Ustrasan

Vajrasana is a good preparation for Ustrasana because it lengthens the skin on the front of your shins, ankles, and feet so that they make maximal contact with the floor, pressing your shins maximally into the floor.   Try to get your heels in Vajrasana quite close together, touching if possible.   It may help to belt your ankles together.

Then hold Vajrasana for a good long time (may be do some arm and shoulder work during this period) as a preparation for Ustrasana.   This pose is also good for working toward the leg actions of Gomukhasana.

steps for Performing:- 
Kneel on the floor with your knees hip width and thighs perpendicular to the floor. Rotate your thighs inward slightly, narrow your hip points, and firm but don't harden your buttocks. Imagine that you're drawing your sitting bones up, into your torso. Keep your outer hips as soft as possible. Press your shins and the tops of your feet firmly into floor.

Rest your hands on the back of your pelvis, bases of the palms on the tops of the buttocks, fingers pointing down. Use your hands to spread the back pelvis and lengthen it down through your tail bone. Then lightly firm the tail forward, toward the pubis. Make sure though that your front groins don't "puff" forward. To prevent this, press your front thighs back, countering the forward action of your tail. Inhale and lift your heart by pressing the shoulder blades against your back ribs.


Now lean back against the firmness of the tail bone and shoulder blades. For the time being keep your head up, chin near the sternum, and your hands on the pelvis. Beginners probably won't be able to drop straight back into this pose, touching the hands to the feet simultaneously while keeping the thighs perpendicular to the floor. If you need to, tilt the thighs back a little from the perpendicular and minimally twist to one side to get one hand on the same-side foot. Then press your thighs back to perpendicular, turn your torso back to neutral, and touch the second hand to its foot. If you're not able to touch your feet without compressing your lower back, turn your toes under and elevate your heels.

See that your lower front ribs aren't protruding sharply toward the ceiling, which hardens the belly and compresses the lower back. Release the front ribs and lift the front of the pelvis up, toward the ribs. Then lift the lower back ribs away from the pelvis to keep the lower spine as long as possible. Press your palms firmly against your soles (or heels), with the bases of the palms on the heels and the fingers pointing toward the toes. Turn your arms outwardly so the elbow creases face forward, without squeezing the shoulder blades together. You can keep your neck in a relatively neutral position, neither flexed nor extended, or drop your head back. But be careful not to strain your neck and harden your throat.

Stay in this pose anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute. To exit, bring your hands onto the front of your pelvis, at the hip points. Inhale and lift the head and torso up by pushing the hip points down, toward the floor. If your head is back, lead with your heart to come up, not by jutting the chin toward the ceiling and leading with your brain. Rest in Child's Pose for a few breaths.

Benefits of Ustrasan:-

Reduces fat on thighs

Opens up the hips, stretching deep hip flexors

Stretches and strengthens the shoulders and back

Expands the abdominal region, improving digestion and elimination

Improves posture

Opens the chest, improving respiration

Loosens up the vertebrae

Relieves lower back pain

Helps to heal and balance the chakras

Strengthens thighs and arms

Improves flexibility, especially in the spine

Stimulates endocrine glands

Releases tension in the ovaries

Stretches the ankles, thighs, groin, abdomen, chest, and throat

Cures constipation

Tones organs of the abdomen, pelvis, and neck

Complements overall health and well-being

MATSYASANA

The fish is the stretch that counters the Plough, and so follows them in Yoga session. The name of the posture derives from the fact that if you adopt the position in water, you will float quite easily. The Asana does wonders for your respiratory systems; when you assume this position, your chest is stretched open and your bronchial tubes are widened to promote easier breathing. In time your ribcage will expand, and this will also encourage you to breathe more deeply. By lifting your chest and tucking your arms underneath your body, you will combat postural defects such as rounded shoulders and the cervical region of your spine, thus releasing pressure on your nerves. Try to hold the pose for half of the time that you spent in the Shoulderstand, in order to equalize the stretching effects on your spine and muscles.

Poses:-

1.Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Inhale, lift your pelvis slightly off the floor, and slide your hands, palms down, below your buttocks. Then rest your buttocks on the backs of your hands (and don’t lift them off your hands as you perform this pose). Be sure to tuck your forearms and elbows up close to the sides of your torso.

2.Inhale and press your forearms and elbows firmly against the floor. Next press your scapulas into your back and, with an inhale, lift your upper torso and head away from the floor. Then release your head back onto the floor. Depending on how high you arch your back and lift your chest, either the back of your head or its crown will rest on the floor. There should be a minimal amount of weight on your head to avoid crunching your neck. 

3.You can keep your knees bent or straighten your legs out onto the floor. If you do the latter, keep your thighs active, and press out through the heels.

4. Breathe in and raise the head, shoulders, upper arms and body up the floor. Keep the buttocks and the legs on the floor.
Push the front of the body forwards and up towards the ceiling opening and expanding the front of the chest.

5. Breathe out push the elbows down into the floor, curve the body back and lower the top of the head onto the floor. Arching back and raising the front of the chest further up.

6. Push the heels away from the body stretching them out.

7. For more of an advanced version release the arms and hands from the below the body and bring hands folded in Namaste or the prayer position at the front of the chest.

8. Hold this posture for a while arching the back and breathe normally.

9. Bring arms down by the sides. Breathe out push the palms down on the floor, taking care that you not stretch or strain the neck. Relax the back on the floor lowering the top to the bottom of the spine.

10.Relax the arms by the sides, palms facing towards the ceiling. Now relax the whole of the back of the body on the floor.

11.Stay for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing smoothly. With an exhalation lower your torso and head to the floor. Draw your thighs up into your belly and squeeze.

Benefits of Matsyasana :-


This asana stimulates the thyroid and para-thyroid glands.
Eases the upper body congestions.
Tones up the heart muscles.
Opens and expands the chest.
Helps in various respiratory problems.
Relieves tension in your neck, throat, and shoulders
Stretches and tones the front of your neck and your abdominals.
Stretches and stimulates the organs of your belly and throat.
Strengthens your upper back and the back of your neck.

Precautions:-


Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure,Glaucoma.
Low Back Problems - keep your knees bent, flat on the floor, or use a bolster across your spine to have a more passive version of the pose .
Neck problems - use a block, bolster, or blanket to bring the floor closer to your head. 
Low Blood Pressure - Strongly use your arms on the floor to control your exit from the pose, taking a deep inhale as you exit, and lie quietly before moving to the next pose to avoid dizziness.
Eases the tensions in the neck.