I came across the supported fish pose during a hot yoga class around five months ago, and I’ve been doing it ever since. The heart-opening asana (pose) used during yoga classes offers a brilliant shoulder stretch and can be adapted into many variations to suit most people. In short, it’s the best upper body stretch you’re not doing.
Fish pose, or Matsyasana in Sanskrit, is a backbend, and supported fish pose recruits the help of a bolster, yoga block, or cushion to support the spine throughout. Doing so stretches multiple muscle groups across your upper body and helps strengthen your back while allowing you to breathe and relax into the pose. Despite originating from yoga, I’ve seen the pose crop up all over the place since practicing it.
