Benefits of Bridge Pose

WRITTEN BY: Jennifer Strout, Founder of MotivateU

The Bridge pose, also known as Setu Bandhasana, is a yoga pose that offers a wide range of benefits both physically and mentally. This pose is completed on the floor and begins by laying on one’s back with the legs straight together and the arms straight and by the side with the palms flat against the floor. Using one’s arms and feet as an anchor, the hips are then raised into the air with the back arched. The pose also includes many variations allowing beginners to gradually strengthen into the full pose.


Below are five benefits of the Bridge pose:

1. Strengthens the legs, glutes, and lower back
The Bridge pose is a great way to strengthen your lower body muscles. When you raise your hips and hold the pose, you engage your legs, glutes, and lower back muscles. This pose helps to increase the strength in those muscles and reduce the risk of injury.

2. Stretches the chest, neck, and spine
The bridge pose stretches the upper body muscles including the chest, neck, and spine. If you spend long hours in sedentary positions, hunched over a computer or phone, this pose will help to counteract the negative effects of that posture.

3. Improves posture
Continuously practicing the bridge pose can help correct your body posture as it works to strengthen your back and other muscles involved in maintaining proper alignment.

4. Reduces stress and anxiety
The bridge pose is commonly used in yoga as a relaxation technique because it helps to reduce stress and anxiety levels. This pose promotes physical relaxation, and the meditative aspect of yoga encourages a peaceful mindset.

5. Encourages mindfulness
Not only does the bridge encourage physical awareness but it also helps with mental awareness. Like many yoga poses, holding the bridge demands concentration and presence. Focusing on your breath and the sensations in the body while holding the pose encourages a sense of mindfulness.
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In summary, the Bridge pose is a simple yet effective pose that offers numerous physical and mental benefits. Incorporating this pose into your daily yoga practice can help you achieve overall physical and mental wellbeing. If you’re looking for guidance on how to properly perform this, and other poses, check out our realtime form tracking with continuous feedback- available on all live and on-demand classes.

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