Guest Author - Martha McKinnon

Bridge Pose is another one of those basic yoga poses with so much to offer. Both a backbend and gentle inversion, Bridge Pose (setu banda sarvangasana) has many powerful health benefits associated with it and can be either very dynamic or restfully supportive depending on how it is practiced. Here's just a partial list of the health benefits that come from regularly practicing Bridge Pose, one of my favorite basic yoga poses:

Benefits of Bridge Pose

*Stretches hip flexors and strengthens legs
*Increases flexibility of the spine and shoulders
*Tones the upper back while helping to open the upper front body
*Stimulates the thyroid gland
*Relieves menstrual and menopausal symptoms
*Reduces stress, fatigue, anxiety, and mild depression
*Energizes both the body and mind

One caution before practicing bridge pose - check with a doctor if you have neck and/or shoulder injuries as this is a basic yoga pose that is contraindicated for some of these conditions. And as always, if something doesn't feel right, don't do it!

To Practice Bridge Pose

I will outline two variations for practicing bridge pose - a gentle flowing bridge and the full bridge pose.

To begin lie on your back and get comfortable being on the floor then bend your knees and bring your feet hip distance apart and parallel to each other. It is very common for you feet to feel like they are parallel when they are not, so take a look to make sure!

Press your shoulders into the floor and inhale as you life your hips off the floor while taking your arms overhead toward the floor behind you. Pause and then exhale as you slowly lower your hips back to the floor and your arms back to your sides. Make sure that as you lift your hips up your thighs are parallel and your knees are pointing forward, not splaying out, as this will compress your low back.

Repeat this gentle flowing bridge movement several times working to time the movements with the flow of your breath.

When you feel ready to move to full bridge, lift your hips up and then wriggle your shoulders in toward each other, as you interlace your hands beneath your hips. Gently press the back of your head into the floor to maintain the natural curve of your neck, don't let your neck flatten into the floor. Think about lengthening your thighs out away from you as the inner sides of your feet root into the floor. Feel your shoulder blades drawing into your back creating a lift in your upper chest. Stay here for a few breaths, then release your hands and gently roll down one vertebra at a time.

Rest for a moment and then counter the backbend by drawing your knees into your chest and releasing.