How to make a standing bridge at home. How to learn to make a bridge

09.03.202027.05.2017

gymnastic bridge

If you have been dreaming of getting on the bridge for a long time, but nothing happens, do not despair, we will teach you. The gymnastic bridge looks very beautiful from the side and you will soon be able to show off your flexibility and excellent physical shape.

Before you stand on the bridge, you need to stretch the muscles of your back and shoulders, that is, do it. Later, you will be able to do the bridge quickly and without much preparation, but for this you need this exercise to become familiar and ordinary for you. For beginners, warming up the muscles is a must.

So, in order to quickly and painlessly learn how to perform a bridge, you need to master special exercises which are very good at developing back flexibility.

Exercise number 1. Lie on your stomach with your arms extended up. Raise your arms and legs together, while bending as much as possible. The knees must be kept straight. It is necessary to fix the position for 30-60 seconds.
Exercise number 2. Lie on your back, bend your knees, and straighten your arms along the body. Raise your pelvis as high as possible, hold for 5 seconds and slowly lower yourself onto your back.
Exercise number 3. On your knees, place your feet hip-width apart. Slowly bending back, reach your heels with your hands. The back should be arched and the head tilted back.
Exercise number 4. Lie on your stomach, grab your ankles with your hands. Arch up by lifting your head, chest, and legs. Hold on for a few seconds.
Exercise number 5. Fitball bridge. Lie back on the fitball. Put your feet shoulder-width apart, and raise your arms and try to reach the floor.
Exercise number 6. Lie down on your stomach. Place your arms straight at hip level. Arch your back. Now your task is to touch your head with your toes, bending your knees and raising your head. Try to hold for 30 seconds.
Exercise number 7. Bridge from a prone position. Lie down on your back. Next, bend your legs and arms, put your hands close to your shoulders, pointing your elbows up. Now try to get on the bridge from this pose, straightening your legs, arms and bending in the lower back. When you feel like you can't bend any further, hold your limit pose for a couple of seconds. When you get good at this exercise, make it harder by moving your arms as close to your legs as possible. Swing back and forth.

Do these exercises every day. If you have problems with your spine, you will quickly forget about them if you are not lazy, and soon you will be able to easily get up on the bridge, no matter how old you are.

How to get on the bridge while standing:

When you are good at doing all the exercises preparatory phase, including the gymnastic bridge from a prone position, begin to perform the bridge from a standing position. If you have a Swedish wall - great, but if not - use the free space near the wall.

Standing with your back to the wall (at a distance of about 80 cm), raise your arms up and put your feet shoulder-width apart. From this position, lean back until you feel the wall with your fingers. Lean further, moving your fingers along the wall (or along the rails, if you work at wall bars). This will bring you down to the bridge position. Having lingered in this position, return to the starting position in the same way (hand over with your hands). Do this exercise until you are good at it.

The next step is to refuse the help of the wall. The exercise is performed on a gymnastic mat. It will be safer if someone will insure you. Stand facing the other person with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your hands up. At this stage, your assistant may already be insuring you, supporting you under your back. Lean back, hold this position for a second and, without making sudden movements, lower yourself onto the bridge. Hold a little in the position of the bridge and, pushing off with your hands, return to the original position. Do not refuse the help of another person until you learn how to perform this exercise confidently and independently.

How to get on the bridge correctly:

Agree, it is important not only to be able to stand on the bridge, but also to do it correctly and beautifully.

When you do the bridge from a standing position, the main thing is not to be afraid and do not make the common mistake of walking on the bridge with your shoulders and back. That's right - only by hand.

The next mistake in doing this exercise is that some people do the bridge with their backs without considering the shoulders. The result is an ugly and unstable bridge with arched arms. It is correct to transfer the weight of the body to the hands, after warming up the shoulders. Ideally, the angle between the floor and your arms should be 90º. To achieve this, you must, while standing on the bridge, rock back and forth, thus stretching your shoulders.

Video - how to get on the bridge:

Before getting up on the bridge, it is necessary to stretch the muscles of the shoulders and back. Later, you can quickly perform the exercise without much warm-up, but for this it should become simple and familiar to you. Beginners in gymnastic exercises need to warm up.

To successfully complete the "bridge" you need to master the exercises that develop the flexibility of the back.
Spinal Flexibility Exercises

Exercise number 1. Lie on your stomach and stretch your arms up. Raise your arms and legs at the same time above the floor, bending as much as possible. Keep your knees straight. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds, lower yourself, relax your body. Repeat several times.

