Bridge (Urdhva Dhanurasana, Wheel pose)

Muscles

• Spinalis thoracis
• Longissimus thoracis
• Iliocostalis
• Lower trapezius
• Serratus anterior
• Posterior deltoid
• Gluteus maximus
• Semitendinosus
• Semimembranosus
• Biceps femoris (long)

Technique

1. Lie down on your back and bend your knees, placing your feet about shoulder width apart and near the hips.
2. Place the hands alongside the ears, also about shoulder width apart, with the palms facing down and the fingertips toward the feet.
3. Press down through the feet and hands to lift the hips and shoulders up, and take the head back to look toward the floor behind you.

Form tips

1. Keep the upper arms externally rotated as you press up. This will feel like pulling the elbows toward each other for most people.
2. Press evenly through the whole palm, and try turning the fingertips outward a bit.
3. Engage the Glutes , Quadriceps and Hamstrings to lift the back body up, arching the spine.

Similar Exercises

• Forearm bridge
• Incline bridge
• Wall bridge rotation
• Forearm stand
• Wall bridge pushup

Equipment

• Ground (hands or body)