Bridge
Setu Bandhasana
set-oo bahn-DHAH-sah-nah
Stretches spine; strengthens glutes and hamstrings
Stimulates lungs, thyroid and abdominal organs
Calms mind
How to perform Bridge
- Lie on your back. Bend your knees and bring your feet near your buttocks, hip-width apart. Rest your arms by your sides, palms down.
- With an inhale push into your feet to lift your hips. Reach your chest toward your chin.
- Clasp your hands underneath you and tuck your shoulders under.
- Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
- Unclasp your hands, then exhale to lower.
Alignment cues
- Bring feet hip-width apart
- Align knees over ankles
- Lengthen tailbone toward knees
- Do not turn neck
Modification: Keep arms flat on the floor to lessen the stretch in the shoulders.
More yoga poses to discover
Bridge (Setu Bandhasana in Sanskrit) is a beginner yoga pose that belongs to the back bends category. This asana targets glutes & hip flexors, hamstrings and spine, and also involves abs, chest and quadriceps muscles. Bridge stimulates lungs, thyroid and abdominal organs; stretches spine; strengthens glutes and hamstrings and also calms mind. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this posture correctly. Discover more yoga asanas and yogic breathing exercises in our free yoga pose directory – a visual resource for yoga teacher training students as well as practitioners of all levels. Finally, shop our best-selling Yoga Cards products!
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