Exercise number 2. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your arms extended along your body. Raise your pelvis as high as possible, after 5 seconds, gently lower yourself onto your back.

Exercise number 3. Get on your knees, place your feet hip-width apart at a right angle to the floor. Slowly arching your back and arching your head back, reach your heels with your hands.

Exercise number 4. Lie on your stomach and, having risen and bent over, grab your ankles with your hands. Raising your head, chest and legs, bend further. Stay in this position for a few seconds.

Exercise number 5. Try to make a "bridge" on the fitball. Lie back on gymnastic ball, put your feet shoulder-width apart and try to reach the floor with your hands.

Exercise number 6. Lie on your stomach, with straight arms lean on the floor at hip level. Now, bending your knees, arch your back, trying to press your head to your heels. Fix the position for 30 seconds.

How to make a "bridge" from a prone position

Lie on your back. Next, bend your legs and arms, placing your hands close to your shoulders and pointing your elbows up. Straightening your arms, legs and bending in the lower back, try to stand on the “bridge” from this position. At the moment when you feel that you can’t bend further, linger in this “limiting” position for you for a couple of seconds.
When the exercise becomes good, you can make it more difficult by moving your hands as close to your legs as possible. You can also swing back and forth in the “bridge” position.
How to get on the "bridge" from a standing position

Try to do flexibility exercises daily. When you are good at getting up on the gymnastic "bridge" from a prone position and linger in this position, try to stand on the "bridge" from a standing position. Use for this Swedish wall or free space near the wall.

Stand with your back to the wall at a distance of about one step, put your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your hands up. Lean back from this position until you rest your hands on the wall. Lean further, moving your fingers along the wall or steps of the Swedish wall until you lower yourself to the “bridge” position. Hold for a while in this position, then return to the starting position, moving your hands along the wall in the same way. Practice doing this exercise until you get it right.

Getting up on the “bridge” from a standing position without the help of a wall is most correct on a gymnastic mat. At first, it is advisable to use the help of someone who will insure you. Stand facing this person with your feet shoulder-width apart, raise your arms up and lean back. Your assistant can secure you by supporting you under your back. Hold in the “bridge” position and, pushing off with your hands, return to the starting position.

In fitness, each muscle group has its own complex, but there are also universal exercises that work literally all the major muscle groups. One of them is the bridge.

Benefits: What is the benefit of the bridge exercise?

"Bridge" involves almost all major human muscle groups:

muscles of the upper and lower extremities;
back muscles;
abdominal muscles;
chest muscles.

Benefits of doing the exercise:

improves blood flow;
posture and gait become correct;
improves the shape of the buttocks;
digestion is normalized;
the sagging belly goes away;
the work of the muscles of the arms, hips and legs is stimulated;
coordination develops;
the back muscles become more elastic, due to this, the mobility of the spine is ensured;
the development of bone and muscle diseases is prevented;
improves the functioning of the respiratory system;
healthy sleep is established;
reduces the likelihood of nervous disorders.

Harm: contraindications to exercise

Exercise can harm you if you:

pregnancy;
diseases of the spine or gastrointestinal tract;
injuries or diseases of the joints;
high blood pressure;
headache;
intervertebral hernia;
recently had operations on the organs of the abdominal cavity.

In these cases, do not bridge.

How to learn to make a "bridge"?

"Bridge" is a difficult exercise that requires good physical training. Strong arms and legs will make this practice much easier to master.

To get on the "bridge", beginners need to warm up properly. For warm-up, a whole range of exercises is provided.

Lying hyperextension

We lay down on our stomach.
We stretch our hands forward.
We raise our arms and legs at the same time, trying to bend as much as possible. We keep our knees straight.
We linger in this position for 30-60 seconds.

"Half-bridge"

We lay down on our backs.
We bend our knees.
Extend the arms along the body.
With an exhalation, gently raise the pelvis as high as possible.
Hold for 5 seconds and slowly lower yourself onto your back.

"Camel"

We get on our knees.
Feet hip-width apart.
Gently bending back, we reach our heels with our hands. If this is difficult, we put our palms on the lower back, thereby maintaining the deflection. We do not throw our head back, rib cage disclosed.

"Onion"

We lay down on our stomach.
Bend your knees and grab your ankles with your palms.
We bend, rounding the chest and raising the head, chest and legs.
We linger for a few seconds. Slowly descend into initial position.

