Fish Pose anatomy

Fish Pose · Matsyasana · Tư thế con cá

Fish Pose mainly works erector spinae, rhomboid major, trapezius, teres major; it stretches pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, rectus abdominis, sternocleidomastoid; quadriceps stabilize.

3D anatomy model of Fish Pose: working muscles in red, stretching in blue, stabilizing in yellow

Opening the 3D model…

Lie on your back with legs straight and palms under your buttocks; press your forearms and elbows down to lift your chest, arch your upper back, then tip your head back so the crown lightly touches the floor. The weight stays in the forearms, not the head. The upper-back and rear-shoulder muscles work while the chest, abdomen and front of the neck lengthen. Beginners can lie over a rolled blanket or a block under the shoulder blades, with a blanket under the head.

Muscles in this pose

Working (contracting): Erector spinae, Rhomboid major, Trapezius, Teres major, Deltoid, Splenius capitis

Stretching: Pectoralis major, Pectoralis minor, Rectus abdominis, Sternocleidomastoid, Scalenes

Stabilizing: Quadriceps

Why these muscles work or stretch

Erector spinae · Working (contracting): Extends the upper back to lift the chest off the floor
Rhomboid major · Working (contracting): Draws the shoulder blades into the back, lifting the chest
Trapezius · Working (contracting): Middle and lower fibers draw the shoulders down, away from the ears
Teres major · Working (contracting): With the rear deltoid, presses the elbows into the floor
Deltoid · Working (contracting): Mainly the rear fibers, pressing the upper arms down
Splenius capitis · Working (contracting): Tips the head back with control
Pectoralis minor · Stretching: Shoulders roll back as the chest broadens
Sternocleidomastoid · Stretching: The front of the neck lengthens as the head tips back
Quadriceps · Stabilizing: Keeps the legs straight and active

Practice cues

Press your forearms and elbows down to lift your chest
Arch from the upper back; don't crunch the lower back
Let the crown touch only lightly; keep the weight off your neck

Benefits

Stretches the chest, abdomen and front of the neck
Strengthens the upper back and the backs of the shoulders
May help counter a rounded upper back and forward shoulders
Opens the rib cage so the breath feels fuller

Cautions / contraindications

Avoid with current neck pain or a neck injury
Take care with low back pain; keep the arch in the upper back
Take care with uncontrolled high blood pressure or migraine

Easier variations

Lie over a rolled blanket or block under the shoulder blades, head on a blanket
Keep the head neutral instead of tipping it back if the neck feels strained

General information, not a substitute for advice from a doctor or teacher.

Written and reviewed by Yoga An Viên center · Updated 18/10/2026

How to practice this pose (YogaWay, in Vietnamese)

Related poses

Bridge Pose Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
One-Legged Bridge Pose Eka Pada Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Humble Warrior Baddha Virabhadrasana
Cobra Pose Bhujangasana
Cow Pose Bitilasana
Locust Pose Salabhasana

A free community project by Yoga An Viên center · Model: Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0), based on BodyParts3D © DBCLS (CC BY-SA 2.1 JP)