Bridging Tutorial
The Lost Art of Bridging
Bridging is without a doubt the most beneficial movement you can perform! The stand to stand bridge is the most advanced bridging variation to work up to. Very few people are capable of performing the stand to stand bridge. Now I am going to take you through the exact set of progressions that I went through to achieve my first stand to stand bridge. With persistent effort you too can be one of the few people to accomplish this movement. But first, why should you bother with bridging?
Bridging Benefits
- Bridging will improve flexibility in the quads, hip flexors, abs, rib cage, shoulders and lats
- Bridging bulletproofs the spinal column in preparation for heavy, explosive, or unexpected movements, allowing you to train harder, heavier, and faster.
- Bridging will make all of your athletic movements more powerful
- Bridging can expand the rib cage and increase lung capacity
- Bridging will improve your posture which will communicate confidence and power to those around you
- Bridging will elongate your spine and if done regularly will increase your height by up to a full inch
If bridging is so great than how come no one ever does it?
We live in a superficial society and most people are more concerned with the size of their biceps or the condition of their abs than how healthy and functional they are. In addition very few people are actually aware how beneficial bridging actually is and those that do bridge regularly. In a way bridging is like a secret weapon to western culture. In eastern culture bridging is often considered the king of exercises. No other exercise comes close to improving functionality like bridging does. Being an avid martial artist I can attest to the benefits of regular bridging. Just the other day I was grappling and thanks to consistent bridging I was able to maneuver my way out of difficult positions effortlessly.
Building Your Way up to the Stand to Stand Bridge
Back Bridge Progressions & Key Points:
Basic Hip Bridge – arch back as high up as possible and keep heels as close to butt as possible
Hip Bridge grabbing ankles – arch back up as high as possible and keep heels as close to butt as possible
Standard Back Bridge – Work on fully extending arms and bringing heels in closer thus increasing the stretch
Back Bridge Push ups – Work on fully extending arms and bringing heels in closer thus increasing the stretch
Wall Walking – Work on progressing all the way down into a bridge and then back up. Once this is accomplished than work on standing closer to the wall and taking fewer hand steps
Stand to Bridge – Push Hips forward, look behind you and have a partner spot your lower back. Keep your shoulders strong
Elevated Bridge to Stands – Start by going into a bridge with your hands on an elevated surface such as a couch. Push yourself up by powerfully pushing with your shoulders and pushing your hips forward over your toes
Stand to Stand Bridge – Make sure to stay as arched as possible. The more arched you are the easier it is. Powerfully push off of the ground with your shoulders and push your hips over your toes.
When should you progress to the next variation?
Once you can perform your current bridge level with ease then progress to the next variation.
How often should you practice bridging?
I recommend performing some form or bridging exercise every single day. At first if you find yourself soar then I recommend taking a day off to recover. After a few sessions bridging shouldn’t leave you soar at all. When learning a new skill such as bridging it is important to practice it every single day and stay as fresh as possible. So take a few minutes rest between sets and aim for maximum execution and technique instead of high reps. REMEMBER – Quality over Quantity. Focus on doing a few awesome slow and controlled reps than simply banging out 30 ugly reps.
Advanced Bridging Workout – Don’t be surprised if you feel taller
5 bridge push ups (hold the 4th rep for 5 seconds)
push yourself up to standing
10 bridge push ups (hold the 9th rep for 10 seconds)
push yourself up to standing
15 bridge push ups (hold the 14th rep for 15 seconds)
push yourself up to standing
20 bridge push ups (hold the 19th rep for 20 seconds
push yourself up to standing
Notes:
Perform this routine once every single day. It doesn’t matter if you perform it in the morning, before going to bed or before/after your workout. The important thing is that you perform it at-least once every single day. If your up for it you can do it up to 2 or 3x per day. If you aren’t capable of performing the stand to stand bridge yet than you can simply just perform the bridge push ups.
