A dock on Lake Hamilton makes a perfect backdrop for Karen Watson Reeves to demonstrate Fish Pose, a very beneficial yoga pose.
By Karen Watson Reeves
After spending a lazy afternoon floating in the lake, I couldn’t resist doing a little stretching on my favorite dock on Lake Hamilton. A relaxing lake afternoon for me means flopping on my mesh raft with an inflatable tube surrounding it.
I sink down, but do not completely submerge, into the water. It is a great way to beat the heat, but I confess it is not so great for the posture. Fish pose seemed appropriate for the lake motif, but also because it counters the position in which I had spent the previous several hours.
Here are some of the benefits of Fish (Matsyasana) Pose:
• Stretches the muscles of the belly and front of the neck
• Strengthens the muscles of the upper back and back of the neck
• Stretches the deep hip flexors and intercostals (the muscles between the ribs)
• Relieves tension in the neck and shoulders
• Boosts oxygen and blood flow to the lungs, helping with respiratory ailments
• Alleviates stress when accompanied by breathing techniques
• Overcomes poor posture by stretching the cervix, thoracic, and the lumbar
regions of the spine
• Benefits sleep patterns, as the pineal gland, which enhances melatonin in the
bloodstream and is responsible for balancing the biological rhythm, is
strengthened. A sound and restful sleep is thus a result.
If you are also a lover of our beautiful lakes, and you view your time on the water as leisure rather than active, a few moments in fish pose can bring balance back into your body and prepare you for some good rest.
After you tell your fish story, that is . . . about the one that did not get away!
Karen Watson Reeves has called Hot Springs home since 2006. She became a registered yoga teacher and a registered children’s yoga teacher in 2011. She has taught children and family yoga in many settings, and would welcome an opportunity to help your family stay physically active during this time of quarantine. She owns The Yoga Place, is on the Hot Springs YMCA teaching staff, is an adjunct instructor at National Park College, as well as teaching in several other fabulous venues. www.TheYogaPlaceHS.com.
