Bridge Pose | Home Yoga Practice Edition
Overview
This is a practice of the Bridge Pose,
gently opening the chest and hip areas
in sync with your breath.
Although it is a simple movement performed while lying on your back,
by carefully engaging the spine and pelvic area,
you will gently activate the inner muscles that support your posture.
This is a fundamental asana that I value highly,
which we always perform at the end of in-person classes.
Opening the chest deepens your breathing,
and this pose helps guide your mind and body toward relaxation.
Benefits and Effects
・Opens the chest and deepens breathing
・Gently strengthens the pelvic floor muscles
・Stabilizes the pelvic area
・Gently engages the muscles around the spine
・Loosens the front of the hip joints
・Supports posture improvement
・Makes it easier to relax
※Individual results may vary
Recommended Timing
・In the morning, when you want to wake up your body
・When your body tends to hunch from desk work
・When you feel your breathing is shallow
・When you feel stiffness in the front of your hip joints
・As self-care after a bath
・Before bed, when you want to gently loosen your body
By gently opening your chest,
your breathing will naturally become deeper.
How to Perform
1. Lie on your back
Bend your knees,
and keep your feet about hip-width apart.
Place your heels directly under your knees,
without bringing them too close to your buttocks.
2. Align your posture
Relax your shoulders,
and keep the back of your neck long.
Tuck your chin slightly,
and gently engage your lower abdomen.
3. First, take 3 breaths to settle in
As you exhale,
feel your spine gently sink into the mat,
your abdomen hollow out,
and your pelvis tilt slightly backward.
On the inhale,
without expanding your abdomen,
while maintaining strength deep in your lower abdomen,
gently breathe into your chest.
Keep your spine on the mat,
and steady your breath.
④ On the next exhale, lift your hips.
In sync with your exhale,
while gently drawing your abdomen in,
slowly lift your pelvis.
Imagine you are carefully peeling off a sticker one by one,
and slowly lift your spine,
starting from your tailbone.
⑤ Hold for 3 breaths at the top.
Feel the expansion of your chest,
and the flow of your breath.
Especially on the exhale,
be mindful of the sensation of your pelvic floor muscles and transverse abdominis (the deep inner muscles of the abdomen)
being gently drawn toward the inside of your body.
⑥ On the exhale, slowly lower down.
Return your spine to the mat,
one vertebra at a time from the top.
Imagine you are carefully placing a sticker back in its original position.
In Bridge Pose,
we place special importance on the "lowering movement."
While feeling each vertebra,
return slowly and carefully.
🌿 For first-time users
In the TANAKA METHOD Home Yoga Practice Edition,
we value "yoga you feel, rather than yoga you watch."
▶ [Introduction] Yoga to Listen to Your Breath | Home Yoga Practice Edition
🌿 Click here for the audio guide
Key Points
・Move with your exhalations
・Do not release the tension in your lower abdomen
・Visualize gently drawing in your pelvic floor muscles
・Do not lift your hips too high
・Prioritize internal sensation over height
・Keep your weight on your heels and press into the floor while feeling the arches of your feet
・Gently engage your inner thighs to prevent your knees from splaying outward
・Make moving slowly and carefully your top priority
In Bridge Pose,
as you exhale,
focus on feeling the engagement of your pelvic floor and transverse abdominis (the deep inner core muscles).
In in-person classes,
I emphasize feeling the subtle sensations inside the body
rather than lifting the hips high.
Contraindications and Precautions
・Do not push yourself if you have severe neck or lower back pain
・Do not try to lift using only your lower back
・Be careful not to let your knees splay too far outward
・Stop if you feel any pain or discomfort
Modifications and Variations
It is perfectly fine to lift only a little.
Even with the intention of "lifting just 1cm off the mat,"
you can fully engage your pelvic floor and inner core muscles.
If you have concerns about your lower back,
I recommend placing a cushion or block under your pelvis
to provide support while you practice.
🌿 Recommended Reading
If you would like to learn more about the concepts and background behind this practice, please take a look at this article.
▶ Stabilizing the Pelvis and Core | Bridge Pose