Bridge Pose

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

"Living your yoga is not just doing it, but being it." - Judith Hanson Lasater

Bridge Pose

HOW TO PRACTICE Bridge Pose IN YOGA (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

Benefits, How to Instructions, Modifications, and Common Alignment Mistakes for Bridge Pose

 

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) variation interlace hands for chest opener

Bridge Pose (Sanskrit name: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) is a great way to counteract the many hours of sitting many of us do in our daily lives. Sitting for long periods shortens the quadriceps and deep hip flexors in the front body, while weakening the hamstrings, glutes and erector spinae muscles in back. This can cause chronic back pain and wreak havoc on posture.

One solution to this problem is to stretch what needs to be stretched, while at the same time creating strength where needed. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana does just that. The yoga pose also offers the added bonus of expanding the chest and strengthening the upper back—the perfect counter to the modern-day “slumpasana!”

There are multiple ways to adapt Bridge Pose to make it adaptable for many body types. This multi-tasking pose can also be adjusted, depending on the intention of the yoga practitioner. It can be a strengthening move for glutes and hamstrings in one instance, and then adapted to make a beautiful restorative yoga posture, in another. In other words, Bridge Pose can be used both in the morning as a way to become more energized, and again at day’s end to relax and release tension.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana is translated as Bridge Pose, but more specifically it refers to all of your limbs forming a bridge. With your limbs and torso you are making a bridge with your body. This asana also acts as a bridge in other ways, connecting you to a larger body of yoga poses that require similar alignment and actions in the hips, legs, and upper body. So, Setu Bandha Sarvangasana establishes important yoga alignment actions that help you prepare for other poses later on, especially Urdhva Dhanurasana (Full Wheel or Upward Bow Pose) and Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand).

Benefits of Bridge Pose

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) variation holding ankles

Along with the benefits listed above, Setu Bandha Sarvangasana also strengthens the entire lower body: the buttocks, the hamstrings, the ankles and calves, and the inner thighs (adductor muscles). All backbend yoga poses are at least somewhat energizing, and Bridge Pose falls into this category: it uplifts the mood and promotes healthy circulation. It can even help alleviate stress. Overall, Bridge Pose is a fairly accessible backbend posture for most bodies, and with a few props and modifications, it can also be a wonderful restorative retreat. When practiced with deep belly breathing, this asana can massage and stimulate the abdomen and help with digestion and elimination. Some also say it helps alleviate symptoms of menopause.

Basic Bridge Pose

Beginner yoga student practicing Bridge Pose on a yoga mat (Sanskrit: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

It is important when setting up for Bridge Pose that the feet stay under the knees, and that the knees don’t splay out to the side. Oftentimes as yoga students move into Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, they engage the glute muscles too much (i.e. they tend to squeeze the butt). The problem with this is that the glutes are external rotators of the hips, which means they open the legs out to the side, which in turn compresses the sacrum. It can be risky to do a backbend pose when your sacrum is in that compressed position. 

  1. Gather your props: a yoga mat and two yoga blocks. Set the blocks close by, next to your mat, where you can easily reach them.
  2. Start by lying on your back on your yoga mat, and bend your knees enough so your feet are flat on the ground. Your heels should be close to your hips, but they do not need to be touching them. 
  3. Place a block in between your feet in its flattest position. It should be narrow so that it is long in between your feet. (This will separate your feet about six inches apart.) Your big toes will touch the yoga block, but your heels will be slightly away from the block. This ensures that your feet are parallel with the sides of the mat. 
  4. Now place your second block in its narrowest position in between your thighs (close to your knees). You may have to play around with the placement of the yoga block here. It should keep your knees right over your ankles, not pushing them out to the side. 
  5. Now place your arms next to your sides so that your palms are facing the ceiling; roll from your inner arms to your outer arms. 
  6. On an exhalation, press down into your feet. On the next inhalation lift your hips toward the ceiling, extending your knees outward from your hips. 
  7. Press into the block with your legs, and make sure the knees are right over the heels. Try to release the buttocks as much as possible, and focus on engaging the hamstrings instead. 
  8. To find the hamstring engagement, act as though you were going to draw your heels back toward your hips (without actually moving them). As you do this you should feel the backs of the legs activate. 
  9. Now that you are in Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, start to draw the shoulders closer together. Make sure your shoulders draw down away from your ears; just walk them toward the center of your yoga mat. If you can reach, interlace your hands under your back. (You can also use a yoga strap to help if you can’t quite reach.)
  10. Make sure you don’t flatten out your neck; maintain the natural curve in your cervical spine. 
  11. Keep engaging the hamstrings by focusing on drawing the heels (isometrically) toward your hips.
  12.  Now lift your chest and sternum up toward your chin. At the same time lengthen the front of your neck by drawing your chin away from your chest.
  13. Take a few more breaths at the peak of this yoga asana. 
  14. On an exhalation, slowly lower your spine back down to the mat.
  15.  Take a moment to breathe while resting on your back. Keep the yoga blocks in place, and repeat the whole process again.
  16.  Focus on lifting your hips even higher the second time around.