Video: What exercises you need to do before you stand on the "bridge"

Having warmed up, we proceed to the “bridge” itself. But before performing its classic variation, you will have to go through a thorny path of "bridges" of varying complexity (with an emphasis on the shoulders, side, reverse, and others). Let's start, of course, with the easiest.

When doing the bridge, remember:

breathing should be slow and measured;
the back should be well arched, but without a kink in the lower back: aim for an arc and in thoracic region;
arms and legs tend to straighten up;
the pelvis should be above the head.

"Bridge" with an emphasis on the shoulders

This exercise is also called gluteal bridge”, From which you can understand which muscles this exercise additionally pumps. The exercise is very useful if done correctly.

We lay down on the floor.
We stretch our arms along the body or to the sides.
We rest with our knees bent on the floor.
On the exhale, tear off the buttocks from the floor, strain and push the pelvis as high as possible. The body and hips should be positioned so that a straight line can be drawn from the point where the shoulders touch the floor to the bent knees.
We strain gluteal muscles and stay in this position for a few seconds.
With a breath, we return to the starting position.

You can complicate this position by stretching one leg forward first, and after a while, when the muscles are sufficiently stretched, up to a perpendicular with the floor. Then repeat the same on the other leg. To quickly achieve results, you should perform this exercise about 10 times in a row in 3 sets.

Video: Technique for performing the "gluteal bridge"

Video how to properly perform the "glute bridge" while lying down.

Not easy, but involving many muscle groups at once, and therefore a very effective exercise.

We sit on the floor, legs are extended and connected.
We put our palms on the floor a little behind us shoulder-width apart.
On the exhale, raise the pelvis, torso and legs until a straight line is formed. The coccyx is twisted.
We strain the muscles of the abdomen and buttocks, we take the shoulders away from the ears.
We try to stay in this position from 15 seconds to two minutes.

If you feel pain or discomfort, your legs begin to shake, you feel tired - go down and take a break. Between sets, stay seated or lean forward to let your muscles rest.

achieve excellent results the correct execution technique will help here, and not the duration and number of approaches.
Perform this exercise 3-4 times a week, as shown in the photo, and then your posture will improve, your muscles will tighten, and your gait will become more beautiful.

You can also do simplified version also called "table". To do this, bend your knees and repeat the same steps as described for the classic reverse plank.

"Bridge" on fitball

Do not perform this exercise if you have lower back or balance problems.

We sit on the fitball: the back is straight, the feet are firmly on the floor, the hands are on the knees or on the hips.
We stretch our arms forward, smoothly move the body forward, leaning on the fitball.
We take our hands back behind our heads, move our legs forward. We roll back on the ball.
Slowly lean back and place your arms slightly bent at the elbows on the floor. Hold this position for 5 seconds, tensing your muscles and exhaling.
To return to the starting position, bend the knees, forming a right angle between the hips and the floor. Raise your head and return to a sitting position.

Don't let your feet leave the floor or the ball roll to the side.

Technique for performing the classic "bridge"

A long way has been passed, ahead of the "finish line". But first, make sure that your muscles are sufficiently strengthened and elastic.

We lay down on our backs.
We put our feet parallel to each other close to the buttocks.
Bend your arms, put your palms close to your shoulders, point your elbows up.
On the exhale, we go into the "bridge", straightening the legs and arms, bending the back in the thoracic region and lower back.
Hold in a comfortable position for a few seconds.
Release slowly with inhalation. Don't put your head on the floor!

When you have mastered this exercise well, you can complicate it by moving your hands as close to your legs as possible, and then rock back and forth. Avoid pain.

If you have not been involved in sports and have not done any exercises before, you should not start your sports life from the bridge. Exercise requires strong hands and legs, without which it is very easy to get injured.
Perform all movements smoothly and slowly.
Do not overwork and do not rush: gradualness and the right technique are the key to safety and success.
When performing the exercise, make sure that the curve of the spine is uniform, the lower back should not be “broken”.
With each exhalation, try to bend a little more, if flexibility and comfort still allow.
Do not turn your head during the exercise to avoid injury to the cervical vertebrae.
The pelvis should be above the head and shoulders.
When doing the exercise, try to breathe a little deeper and slower than usual.

Video: How to get on the "bridge" correctly. Most Common Mistakes

Despite the complexity, it is possible and even necessary to learn how to make a “bridge”. By mastering this exercise, you will improve general state organism. The main thing is not to forget to follow the rules and not give up halfway, then the result will not keep you waiting.

