Yoga | Setu Bandha Sarvangasana – Bridge Pose

Introducing another lovely asana today which is simple to perform and is still so beneficial – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana or more commonly known as The Bridge Pose. While the previous ‘Downward Facing Dog’ was a forward bend, the ‘Bridge Pose’ is an introduction to inverted bends. You can find all the Yoga asanas I have shared HERE.

Like all backbends, The ‘Bridge Pose’ helps in opening the heart and back and energizes the body. This is one of the easier backbends and once you have managed to get your posture right and hold it in this pose, you can then move onto the more complex backbends.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana { setu= bridge; sarva= all; anga= limb } which means that all your limbs work together to form a bridge of the entire body.

The Setu Bandha Sarvangasana massages the spine, stretches the chest, neck & hips. It also calms the brain, helps to open the sinuses, reduces headache and opens up your shoulders. This is a great pose for women who experience menopausal symptoms. All in all, a feel good pose that you can hold upto a minute depending on your comfort levels. Remember, if it hurts, stop immediately.

How To Do It:

~ Lie down on your back, bend your knees and bring them close to your buttocks.
~ Both feet should be parallel and hip width apart. Arms should be placed next to the body, palms facing down.
~ Pressing your arms & feet into the floor lift the hips towards the ceiling .
~ Keep the lower back extended and the knees should be above the ankles.
~ Buttocks should be firm but not completely clenched.
~ The chin should be kept up a little so as to not flatten the back of the neck.
~ Exhale deeply and let your buttocks and back sink into the mat.
~ Do not try this pose more than once consecutively and rest for a bit in the corpse pose after you have done it.

Note of Caution: In this pose, the weight of your body should be supported by your 2 feet and 2 shoulders. Pay attention to your alignment and do not let your knees spread wider than your feet. Avoid this pose if you have a neck or knee injury.

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