Shoulders, upper back, lower back and hips
Supported Fish: Legs Extended
Gentle chest opening and deep relaxation.
How to do it
- 1
Set your support and lower yourself back over it
The prop sits under your upper back with your head supported by a pillow.
- 2
Stretch both legs out long on the floor
Straight legs make this a longer, more open shape than the bent knee versions, from the chest all the way to the fronts of the hips.
- 3
Let the arms rest wherever they are heavy
Out to the sides with the palms up is a good default.
- 4
Bend the knees if the hips or back nag
That is the trade off of straight legs, and bending them or lowering the support both settle it.
- 5
Rest here for three to five minutes
Come out by bending the knees first, then rolling to one side.
What to watch for
Straight legs pull on the fronts of the hips and the lower back in a way the bent knee versions do not. If a pinch there grows during the hold, bend the knees or lower the support rather than waiting it out.
Ways to adjust it
- Adjust bolster height
- Lower support
- Knees bent as needed
If this one is too much today
Try the gentler version instead. It asks less of you and does much the same work.
Other ways to do this movement
Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits.
Before you try it
Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.
Also part of sessions for
Each of those explains what the condition is, what the published guidance recommends, and where this movement fits.
One movement is a start. A session is the thing.
A few questions about your body and how it is today, and Vinys builds a session around it, including which movements to leave out.
Start your first sessionFrom the clinically authored Vinys movement library.