Try Us Free! Get a Sample Pose Report to Experience the Full Benefits of the YogaU Pose Library.

Click Here

Check out our premium content

Video practice examples

For every yoga pose

Learn Common Alignment issues

And how to deal with them

Tips for beginners

Learn the best prep poses for each yoga pose

sign up now

Try Free for 7 Days

FAQs

Curious to learn more?

See all FAQs

FAQs

How to personalize my practice?

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library helps you fit yoga poses to your individual body. It provides tools for you to customize yoga poses to your body's needs in order to gain the benefits of each yoga pose. 

When working your way through the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library, pay particular attention to the Yoga 2.0 Poses section as well as the Preparatory Poses under the Teaching Tips tab. This is where you will find some of the juiciest content in the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library!

What do I get When I sign Up?

When you register for a basic account, you get access to basic pose information about each yoga pose. You can also view three Pose Library blog articles or three yoga pose video tutorials each month. 

If you choose to register for a premium account, you will have access to our library of 1000s of unique Yoga 2.0 pose modifications, video tutorials for each yoga pose, preparatory yoga poses and common misalignments for every yoga pose, precautions, and more!

If you choose to subscribe to our premium Plus membership, you will also get access to our Yoga Sequence Builder, which allows you to create a yoga practice sequence with any and all of the yoga poses featured throughout the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library!

What are Yoga 2.0 Poses?

The idea behind Yoga 2.0 is that yoga poses should be individualized for every person. 

Yoga 2.0 Poses give you a foundation to begin designing your own customized yoga practice that suits your body's needs.

Choosing the right Yoga 2.0 Pose begins with your relationship with your body and making healthy choices that respect your personal boundaries. 

Is this for beginners too?

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library is for every body! 

Whether you are a beginner or already far along on your yoga journey, the Yoga 2.0 Pose Library has something for everyone. 

Are you looking for creative, fun ways to modify yoga poses? Check out our collection of Yoga 2.0 Poses, which features 1000s of Yoga Pose Modifications. 

Looking to expand your practice or teaching? The Teaching Tips and Deepen the Pose sections provide fun ways to challenge your yoga practice as well as practical tips for learning and teaching new yoga poses. 

Can't find a certain pose

Our Yoga 2.0 Pose Library is an ever-expanding library. 

We will be adding new yoga poses over time - keep checking back for our latest yoga poses!

Share

Check out our Mastery content!

Get access to all the Pose Library has to offer by signing up for our Mastery membership.

Includes Pose Precautions and special access to our state of the art Yoga Sequence Builder.

 

View options

Sorry, You have reached your
monthly limit of views

To access, join us for a free 7-day membership trial to support expanding the Pose Library resources to the yoga community.

Sign up for a FREE 7-day trial

You need a free account to do this

Register for a free account to save your Favorite Poses! You can return to them again and again!

Click below to join us!

Simply click below to register and join us. Your Favorite Poses will appear in your private Dashboard section of the site.

Get your free account

Login

Check out our premium content

Get access to all the Pose Library has to offer by signing up for one of our premium memberships.

 

1000s of pose modifications & more!

The Yoga 2.0 Pose Library features 1000s of yoga pose modifications, video tutorials, teaching and practice tips, best prep poses, and common alignment issues for every yoga pose.

 

View options