Bridge yoga pose, known as setu bandhasana sarvangasana in Sanskrit, gives you a great butt by working, primarily, the gluteal muscles. This gentle back-bending pose also stretches the chest, neck, and spine to improve posture and increase flexibility in the upper back.
Tips, Photos and Videos for Beginners
Benefits
There are many bridge pose benefits, including improved alignment of the spine for better posture. Bridge yoga pose can, in particular, help correct hunching shoulders. Yoga setu bandhasana pose also strengthens and lengthens the back and shoulder muscles to reduce back pain. Because bridge yoga pose engages the pelvic floor, it can help treat or prevent incontinence in women.
Contraindications
Practitioners with a peptic or duodenal ulcer or with an abdominal hernia should not attempt sarvangasana for beginners. Women in the third trimester of pregnancy should not raise their hips higher than one foot in this pose.
Flows
Forward folds feel amazing after back bending. A seated forward fold, like prostration pose (naman pranamasana) or seated forward bend (paschimottanasana), is the perfect counterpose for sarvangasana for beginners.
Intermediate practitioners may want to transition into a more intense back bend like wheel pose (chakrasana) after warming up the back muscles in bridge.
