Lesson Five • Sarvangasana & Matsyasana
Awakening Thoracic Extension:
Reversing the Effects of Daily Life
with Sarvangasana & Matsyasana
Welcome Back Thoracic Extension
As we described in the Inflated Back Bends chapter, the muscles of our back pull down. Everyday life commonly asks just the opposite of us though— driving, eating, working at the computer, all slowly but surely reverse this natural alignment. The thoracic spine in particular tends to become overly flexed, rounding us forward, and bringing our head forward with it. As we start to work more skillfully with inversions, and particularly with Sarvangasana and Matsyasana, we find that we can use our time on the mat to awaken a more upright alignment in our thoracic spine, pulling our head back over our shoulders and lifting our hearts up to the sky. The work of thoracic extension is invaluable, as it allows us to consciously strengthen the connection between our scapulas and thoracic spine, as well as the awaken the larger players of our back like the Trapezius.
Curing the Cause of Head Forward
As we're aware, for every inch our head leans forward from our axis, its perceived weight increases by 10 pounds. To cope with this added weight, the muscles of our neck have to enlist the support of muscles from our arm lines, such as the Upper Trapezius. However, there are two significant issues with this. Firstly, the upper trapezius is not designed to constantly bear the weight of the head. It fatigues quickly, leading many of us to frequently massage this muscle of the upper shoulder—it requires a rest. Additionally, as our shoulders rise to support the head, they move farther away from their stable base, the thoracic spine. You can verify this yourself—try hunching your shoulders or gently grounding them while holding a meditation cushion. Hunched shoulders not only feel unstable but are also tiring to maintain.
In addressing this complex issue, one important aspect involves directly engaging with the sensation of thoracic extension found in postures like Sarvangasana and Matsyasana. These poses offer deep and prolonged thoracic extension, which helps anchor the shoulders back towards the rib cage, gradually releasing any tension the neck may exert on them. As the lower portions of the Trapezius muscle become active, the entire shoulder girdle starts to realign over the midline. This approach targets the root cause of the problem rather than providing temporary relief for the symptoms.
Sarvangasana
Anatomy in Motion
Like Headstand, this is an advanced pose that can cause more harm than good if people do not have balance in the shoulder girdle and strength in the neck and spine. To prevent putting to much pressure on the delicate cervical vertebra, we will explore this posture at the wall. This gives us all the benefits of the inversion and lengthening of the backline with full control and support so the cervical vertebra are safe the entire time. Keep the gaze centered throughout the whole pose to avoid rotating the cervical vertebra in this position
Set-up:
Position a stack of 1-3 yoga blankets about a foot away from the wall.
Lie down in a fetal position next to the blankets, with the soles of your feet facing the wall.
Roll onto your back, landing on the blankets with your feet against the wall and hands resting on the floor.
Adjust your position so that the blankets support your upper back but end at the top edge of your shoulders; the blanket should not be under the neck.
Reach your arms toward the wall. Observe how the scapulae root into the earth and ensure your neck feels relaxed and spacious.
Primary Movement: Bridge Prep
Press your feet gently against the wall to lift the pelvis slightly.
Explore lifting one vertebra at a time off the floor, walking your feet up the wall into an inverted bridge pose.
Walk your feet back down and repeat, massaging the spine while elevating yourself into a subtle yet powerful inversion.
Notice the massaging sensation on your back muscles as you lift and lower the vertebrae.
If you can easily lift the mid-thoracic vertebrae and feel light and supported, proceed to the next step.
Primary Movement: Candlestick
Once your feet are up the wall, walk your shoulders toward each other and place your hands under the pelvis, with the base of your palms on the pelvis and fingertips pointing toward the glutes.
Breathe here and notice the sense of spaciousness along the spine and expansion in the ribcage. Tuck the chin and lengthen the occiput away from the wall.
Optionally, lift your legs away from the wall, letting the weight of your legs and pelvis rest in your hands.
Draw your elbows in and shoulders down away from the ears for support.
You may stay in this posture, Candlestick pose, for the duration.
It's advisable to exit the pose temporarily to check on your neck. Deep neck flexion effects may not be noticeable until after you've exited the pose.
Re-enter the pose if there's no neck compression, and then proceed to the next step.
Classic Form of Sarvangasana:
From Candlestick, walk your hands toward your shoulder blades (which is actually downward toward the floor in this inverted position), while continuing to bring your shoulders closer together for solid support.
Gradually extend your legs upward, pressing the base of the skull, shoulders, and elbows into the earth to help lengthen your knees (or feet if in a deeper setup), hips, and spine toward the sky.
Feel the deep core supporting and maintaining space between each vertebra.
It's preferable to lengthen the legs at a slight angle away from the body rather than forcing them overhead, which could increase neck compression.
Matsyasana
Anatomy in Motion
A healthy Matsyasana requires understanding of both our shoulder anatomy as well as our backbending anatomy, as we are supported by our shoulders in deep spinal extension. Unlike all of our other backbends, the Psoas is not extended in this position which allows us to have a different and very important focus in our deep front line- the Sternocleidomastoid. This is the only level one pose that demands significant strength in the SCM from the moment that we enter the pose (A deep Virabhadrasana 1 or Anjaneyasana may begin to challenge the SCM, but not nearly as much as a gentle Matsyasana!). This gives us an incredible opportunity to integrate and strengthen a chronically tight, and week muscle!
Prep
From Dandasana, tent the fingertips behind you. Externally rotate the arms and notice a sense of spaciousness across the chest. Let the scapula melt down the rib cage. Take a few breaths.
Keeping this sense of openness from the front body and strength on the back body, continue into the set up. If at anytime you lose that sensation, come back to this spacious position.
Set-up
From the prep position, bring hands inline with hips and slowly lower onto forearms. Let the elbows move around until you feel the spaciousness and support of the prep pose.
Let the shoulder blades gently melt down the back. Notice a sense of spaciousness across the chest.
Flex-point the feet to engage the legs.
Primary movement (Deep Core integration and hip/spinal extension)
Inhale Drag the hands isometrically backward.
Exhale Press the tongue through the roof of the mouth and lengthen through the deep front line. Notice the integration of the legs into this action.
As the spine extends, the gaze may lift, but keep the front of the neck strong and the head supported. Notice how the extension through the front of the body relates to the reaching back of the occiput.