The bridge is one of the most effective methods gymnastics, allowing shortest time strengthen and stretch the spinal column and spinal muscles. Directly because the question of how to learn how to make a bridge at home will become the most relevant.

Proper technique and constant exercise will lead to all sorts of positive changes within the body. Bridge exercise provides the following benefits:

that straighten the spinal column (extensor muscles). Elongated muscular "ropes" that run parallel to the spine on each side.
Training in progress a large number small dorsal, gluteal and limb muscles.
Increased flexibility of the spine and general motor activity.
The abdominal muscles are stretched.
Improves blood flow in the tissues that surround the cartilage between the vertebrae. This creates an obstacle to early wear of the vertebral discs.
The rush of blood to the head increases cerebral blood flow and stimulates mental activity.

In addition, when performed correctly, the gymnastic bridge makes it possible to improve flexibility and physical fitness.

Contraindications

The training has its limitations. Bridge exercise should not be performed in the following cases:

. Women receive an increased burden on abdominal muscles which has serious consequences for the fetus.
It is impossible to get involved in the bridge for those who suffer from vascular diseases. Excessive stress becomes a provoking factor in a stroke or heart attack.
Difficulties with gastrointestinal tract, gastritis. During stretching, the gastric walls can tear, provoke damage or bleeding of the ulcer.
Disorders in the work of the thyroid gland. By carrying out the bridge, it is possible to influence hormones, which leads to a deterioration in the overall well-being of the thyroid gland.
Diseases of the ENT organs. An unusual and tense position can provoke damage to the capillaries and inappropriately distribute the load.
Joint diseases. Bones and joints can be damaged by physical exertion, which sometimes leads to injuries and fractures.
postoperative period. Exercise provokes divergence of seams or bleeding.

But, when there are no significant contraindications, you need to understand that activity will become the key to health. Probably the bridge exercise will be the beginning of a passion for some kind of sport and active physical activity. They master the training in stages, carrying out its simplest variations. In this case, the body will be able to adapt to previously unusual loads.

How to make a bridge correctly, beautifully and plastically

The gymnastic bridge is quite effective due to correct technique and execution. There are a number of common mistakes to avoid:

You should not be afraid to lose balance, trying to get on the bridge through the back and shoulders. When performed properly, only the upper limbs are involved.
Quite often, the majority conducts training without transferring body weight to the upper limbs, with the help of the back, without using shoulder girdle. As a result, the arms are too arched, and the bridge will turn out to be unstable.

Proper implementation of the bridge exercise is performed with the transfer of mass to the upper limbs. The angle between them and the coating is 90 degrees. To achieve this, it is possible to pre-warm up the shoulders. To do this, you need to swing in the bridge, stretching the muscles of the shoulders.

Lead up exercises

Attempts to get on the bridge without proper physical training can fail and cause damage. During the implementation of such a stance, appropriate flexibility of the spinal column, the strength of certain muscle groups and coordination are necessary.

Therefore, mastering the rack should take place in stages, regularly conducting special trainings, starting with simple ones and ending with complex ones. Leading exercises to stand on the bridge are included in the training program, and therefore it is possible to master the most difficult variations of such a stance.

Shoulder bridge (glute bridge)

Helps strengthen the muscles of the lower extremities, lumbar and buttocks. It is necessary to lie on your back, bend your knees and spread wider than your shoulders. Hands relax and lay on the floor. The pelvis rises to the maximum, a deflection is made in lumbar and tighten the buttocks. At this time, emphasis is placed on the feet and shoulders, the head does not come off the cover. The neck is relaxed, otherwise injury is likely. At the maximum point, you should linger for 2 seconds and lower the pelvis. Gradually increase the number of repetitions and approaches. If you manage to do several approaches of 20 times, you should move on to the next stage of training.

Reverse plank

The training in question helps to strengthen the muscles of the upper limbs, back, and abs. Executed from sitting position. lower limbs are on the covering, straight and parted slightly wider than the shoulders. With palms, emphasis is placed on the floor surface somewhat behind the body. The pelvis rises and the body and lower limbs are aligned in a straight line. The neck does not bend, the head does not fall, the gaze is directed forward. When it is not possible to take such a position, it is possible at first to slightly bend the legs at the knee. You should stay in this position for 5 seconds. You need to perform 3 sets of 15 times.

