Bridge Pose Yoga Stretch

Description

How to Do Bridge Pose Yoga Stretch

1. 1
   Setup

   Lie supine on your mat with knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart, and heels close enough to touch your fingertips. Position your arms alongside your body with palms down.

2. 2
   Setup

   Ensure your feet are parallel and your knees are tracking over your ankles, not splaying out or collapsing inward.

3. 3

   On an exhale, press through your feet and lift your hips off the mat, engaging your glutes and hamstrings, until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor.

4. 4

   Keep your chest open by drawing your shoulder blades slightly together and down, and avoid pressing your chin into your chest.

5. 5

   Hold this position, maintaining a long spine from your shoulders to your knees, and breathe deeply. To release, slowly lower your hips back to the mat with control.

Tips

• To deepen the stretch and chest opening, interlace your fingers underneath your back and press your arms into the mat as you lift your hips.
• Focus on lifting from your inner thighs and glutes rather than pushing excessively with your lower back, which can cause discomfort.
• Imagine a block between your knees to help maintain proper hip-width alignment and prevent your knees from splaying outwards.
• Keep your gaze directed upwards or straight ahead to maintain a neutral neck position and avoid straining.

Common Mistakes

• ×Arching the lower back excessively: Instead of over-arching, focus on lengthening the tailbone towards your knees and engaging your core to protect your spine.
• ×Letting knees splay out or collapse in: Maintain hip-width distance between your knees throughout the pose by gently engaging your inner thighs.
• ×Pushing off the toes instead of the heels: Ensure even pressure through your entire foot, especially your heels, to properly engage the hamstrings and glutes.