Technique
- Lying on your back (supine), extend and ground the legs and hips.
- Press the elbows and forearms into the ground to lift the chest off the floor and take the head back to rest on the crown of the head.
- While breathing here, keep the belly firm and the feet reaching away.
Form tips
- For tighter upper back and neck, allow the head to float off the floor and focus on lifting the center of the chest straight up, using the arms pressing down as counter pressure.
- The more you can lift the upper back, the more space you’ll have in the neck to take the head back.
- Avoid hinging or hyperextending the neck as you take the head back.
Muscles
Strength
Primary
- Spine
- Neck
Individual muscles
Individual muscles
- Spinalis thoracis
- Longissimus thoracis
- Iliocostalis
- Semispinalis capitis
- Splenius
- Rectus capitis posterior major
- Rectus capitis posterior minor
- Obliquus capitis superior
- Longissimus cervicis
- Longissimus capitis
- Upper trapezius
- Obliquus capitis inferior
Equipment
Appears in
Progressions
Lotus fish pose
Intermediate
Supported advanced fish pose
Novice
View Similar Exercises
View Similar Exercises
Neck bridge
Novice
Supine plank
Novice
Table top
Novice
Headstand
Novice
Straight-arm headstand
Novice
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