Exit to the bridge from the bench

To carry out such a variation of the training in question, you will need a bench, a small box, or another stable support. You should sit on a bench, put your palms on the edge on each side of you. They advance with their lower limbs in front of them and lower their shoulders onto the bench. The hands are rearranged so that the palms are fully located on the bench, the fingers are directed to the lower limbs. At the same time, the feet are on the floor and the knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.

half bridge

Take a fitball or a small pouf. It is possible to use any low object. You should sit on the floor, and put the ball behind you. Then they lie on it with the center of the back. The lower limbs are placed on the floor surface and bent at the knees. Hands are placed on the cover at the head, fingers to the feet. The neck relaxes and the head drops down. From this position, the upper and lower limbs are unbent and the back is bent to the maximum. It is enough to do 2 sets of 20 times.

classic bridge

Having mastered the bridge from the support, it is possible to switch to working out the rack from lying position. Starting position: lie on your back, feet are placed at the buttocks wider than shoulders, emphasis is placed on covering with palms on each side of the head, fingers are directed towards the shoulders.

With the help of the upper and lower extremities, the body is pushed upward and, having made a deflection in the back, one should try to straighten the arms and legs. Then, when you managed to get into the bridge, you need to stay in this position, and then return to the starting position.

Competent execution of the training meets the following conditions:

The deflection in the back should occur to the maximum, the body takes on an arched shape.
The limbs are straight, the palms are located under the head.
The pelvis rises to the maximum and is above the level of the head and shoulders.
The lower limbs need to be straightened, it is permissible to bend a little at the knees.

The stance is practiced until 15 repetitions in each of 2 approaches can be completed.

Climbing up the wall

The exercise algorithm is as follows:

You should stand with your back to the wall at a distance of 2 steps. Bend back and rest your palms on it. Fingers point downward.
Small steps are taken with the hands along the wall and lowered to the surface. It is possible to retreat a little with the lower limbs so that the distance to the wall is comfortable. You should stay 5 seconds in the bridge.
Then you need to climb your hands back onto the wall. This is harder than going down and will require more effort. Each movement is performed in reverse order. At the maximum point, you must return to the starting position - standing with your back to the wall.
You should step back and forth 8 times, do 2 sets.

Such training improves the flexibility of the spine and eliminates a large number of problems.

Bridge from a standing position

Even more effective is the ability to stand on the bridge from a standing position. To learn how to perform the exercise from this position, you will need large quantity time, but the effort will be rewarded. You should stand up straight, put the lower limbs shoulder-width apart, hands on the belt. Then:

At the Swedish wall, you should bend in the back in the opposite direction, grab the crossbars with your hands and, doing the busts, go down. In the same way, you should return to the starting position. Shoes and flooring must not slip, otherwise there is a risk of falling and injury.
It is easier to do this with the help of an outsider. It is necessary to ask one of the neighbors to hold 2 hands around the waist while the exercise is being performed. Then he will hold his back with 1 hand, and at a certain moment he will remove it too.
A deflection is made in the lumbar region (without the Swedish wall and support from the side), the knees are bent, the body is directed forward.
The arms are extended and arched back to touch the floor.
It is even more difficult to get up from the bridge to the lower limbs: you need to move the body in front of you, bend your knees. Push off the cover a little with the help of hands, straighten up. The first ones go directly to the arms, not the shoulders - this is a common mistake for beginners.

It is possible to ask the person to provide support by holding their back with their hands. After a certain time, support is no longer required. The standing bridge needs appropriate flexibility and coordination.

To make a bridge from a standing position, they also take a regular gymnastic mat. This is quite reliable, since the training has not been fully worked out. A back tilt is made, fixing the position for 2 seconds, and then they are fully lowered onto the bridge. They push off with their hands and return to the starting position.

Getting up to a standing position

Getting up from the bridge to the lower limbs is perhaps the most difficult exercise. However, as a result of hard training, muscle development and vestibular apparatus, after a few exercises, it is possible to do so.

While in the bridge, you need to try to transfer the mass to the lower limbs, for this purpose you need to bend your knees and push your pelvis forward. Perhaps a few "come" with your hands to the feet. After, pushing off the cover with your hands and at the same time shifting the center of gravity, straighten up. For these purposes, some efforts will be required.

At the initial stage of mastering the bridge, it is advisable to ask for support. The middle one supports the waist area during the exercise with his hands. Realizing what muscle groups are involved in the exercise, you will soon be able to learn how to go into the bridge while standing on your own.

Having mastered the technique of implementing the bridge and lifting from it, such training is worked out to automatism and left in the training program. Regular exercise provides significant health benefits. However, when such training is not done regularly, the skills developed can be lost.

