Counter pose: Matsyasana or FishPosture

In Shoulderstand, the neck and the upper back are stretched; in Fish Pose, the neck is compressed and the back is arched.  Practicing Fish Pose after Shoulderstand enhances the benefits of Shoulderstand, alleviates tension in the neck and upper spine and promotes deeper breathing by opening up the chest.  Fish Pose should be held for at least half as long as Shoulderstand to be an effective counter pose.

Muscles used in the posture

In Shoulderstand, the position of the body is achieved through muscular effort.  Shoulderstand is a balance of extension and flexion.

The main muscles working in Shoulderstand are:

• the erector spinae (straighten the back);
• the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings - hip extensors (extend the legs away from the hip joints);
• the front thigh muscles – quadriceps (contract the thighs and lift the knee caps);
• the triceps brachii - back of the upper arms (extend the forearms);
• the wrist and hand extensors (contract to support the back).

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“When the gardener plants an apple seed, does he expect the apples to appear at once?  Of course not.  The gardener waters the seed, watches each day, and feels happy seeing the growth.  Treat the body in the same way.  We water our asana and pranayama practice with love and joy seeing the small progress”.

- BKS Iyengar, Light on Life