. Fish Pose with Bent Knees

yoga mat

Reduces hip flexor engagement and lower back strain while maintaining chest opening

3. Reclined Chest Opener on Block

yoga block + yoga mat

Gentler backbend with adjustable intensity by changing block height

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Fish Pose in Lotus Position

yoga mat

Adds hip flexibility requirement and deepens the pose complexity

2. Unsupported Fish Pose

yoga mat

Removes forearm support, requiring greater core and back strength to maintain the arch

3. Extended Fish Pose with Leg Lifts

yoga mat

Adds dynamic movement and core engagement while maintaining the backbend

↕️ Similar Movements

Camel Pose

Deeper kneeling backbend that provides similar chest and throat opening

Bridge Pose

Complementary backbend that strengthens the posterior chain while opening the chest

Cobra Pose

Prone backbend that targets similar spinal extension with different body positioning

Supported Shoulderstand

Traditional counter-pose that reverses the neck position and stimulates thyroid from opposite direction

Reclined Bound Angle Pose

Restorative chest opener that provides similar benefits with less intensity

Form Checklist

✓Press forearms and elbows firmly into the mat to lift the chest toward the ceiling

✓Arch through the upper back rather than crunching the lower back

✓Keep the crown of the head lightly touching the floor without bearing weight on the neck

✓Draw shoulder blades together and down the back to open the chest fully

✓Engage the legs and press through the heels to protect the lower back

Common Mistakes

•Placing too much weight on the head and neck instead of supporting through the forearms
•Collapsing into the lower back rather than creating the arch through the thoracic spine
•Letting the elbows splay out to the sides instead of keeping them shoulder-width apart
•Holding the breath instead of maintaining steady, deep breathing throughout the pose
•Lifting the hips off the ground, which reduces the effectiveness of the chest opening

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can comfortably hold the basic pose for 30-60 seconds with steady breathing, maintain proper weight distribution on forearms without neck strain, and feel a pleasant opening sensation rather than discomfort in the chest and throat