Building a Better Bridge

My intention in this blog post is to give a step-by-step improvement plan for the ever so popular Bridge Pose, otherwise known as Setu Bandha Sarvangasana.

 

If you look at the first image you will see how the pose is often done.  It takes the shape of a slanted plank rather than a bridge. Throughout this blog post I plan to give enough pointers to significantly improve upon this common interpretation of the pose.

 

 

Bridge Pose taken like a slanted plank	A Better Bridge Pose - The lower leg is perpendicular to the floor, the upper leg parallel to the floor and the chest is more open.

 

 

First I am going to describe the movements involved in getting into the pose and then the small yet meaningful actions that help to improve it.

 

SETTING UP FOR THE POSE

1) Line up the top of the shoulders with the top edge of the mat. 
2) Bend the knees and bring the feet close in to the buttocks. Ensure that the center of the knees point straight up towards the ceiling.
3) Make the outer sides of the feet parallel with the mat.

 

 

Setting up for Bridge Pose - Outer feet parallel with the outer edges of the mat.  Tops of the shoulders in line with the top edge of the mat.

 

 

GETTING INTO THE POSE

1) Press the back of the upper arms down, lift the chest up.
2) Press down evenly with your feet and lift the hips up.
3) Turn the upper arms outwards, one at a time and get the outer tips of the shoulders well underneath you.
4) Press the shoulder blades into the back and open the chest.

 

 

Outward Rotation of the Upper Arm Bones and Outer Tips of the Shoulders

 

 

IMPROVING BRIDGE POSE

 

Note: I would suggest that until these instructions become more familiar, you concentrate on one instruction for each iteration of the pose.

 

1) Roll The Tops of the Thighs in and Press the Inner Feet Down.

One of the reason the hips sink so easily is that the tops of the thighs, the knees and the feet tend to splay outwards in our effort to get up in the pose.  This causes an action that transmits right to the sacral area, resulting not only in a lower hip alignment but in lower back issues as well. 

 

 

Wrong Leg Rotation - Tops of the thighs, knees and feet splaying outwards.	Correct Leg Rotation - Tops of the thighs rolled in, knees in line with the hips and inner feet pressing down.

 

 

To help the legs maintain the correct alignment, I would recommend you use a strap around the center of the thighs. The strap doesn't have to be used forever, but until the arms and legs gain the strength and awareness to support the shape of the pose.

 

 

2) Move the Hamstrings Towards the Buttocks and the Frontal Hip Bones Towards the Knees.

This action has benefits that are manifold for the hips and legs.
- The shins get more perpendicular to the floor.
- The pelvis, which has a tendency to slope down towards the head, moves up and over towards the knees, thus becoming more  parallel with the floor.

 

 

Direction of Movement Along the Thigh - Frontal Hip Bones to the knees and Hamstrings to the buttocks.

 

 

3) Lift the Hips as if to Lift Them Through the Hip Flexors.

The Hip Flexors are the band of muscles in the region of the frontal hip bones.  Lifting the hips in this fashion allows the pose to approach the ideal of the tailbone being in line with the back crease of the knee.  The hip flexors should become very taut as they open and stretch towards the knees and towards the chest. This action cannot be forced.  It is a game of doing your best. Overdoing will result in the very lower back pains we have tried to avoid. 

 

 

Lifting the hips until the hip flexors stretch back and forth.  Hip flexors indicated by the X.

 

 

4) Move the Skin on the Front Upper Arm Bone Up and Over the Shoulder Joint as you Move the Back of the Armpit to the Front.

Doing so gives the chest more lift and begins to move the shape of the pose from a slant in the chest area, to the rounding that is ideal.

 

 

Direction of Movement in the shoulders and chest - Skin moves up and over the shoulder as the back of the armpit moves to the front.

 

 

5) Move the tops of the shins, the Hips and the Area in Between the Back Armpits Upwards and Backwards One at a Time.

The shins become more perpendicular to the floor, as the chest becomes more open.

 

 

General direction of movement by the tops of the shins, the hips and the shoulder blades.

 

 

6) Lift the Trapezius Muscles away from the Floor Until the Tops of the Shoulders Point Directly Downward into the Floor.

 

Ideally the tops of the shoulders should point vertically downwards into the floor instead of approaching it at an angle. This will involve an extra stretch in the back of the neck and the tendency is for the chin to press into the chest at the same time. If this should happen, take the chin slightly away from the chest instead of the other way around.

 

The flexibility required in the back of the neck does not come easy for many. This prevents the shoulder blades from lifting higher and the chest from opening more. To assist with this action blankets can be used as shown below.

 

 

Bridge Pose With Blankets -  The shoulder blades lift more so we can come to the tops of the shoulders. The hips are better aligned as the tailbone lines up with the back crease of the knees. The blankets help us to do these actions without straining the lower back.

 

 

Doing the pose with these recommendations will be more therapeutic for the shoulder and neck area and will give the legs more power. This pose is an excellent preparation for backbends and being a member of the shoulderstand family it helps to calm the mind.

 

It was a pleasure sharing yoga with you. Do stay tuned for more.

 

Namaste.

 

Asha.