The bridge posture is useful for flexing the back, strengthening the core muscles, and improving body balance. When practicing floor exercises, you just need to lift your buttocks off the floor to do the bridge posture, but when practicing yoga, you need to stretch your chest muscles by arching your back back. Whichever method you choose, both are beneficial for working your core, hips, buttocks, and hamstrings. Want to know how? Read on for this article.
Step
Part 1 of 2: When Practicing Floor Gymnastics
Step 1. Lie on your back on the floor
It's a good idea to use a yoga mat as a base, but if you don't have one, use a foam rubber mat or another mattress. Don't practice bridge posture on hard areas to avoid injury. While lying on your back, bend your knees, spread your feet hip-width apart, and place your feet evenly on the floor. Bring your heels to your buttocks as much as you can or lift your buttocks slightly off the floor and slowly slide your body toward your heels. Choose the easier way. This position helps you to exert the strength of the soles of your feet and buttocks to be able to lift your body off the floor.
Step 2. Place your arms on the floor beside your hips
You can bring your elbows down and your palms up at a distance of 5-10 cm from your hips to keep your core stable. Also, you can point your palms down to support your body and protect your wrists. Lower your shoulders to the floor and bring your shoulder blades together.
Step 3. Lift your buttocks off the floor
When lifting your buttocks, make sure you pull in your tailbone and bring your belly button closer to your spine to activate the transversus abdominis muscle. Press your feet firmly into the floor and lift your buttocks off the floor as much as you can. Lift your buttocks as high as you can while imagining your stomach touching the ceiling. As you lift yourself off the floor, you should contract your glutes until they feel tight, but not too hard.
Step 4. Make sure both knees point up
Don't let your knees fall to the side so you don't hurt your feet and back. Protect your neck by touching your shoulders to the floor. Do not forget to bring the shoulder blades together when lifting the buttocks off the floor.
Step 5. Hold for 5 deep breaths and then lower yourself to the floor slowly
Make sure your chest muscles are relaxed as you move. You should lower your body slowly so that your back and neck don't hit the floor. Adjust the position of the soles of the feet until you find a comfortable body position after completing 1 set.
Step 6. Perform 3 sets of bridge postures consisting of 10 repetitions of movement per set for maximum exercise results
Step 7. Do variations
Once your buttocks are off the floor, lift one leg and then slowly straighten your knee. Make sure you have your feet flat on the floor and that both sides of your hips are at the same level as you lift your feet.
- Hold for 1 second while straightening one leg and lifting your buttocks. Lower your body slowly until your buttocks almost touch the floor and then rise again. Do this movement 25 times or as much as you can to work your core and buttocks.
- As a variation, lift your buttocks as high as you can, move them up and down 25 times for 25 seconds, then slowly lower down to the floor. Do this exercise 2 more sets.
- Combine the two methods above. Do the bridge posture as usual by lifting the buttocks 10 times and then moving up and down 10 times.
Part 2 of 2: When Practicing Yoga
Step 1. Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart
Make sure your feet are parallel and your toes are pointing forward. Place your palms on the floor at your sides with a distance of 5-10 cm from your hips and point your palms down. Keep your chin away from your chest so you don't hurt your neck when you lift yourself off the floor.
Step 2. Use the soles of your feet to rest
You must exert leg strength to lift your buttocks off the floor. At this point, allow your glutes and thighs to relax, instead of tightening them even if it feels useful. Once your buttocks are off the floor, press your shoulders and back firmly into the floor. As you lift your buttocks, inhale and exhale to keep yourself strong and energized.
Step 3. Interlace your fingers as you lift your upper back off the floor and raise your buttocks higher
Lift your body as high as you can until your lower abdomen and waist are at the same level as your knees. Press the inside of the foot to make sure your knees are hip-width apart, rather than moving away from each other. Lifting your buttocks, interlace your fingers on the floor under your buttocks and use the strength of your arms to lift your body higher. Press your arms and palms into the floor for support to arch your back until you feel a comfortable stretch.
As you move up, keep your chin slightly away from your chest by lifting your head and bringing your chest close to your chin. Try to bring your shoulder blades closer together so that there is a gap between the floor and the nape of the neck so that you can lift your upper back higher. Do each movement slowly to protect the neck. The movement of the chin has a major impact on the pressure on the neck
Step 4. Lower the body carefully
Make sure you end the bridge posture by lowering your body slowly while exhaling so you don't hurt your neck and back. Lower the body to the floor while moving slowly starting from the upper back, lower back, then the buttocks without tightening the neck and keeping both knees up. Rest while placing one palm on your chest and the other on your stomach. Perform the bridge posture 3 times while holding for 10 breaths each time you lift your body. In addition, you can do a full wheel posture commonly called kayak.
- Finish doing the bridge posture, hug your knees in front of your chest and then swing your body back and forth to massage your back.
- When practicing yoga, the bridge posture is usually done last before relaxation in preparation for entering the savasana to close the yoga practice.
Tips
- While doing the bridge posture, lift one leg off the floor and straighten the knee. Try to keep your straightened leg parallel to the floor. Hold for 5 breaths, lower the leg, then straighten the other leg.
- To improve stability while doing the bridge posture, sit on the ball to practice fitness. Then, step your feet forward while rolling the ball on your back until your shoulders and head are resting on the ball. Straighten the legs one at a time for a more useful exercise.
- You can do the bridge posture with a variety of movements.
- Point your toes and straighten one leg up or parallel to the floor.
- Lift one leg off the floor and straighten it up. Interlace your fingers on the floor under your buttocks. Lower your legs to the sides and then straighten them up again.
- Put your palms together on the floor under your buttocks for a more challenging exercise.
