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The Bridge – Question
Hi everyone!
I would like to start working myself into the bridge position. I’ve tried and tried but haven’t been able to do it since I was a kid. What are ways of training myself into it?
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16 Replies
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I am wanting to know this also, as I’ve also had this issue! I know it takes a lot of back flexibility… but I also know that I could get a lot farther into it than I can now if I knew how to engage correctly. My back is flexible enough for more!
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Gaining flexibility for bridges includes stretching the shoulders and hip flexors well as the back. Maybe those would be good places to start?
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I’m with corby. You don’t need a lot of back flexibility if you’ve got some also in the other two. So general stretching of these all areas will help you. May I ask, what happens when you try it?
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I just can’t push my body up. I’m fairly flexible in all areas but I can’t seem to lift myself
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Have you tried the other way – backwards? The pole is quite perfect to give you assistance since you can really grip it. Not like walking your hands down a slippery wall. Would you give it a try if you haven’t?
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I don’t know if this will work for anyone else but for myself I couldn’t do a bridge until one day I went into a CAR close to the ground (hands touching the floor) and arched my back (feet off the ground) Afterwards I came off of the pole I was able to push myself up into a bridge.
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Yes I will try walking hands down the pole, didn’t even think of that! Thanks
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Let know if/how it works :). I hope it will.
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It can also be a strength issue – the shoulder/humerus alignment is tricky in the lifting position, as your arms are basically in the worst possible position for producing force. Posterior chain strength also plays a major role, as you have to have strong back erectors and glutes to be able to arch your back enough. Walking your hands down a pole is a good idea, as is strenghtening the back and the arms and shoulders 🙂
Let us know how it goes! -
I used to not be able to lift at all, and it was because my shoulders/upper back wasnt strong enough, and my shoulder/upperback flexibility was terrible. But mostly because I was too weak. It helped to do lots of planks and pushups as well to strengthen that area, and handstands/forearm stands to practice pushing up through the shoulders. Even while doing something like downward dog, really push push push out of the shoulder. It should be really really tiring. It took me a month of that sort of training to be able to push into a bridge form the ground with no assistance
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As everyone mentioned….people often forget that both shoulder strength and flexiblity is needed to do a bridge. 🙂 give it time and you’ll get there’
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If you can hold yourself up in a full plank then I would say it has something to do with the flexibility of your arms, shoulders or back.
You could also try doing it with a partner… I learnt this awesome way of doing a bridge by holding onto someone’s ankles and having them help lift you up. I can take a video with my sister and post it on insta if you’d like?
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Make sure you are warm in your shoulders and back glutes and hip flexors. Do half bridges first. (Interlock hand behind back while lying down back and push into shoulders and feet and squeeze shoulder blades together. Squeezing shoulder blades together is a good exercise and also some people have problems and there pectoral or chest is too tight. Make sure to stretch them all and find where you are tight. You may be flexible but not have active flexibility(strength flexibility) and the rotation in the shoulders is a big thing too. Make sure your position is correct. I can post pictures of other stretches you can do to assist your stretching. If you already have the flexibility beginner back bending is good for the strength element. (literally standing and bending back with hands above head, gently) 🙂
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leyrose, I would like to see that video please!
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Prplegirl ill post it on insta in the next couple of days… Just need to catch my sis when she is free!
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