How to teach a child to make a bridge

Before a child learns to do a bridge from a standing position, he needs to warm up so that the muscles are warmed up and not injured during exercise. Later it will be possible to perform a gymnastic bridge with virtually no preparation. This is why children are required to warm up their muscles before classes. The following exercises will help with this:

You need to lie on your stomach, stretch your arms in front of you. The upper and lower limbs rise, you need to bend to the maximum. The knees are straightened, a similar position is fixed for 30 seconds.
It is required to lie with your back on a hard surface, hands are placed along the body, and the lower limbs are bent. Raise the pelvis to the maximum for 10 seconds, then carefully and slowly lower it.
You should kneel, and spread the lower limbs along the width of the pelvis. Then they slowly bend back to reach the heels with their fingers. It is extremely important to arch your back, tilt your head back.
To perform such training, you need a ball. Fitball is intended for physical training. You should lie on your back on the ball, and put your lower limbs in a stable position. Then they bend and try to reach the coating with their palms.

Carrying out such training every day, the child will quickly be able to stand on the bridge, as well as cope with various problems that are associated with the spinal column.

When the previous trainings are fully mastered, it is permissible to begin the implementation of the bridge from a standing position:

The child needs to stand with his back to the wall - as a result, there is a distance that is equal to 80 cm. The lower limbs are placed shoulder-width apart, the arms are raised up. Loan carefully begin to lean back until the fingers manage to touch the wall. Next, you should sort them out along the surface, slowly going down. When the hands got the cover, it is required to remain in a similar position for 5 seconds, then resume the "climbing".
When the first training is fully worked out, the child may not use the wall and begin to perform the bridge on a soft surface. Initially, it is possible to help relatives, parents, for safety net in case of improper implementation or problems.
The upper limbs rise and slowly fall in the opposite direction. After the exercise, you need to stay in a similar position, then push off the cover and take the initial position.

Parents who do not know how to teach their child to perform a gymnastic bridge can use these recommendations and achieve positive results together even at home.

Before starting the practical part of the exercises, you should read the recommendations. Initially, you should objectively evaluate your own initial data: mass, plasticity, physical training. When the weight is more than 80 kg, when the back is not too flexible and has not previously been carried out gymnastic exercises, one should not hope that it will be possible to stand on the bridge in a few days. It is necessary to make an effort, it will take at least a month or more.

You need to check the flexibility of your own spine. For this purpose, a mark is fixed on the wall at shoulder level:

Get back to her. Step away from the wall. A back bend is made in the opposite direction. If you can see the mark - the flexibility is sufficient and it will be easy to get on the bridge in a few days with the proper intensity of training.
Turn left side, raise straight up right hand, you need to touch the mark. The exercise is repeated for the second side.

Flexibility exercises are selected. Training programs are different, taking into account physical fitness and mood:

every day for a quarter of an hour;
in a day for half an hour;
2 times a day for a quarter of an hour.

The bridge gives positive results in stretching the spinal column, only when the training is carried out properly. Is good gymnastics and great way warm up the muscles. When performing a gymnastic bridge, it is possible to eliminate pain in the back, cervical region, spinal column, when there are no medical restrictions.

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Usually we learn to do a gymnastic bridge at school. Well, how, we learn - some quickly and naturally get into it even from a prone position, even from a straight stand without any walls, others try to shove an unyielding body into the desired position, and still others, the most unlucky and stubborn, also get injured in the process.

Just four years ago, gymnastic bridges, as a lead-in exercise, were of interest only to dancers, and even a narrow group of the population, striving to reap more while lying down. own weight. Today, the bridge is promoted by almost every sports public. Yes, the ability to perform it is an indicator of the flexibility of the spine, shoulder and hip joints, and an indirect indicator of the youth of our body. And if you are afraid, you still need to make a bridge, but ... This is one of the most traumatic exercises for an amateur, and you should not “push” your own body into the bridge at all costs.

Why is it not given to everyone

The most important thing to understand before doing all the popular exercises is that not everyone is given. Someone for years cannot shake more than 40 kg, someone cannot pull himself up, and someone cannot stand on the notorious bridge. Which is perfectly normal if this someone does not make a living teaching yoga and pole dancing. In general, a full gymnastic bridge in an independent performance is contraindicated until:

you cannot, in a straight stance, with a straight back and a not bent thoracic spine, raise straight arms up and take them back so that the line connecting the palms goes at least 2-3 cm further than the top of the head;
you are not able to lift a light stick with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip and take it behind your head;
you cannot bend your lower back backwards and pull your pelvis up to your shoulder blades just by lying on your back.

