BackbendsIntermediate
Bridge Pose
Setu Bandhasana
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana) lifts the hips and chest from a grounded base, creating a spacious backbend that prepares the body for deeper shoulderstand work.
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How to Perform
- 1
Lie supine with knees bent, feet hip-width, and arms alongside the body with palms down.
- 2
Press feet and arms into the mat as you lift hips and chest upward on an inhale.
- 3
Walk shoulders underneath and interlace fingers, or press palms down for support.
- 4
Keep thighs parallel, shins vertical, and breath steady across the chest.
- 5
Exhale to release the clasp, lower spine one vertebra at a time, and rest neutral.
Benefits
- Strengthens glutes, hamstrings, and back while opening chest and shoulders.
- Tones the abdominal organs and stimulates the thyroid through Jalandhara Bandha.
- Calms the mind by linking breath with grounded inversion prep.
Alignment Cues
- Knees track over ankles without splaying
- Spine lifts evenly to avoid sinkholes in the lumbar
- Shoulders press down, keeping neck long
- Weight distributes between feet and shoulders, not the head
Common Mistakes
No common mistakes listed.
Contraindications
- • Neck or shoulder injury
- • Uncontrolled hypertension, glaucoma, or retinal pathology
- • Recent back surgery
Recommended Props
BlockStrapBlanket