All Things Bridge in Pilates

Do you know that the Pilates Bridge leads to a flexible and articulate spine, strengthens the hamstrings, creates a stabile pelvis, lengthens the hip flexors, relieves tension in the upper back and neck, increases lung capacity, relieves pain, increases height, improves balance and relieves stress? Is it a miracle?  No, and in fact on that note, no movement is a miracle. Movement seems magical because it isn’t given enough credit in this pill for everything world!  But, let me leave that soapbox to another post and tell you about the beauty of the bridge in all of its variations!

If you’re new to us you might not have heard of our Movement Recipes.  It is widely accepted that exercise is “good for you,” but the controversy enters when a person tries to decipher which kind of exercise is “best” for you.  At the Pilates Studio, there is no best exercise, there is problem solving.  The Pilates Movement Recipes that you’ll read over the next year all have goals and missions, and it is the process of traveling towards these goals (whether you reach them or not) that is “good for you” It is this process that creates the strong and healthy individuals who emerge from mindful movement.  

First, what is the bridge?

Follow this link to the Pilates Exercise of the Day Blog to find a simple explanation of the basic bridge.  Performed alone this exercise is fantastic, but if you want to increase the benefits towards specific goals you may want to try some of the following recipes.  Below are three Bridge Recipes!

First if you want to use the Pilates Bridge to create a flexible and articulate spine, try the following: Click the links for more information about each exercise:

Pitcher Breath – Remember Breath is the Olive Oil of any Pilates Recipe, choosing the breath pattern is like choosing the first ingredient.  In this case, the pitcher breath can help address certain parts of the spine that might not articulate through the individual vertebra

Pelvic Rocks on the Soft Ball – The soft ball aids in the pelvic rock initiation and can relieve some tightness and immobility in the low spine.  The Soft Ball also allows the pelvic floor to engage easily.

Bridge – In this case you are using the Bridge as a marker exercise to see how flexible and articulate your spine is.

Bridge Side Stepping – This exercise will help loosen the spine at individual vertebral joints to increase the articulation of each joint

Bridge with Figure Eight -  The figure eight continues to release individual vertebral joints. In this exercise your are working with minute spinal rotations.

Bridge – Does it feel different?  Can you feel the added mobility to the spine?

Try the following links if you want to use the bridge to create stronger hamstrings.  The following recipe can be used as a way to progress the bridge over several days, or if a goal is to really challenge the hamstrings the progression could happen over one workout.  As always be aware of the comfort in your movement, if the hamstrings are cramping then they are asking for a rest!

Neutral Bridge -  Doing the bridge with a neutral spine creates the opportunity to concentrate on the pelvic shift rather than the articulation of the spine.  

Bridge Marching – the ability to lift one leg makes the standing legwork harder

Single Leg Bridge – The next step that progresses towards hamstring strength is acquiring the ability to lift the pelvis with just a single leg.

Bridge with Neutral Spine on the Foam Roller -  The additional height of the Foam Roller increases the stress and thus strengthens the hamstrings

Single leg Bridge Feet on the Foam Roller – Yowser! This one is hard!!!

Try the following recipe if Pelvic Stability is your goal!

Breath with Abdominal and Pelvic Floor Engagement – it is important to find the relationship between the diaphragm and the pelvic floor

Inner Thigh Squeeze Soft Ball  - Allows the body to find the inner thighs which can aid in pelvic stability

Outer Thigh Squeeze Theraband – Allow the body to find the external rotators for additional aid in pelvic stability

Pelvic Rocks – This exercise isolates the initiation of the bridge

Bridge – The bridge in this recipe is the culmination and provides a synthesis opportunity for everything that was learned in this recipe.

There are many other Bridge Movement Recipes, The lovely thing about movement recipes is that you can create your own.  As I continue to create these recipes for you, I might need your help.  What are your movement goals?  What kind of movement recipe do you want?  Leave a note in the comments and I hope to write recipes for anyone that wants one!

Katrina Hawley C.M.A, R.S.M.E
Co-Director The Pilates Studio