Table of Contents
What it is for and benefits
The bridge for the buttocks improves any pain in the coccyx, relieves disorders related to the digestive system, gives back relief and makes it flexible, brings blood and oxygen supply to the pelvic organs, tones very much the legs and buttocks e reinforces the abdominals and all the back muscles.
From a functional point of view this position puts us in contact with a very intimate area, strengthens the immune system and allows us to experience our relationship with the genital organs in a familiar way. It actually sends energy to the first chakra, the base, the root. By practicing it on a regular basis, you also have benefits in your sexual life and feel strong in the lower limbs. In yoga this position is called Setu bandha sarvangasana and in Pilates it is performed in a less intense but still extremely invigorating way, taking into account the health of the client’s spine. Has excellent effects also on the emotional state of those who practice it constantly, also going to alleviate any depressive states.
Great idea to combine this exercise with adequate breathing and maintaining contact with the abdominal movement, too exaggerating in inspiration just to want to see the abdomen rise and fall in a position that helps all the internal organs a lot. Let’s see in detail how to get in and out of the position without getting hurt and drawing all of them benefits.
How it is done
Let’s take a good look at the two stages to enter the exercise, from preparation to execution and then return to the starting phase:
Preparation
We start with the back to the ground, feeling well the shoulder blades adhering to the floor and the whole back relaxed. The arms are close to the body, i palms they are well pressed against the ground and also the triceps of the arm. THE feet I’m on the ground and my legs are bent. The neck remains long and free; avoid putting weight on the cervical spine in any way. In the preparation phase, you can prepare long, deep breaths to initiate the movement.
Execution
Putting the weight on the heels and pressing the hands and arms, a good inhalation is performed and rises up with the pelvis, keeping the buttocks tight and the feet well placed on the ground. Be careful not to let the knees go outwards or too far inwards. Also try to avoid putting weight on your toes. Bring your feet close to your pelvis e raise your buttocks from the ground by pushing the pelvis upwards. Stay for at least 6 breaths at the highest point e contract well the buttocks. Do not detach your heels and do not arch your lower back too much. Engage your abs in the right way (they should be activated throughout the exercise) and avoid bringing the chin too far towards the breastbone, in order to avoid neck and cervical discomfort. Approximately the space of 5 fingers between the chin and the breastbone. If you close your chin too tight, you create a posture that increases the amount of force on the lower back and does not work the glutes properly.
3 tips to do it better
Let’s see together 3 quick and effective tips to do the best of the glute bridge exercise e activate the right muscles.
Position of the feet
The first tip concerns the position of the feet. They should be placed not too close to the buttocks (to avoid annoying the knees and putting them under too much strain) but not too far away. You should place your heels at a distance of 30 centimeters from the buttocks about. The feet must not be too close to each other to avoid a reduced support base; they should be six inches apart with the fingers pointing slightly outwards to keep the knees from moving towards each other. During the execution it is necessary to concentrate the force on the heels. These precautions become important to make the buttocks work in the right way.
Position of the pelvis and quadriceps
When you reach the maximum extension in the movement, you must try to contract the buttocks in order to get the maximum benefit at the point of effort of the exercise. It is necessary position the pelvis well and do not “bulge” forward with the iliac crests. The bones of the hips should be inclined more towards the abdomen. It’s about a rear rotation which works the right muscles involved more in the exercise, i.e. the glutes and hamstrings, instead of straining too much secondary muscles of execution such as the quadriceps.
The right height of the pelvis
To start you need to leave the dorsal area on the ground, let’s say that approximately the area corresponding to the bra fastening should remain on the ground and then be “unrolled” on the ground until the landing of the sacral plate. In this way you learn well thearticulation of the column, vertebra by vertebra and you take a familiar course with the control of the whole body, reaping all the benefits of the exercise. Subsequently, without putting weight on the neck, it is possible to rise further, once the coordination in the release movement of each vertebra is taken.
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