These are mobility restrictions, they are the same for children and adults. Those who want to know how to teach a child to make a bridge should take this into account. If this is the case, you need to do lead-up exercises and return to the bridge only when the restrictions cease to be such. If the matter is complicated by the presence of hernias that blew in the spinal column, as well as arthrosis of the main working joints, it is worth consulting with a doctor regarding the possibility of training a bridge. The same applies to injuries of various origins.

Warm up and warm up

In the process of performing the bridge, not only increased joint mobility is required, but also the preparation of muscle tissues and fascia. If you are doing strength training in your spare time from bridges, and/or doing serious amounts of cardio, you should not start with stretches in the spirit of school physical education, and with joint warm-up and myofascial relaxation.

The complex can be like this:

8 rotations clockwise and counterclockwise with the wrists, then - eight with the hands gathered in a finger lock, then - rotation of the elbows clockwise and counterclockwise, arms to the sides, circles with the shoulders back and forth, lifting and lowering the thoracic spine, circles with the pelvis, deep squats without weight in full amplitude, forward bends with a straight back and maximum flexion in hip joint, circles with feet with a weightless leg;
separately, a complex of head rotations and lowering the chin to the chest should be performed;
then you need to take a foam roller or a hard ball and “roll it” calf muscles, rear surface hips, back sacral department to the cervical, front surface of the body and separately - triceps, quadriceps, hips and shoulders;
after that, you can perform about 10-12 minutes of light cardio in any available format to improve blood circulation and increase body temperature.

half-bridges - that is, the separation of the spine and pelvis in the supine position, the heels are brought to the buttocks, resting on the shoulder blades, then - exit to the shoulders, the head lies on the floor, and the heels - rest on the floor;
deflections in the thoracic region - from a prone position, you need to collect the shoulder blades and, as it were, lower them into the back pockets of the trousers (push towards the lower back), while the pelvis remains on the ground, and the lumbar and thoracic regions come off the ground;
squats with a light stick behind the head - perform a normal weightlifting jerk (dynamic lifting of a light stick behind the head and a deep squat, literally “buttocks to the floor”) and, stretching pectoral muscles and lowering the shoulder blades to the pelvis, try to get the stick behind the head.

All exercises are static, fixation should be kept from 40 to 120 seconds, perform 3-4 sets of each.

The so-called exercises for the development of flexibility of the spine

Strictly speaking, the spine cannot be inflexible. If you have pain in separate zones and there is no way to bend yourself into a bridge, the reasons can be very different:

hernias and protrusions that you do not know about. Yes, this happens to most adults, someone blames bad posture and weak muscles, someone deadlift, performed in a rebound from the platform, in general, neither athletes nor those who despise sports are immune from this. If there is a stabbing or aching sensation near one or two vertebrae, arms and legs become numb, and there is discomfort when running and walking, you should consult a doctor, and do not do bridges at home;
little mobility in shoulder joints. If the hands behind the back with a straight back do not start in any way, you should develop mobility in the shoulder joints, and not “flexibility of the spine”, any training should begin with a joint warm-up and mobilization of the shoulders;
weak back extensor muscle. It is the same for everyone who does not pull the deadlift, and does not do inclinations with a barbell;
atrophied latissimus dorsi and rhomboid muscles and a “round” habitual posture of the back, that is, “office posture”;
curvature of the spinal column - the reason here is not the "inflexibility of the structure", but the uneven development of the muscles of the back and legs, which can significantly affect the biomechanics of movement, and complicate the bridge with a raised leg;
arthritic changes in the joints (unfortunately, nothing can be done about it, if you stubbornly want to exercise, do more warm-ups, and if you follow the classic recommendations, sign up for swimming and massage);
banal fear of "breaking your back";
changes in the thoracic-lumbar fascia, they are called in sports medicine "nodules of tension", they appear due to too active strength training. The nodules can be kneaded with a roller for self-massage, or periodically go to the massage therapist.

Complex for shoulder joints

Rotations

Stand up straight and rotate the heads of the shoulders back to the shoulder blades, making a very slow movement, literally 12-15 even counts. Repeat 9-15 times, then work back. The pace must be such that one set of rotations takes at least one minute.

Spins with straight arms

Remember the exercise with a light dough stick? You do the same, but without the stick. The goal is to bring the shoulders as close to the ears as possible. We start the rotation from straight arms lowered along the body, bringing them in front of the body, and winding up behind the head, and then lowering them along the same trajectory in front of the body.

