Beginner

Bridge Pose

Bridge is a gentle, accessible backbend where the glutes and hamstrings lift the hips while the shoulders roll under to open the chest. It counteracts long hours of sitting and builds posterior-chain awareness. Held actively, it doubles as glute-activation work before heavier lower-body training.

Equipment
Body Weight
Body part
Glutes, Hamstring
Type
Strength, Yoga
Browse by muscle
Gluteus Maximus
Browse by movement
Hinge
Muscles worked
Target
Gluteus Maximus
Secondary
Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, Erector Spinae
Tertiary
Adductor Magnus, Deltoid Posterior, Trapezius Middle

How to do it

  1. 1

    Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart, close to the hips.

  2. 2

    Rest the arms alongside the body, palms down.

  3. 3

    Press through the heels and lift the hips toward the ceiling.

  4. 4

    Roll the shoulders underneath and, if comfortable, clasp the hands beneath the back.

  5. 5

    Squeeze the glutes and keep the knees tracking over the feet.

  6. 6

    Hold, then lower the spine down one vertebra at a time.

Tips

  • Drive through the heels to bias the glutes and hamstrings over the lower back.
  • Keep the knees from splaying outward by pressing them gently toward parallel.
  • Do not turn the head once the neck is loaded in the lifted position.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The feet start too far from the hips, which hands the lift to the hamstrings and often brings on a cramp behind the knee.
  • The hips get pushed as high as they will go, and the last few inches come from arching the low back rather than from the hips extending.
  • The chin gets driven hard toward the chest or the head presses back into the mat, when the neck should stay neutral and unloaded while the shoulders take the weight.
  • The knees get squeezed together at the top, which is a different exercise; here they stay in line over the feet.
  • Coming down all at once drops the hips onto the mat and skips the slow roll through the spine that is half the value of the pose.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of Bridge Pose should a beginner do?
Three sets of eight to ten slow lifts with a two-second squeeze at the top, or three holds of 30 seconds if you want it as a static pose. Rest about a minute between sets. Once ten reps with a two-second hold feel easy, progress to the single-leg version rather than adding more reps; the load is what needs to increase, not the count.
How can I make Bridge Pose easier or harder?
For an easier version, lift only partway and hold there, or place a cushion under the hips so the range is short and supported. To make it harder, put a band around the knees, rest the feet on a step so the hips travel further, pause for five seconds at the top, or extend one leg once the two-legged hold is solid.
What is Bridge Pose good for, and when should I choose something else?
It wakes up the glutes and hamstrings, opens the chest and hip flexors, and works well as a gentle backbend or as activation before heavier lower-body training. It is a poor choice as your main glute builder once bodyweight feels easy, since a loaded hip thrust progresses far further, and one to skip if you have a neck problem, because the shoulders and neck carry weight in the lifted position.

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