The Shoulder Bridge

Question 1

The Shoulder Bridge: Purpose and benefit

Answer 1

Strengthen gluteals (medius), hip flexors and extensors, core muscles stabilising pelvis

Question 2

The Shoulder Bridge: LAYER 1

Answer 2

• Start position: Lie supine in neutral
• Inhale pelvic tilt
• Exhale return to neutral

Question 3

The Shoulder Bridge: LAYER 2

Answer 3

• Lie supine, in neutral
• Inhale to prepare and perform a pelvic tilt
• Exhale and peel the spine off the floor
• Keeping a level pelvis, take the hips to the bridge position – hips, shoulders, and knees should be in alignment
• Inhale to hold
• Exhale to peel back down to the start position

Question 4

The Shoulder Bridge: LAYER 3

Answer 4

• Lie supine, in neutral
  Inhale to prepare; exhale and peel the spine off the floor
• Keeping a level pelvis, take the hips to the Bridge position - hips, shoulders and knees should be in alignment
• Inhale and hold
• Exhale and lift the heel of the foot from the floor, keeping the ball of the foot in contact with the mat (heel lifts)
• Inhale and replace the heel back down
• Exhale and roll the spine back down to the start position
• Repeat once on each side
• Exhale and peel the spine off the floor
• Stabilise the Bridge position as you inhale to hold
• Exhale and flex the hip, keeping the leg bent and shin parallel to the ceiling
• Inhale and return the foot back to the floor, maintaining the Bridge position
• Exhale and roll the spine back down to the start position
• Repeat 3 times on each side
• Option to stay at the heel lift only

Question 5

The Shoulder Bridge: Prime movers

Answer 5

Hamstrings, gluteals, hip flexors and hip extensors

Question 6

The Shoulder Bridge: Stabilisers

Answer 6

TVA, internal and external obliques, multifidus, rectus abdominis, scapular stabilisers

Question 7

The Shoulder Bridge: Muscles stretched

Answer 7

Hamstrings, hip flexors

Question 8

The Shoulder Bridge: Joint action

Answer 8

Hip extension and flexion, spine extension

Question 9

The Shoulder Bridge: Plane of movement

Answer 9

Sagittal

Question 10

The Shoulder Bridge: Teaching points

Answer 10

Shoulders, hips and knees in alignment on diagonal

Keep all the movements controlled

Maintain bridge as you lift the leg

Keep legs in alignment

Keep hips stable and lifted throughout

Articulate through the spine into and out of the bridge

Question 11

The Shoulder Bridge: Watch out points

Answer 11

Avoid hyper-extending the back

Poor articulation

Flaring of the ribs

Head and neck alignment

Coming up too far onto the cervical vertebrae

Not controlling the leg on the way down

Ensure one side of the pelvis does not drop down

The hips should not dip down in the bridge position

Losing the bridge as exercise progresses

Question 12

The Shoulder Bridge: Imagery

Answer 12

Imagine the spine is like a pearl necklace you are carefully laying on the floor, bead by bead

Keep a spirit level across the hips

On the downward move of the leg imagine it is pressing gently down on a big air bed

Keep a hoist under the hips

Question 13

The Shoulder Bridge: Progressions

Answer 13

Increase the reps

Complete right and left leg without rolling down in between

Extend leg to ceiling/onto diagonal

Question 14

The Shoulder Bridge: Adaptations

Answer 14

Just perform the hip extension to the basic bridge

Lift one heel up and down and repeat the other foot

Lift foot up and down and repeat other leg

Question 15

The Shoulder Bridge: Modifications

Answer 15

Block or cushion between the thighs for the bridging section