Rope spins

The same option, but in the hands wide grip we take a rope or a rope, the grip is 20-30 cm wider than the shoulders, the amplitude is comfortable, but the goal is again not to bring the shoulders to the ears.

Front rubber shock absorbers

We attach the shock absorber to a hook at chest level and pull it to the face, with the elbows as far behind the back as possible. This exercise is enough to do in 3 sets of 15-20 times at an average pace.

Exercises to Correct Weak Back Muscles

If the reason for the lack of a bridge is the weakness of the latissimus dorsi and rhomboids, it is necessary to master (these muscles work as stabilizers), pulling up on the horizontal bar and pulling the barbell or dumbbells in an inclination to the belt. Exercise should be done in power mode for 5-6 repetitions, followed by hypertrophy, that is, 8-12 repetitions.

Technique of execution of various bridges

From a sitting position

It is necessary to sit on the floor on the buttocks, feet at the pelvis, start with a deflection in the lumbar region and put the hands behind the head, take the emphasis with the hands and tear the pelvis off the floor. Despite certain aesthetic advantages (can be used in some types of dance, for example), this is biomechanically the most wrong and dangerous view bridge. It causes a lot of compression in the lumbar region, and it is safer the faster you can raise the pelvis off the floor. In general, the option is not recommended for beginners.

A variant of this bridge is the sit-on-gym bridge. In this case, you should sit as vertically as possible, straight, so that the pelvic bones are in a plane perpendicular to the floor. After this, relaxation of the abdominal muscles and a strong deflection in the lower back are performed. Then we lower our shoulders onto the bench, and arch our back upwards, the support is performed by the shoulders. If this bridge is made for the needs, you should actively "bring" the pelvis with your feet to the shoulder blades, after the position of the bridge is accepted. No need to make sudden movements, this is not useful.

Important: do not make bridges on narrow and slippery gymnastic benches. Cover standard hall equipment with a terry towel to ensure the stability of the body position and make sure that the shoulder blades do not slip off.

From a prone position

Starting posture - as for straight twist, you need to lie on your back and put your feet at a distance of 2 feet from the buttocks. Put your palms behind your head, take the emphasis with your hands and raise your pelvis up, arching your back.

You need to get up from the bridge smoothly, carefully performing the sequence of movements in reverse order. You should not accelerate, and even more so, fall on your back.

Learning to get up on your hands from the bridge is even more difficult. To do this, you must, in principle, already be able to stand on your hands. Beginners are advised to stand with their heads to the wall in the bridge, and throw one leg at a time on the wall, while using the help of the insurer.

From a standing position

Another option, not intended for a beginner in principle. Stand up straight, push your pelvis forward, put your hands behind your head and, pushing your pelvis forward, lower them to the floor. The deflection should be deep, and the position of the palms and feet should be such that it is stable.

Important: you should not train the bridge more than 2 times a week. If you are doing strength training, it is logical to do it at the end of a bench press workout, since after pulling or back exercises, it is unlikely that you will be able to properly collect the shoulder blades and make a good deflection of the spine.

In yoga, the bridge on the elbows is practiced, this is when the deflection in the thoracic and lumbar region allows you to bend so that you put your forearms, and not your palms, on the floor in the bridge. It is correct to master this bridge after sufficient mobility has been achieved in the so-called fish pose, a deflection in the thoracic region in the supine position.

Typical beginner mistakes

Beginners usually perform bridges without a warm-up, trying to learn quickly, and, even more so, without increasing the amplitude in the joints. Stretching is not an easy load, you need to warm up before it, otherwise the benefit is lost. This is the biggest mistake.

In addition, you should not do "springs" throughout the entire range of motion, especially when performing the bridge from a standing position. Ballistic stretch harmful to the joints in principle, and in this design can lead to serious injury. Lead-up exercises should not be neglected. But if the mobility of the joints is normal, and the bridge still fails, it's not about you and not about the bridge, but that the feet or palms are not standing correctly. Try a wider or narrower stance to improve core stability in the exercise.

And the most important mistake is haste, attempts to “sit on the splits in a month, stand on the bridge in a week”, and in general, almost complete the CCM in gymnastics in 2 days. All these girls from beautiful pictures walked to the bridges with a relaxed expression for more than one month. Be patient and develop the body in a comprehensive manner, and you will definitely achieve your goal.

The article was prepared by Anna Tarskaya (trainer, nutritionist)