Elevated bridge height to shoot for?

Is there a certain height we should be shooting for on these? Should they be lowered until they are no longer elevated, or should we keep it no lower than a certain height and work on full bridges at the end?

Slightly unrelated, is it worth it to do the band exercises without bands? Our bands "walked away" recently. I had to do them bandless today and the arching one at least felt beneficial.

The proper elevation is different for every person. You elevate until there is little to no bend in your lumbar spin. This way you're working the bend through the thoracic spine only. As the thoracic gains mobility over time, you lower the elevation of your feet.

PS, if you can get your feet on the floor with proper form, I think that's okay.

For me a yoga block is enough. I place my balls of the feet on each one tho. I lower down over time

A simple way to know if you are high enough is if you are able to have perfectly locked out arms with your shoulders directly over your hands.

I have a question on this.

If I avoid bend in my lumbar spine then, I'm basically in a handstand position in this one.  If I let my lumbar bend, then I can get a few inches lower but it still looks like a bent handstand rather than a back bridge.  Am I getting any benefit out of this or is there an intermediate stretch that I could substitute? 

Given my immobility should I even be avoiding lumbar bend since I obviously need to gain flexibility in that area as well?  On wall walks I can't get my hands lower than my standing shoulder height - getting to the floor is going to take years of work.

On a general point.  I mostly like the stretch series and will persist even though I find many of the drills in the last 15 mins or so of each session next to impossible.  What would have benefited me, and others I'm sure, would be some instructional that include some very immobile people, so we can see the sort of adjustments that we should be making.  On some of the stretches I am so far off the ideal that I wonder if can even be classified as the same exercise.

Over time they added many scaling examples in the course pages. Did you already try them? Yes, the last few stretches of every series really take it up a notch and for some I still can't get into the right position, but I keep trying every week and the list of "unapproachable stretches" is slowly getting shorter. I'm pretty excited about that.

I still cannot push up into a bridge though... even though on Tuesday for the first time my head was off the floor for a scary second, but I couldn't lock my arms...

Don't forget to look at the individual stretch pages. There are scaling examples for more difficult positions.

I remember Coach saying elsewhere that you have to work at your level, and if that means you're almost in a handstand during elevated bridge then so be it. Sorry, I don't have a link. What's important is do you feel a stretch in your upper back and shoulders (and chest and abs and basically all along the anterior from waist to wrist if you're anything like me)? Push your chest out.

It doesn't say in the notes to avoid any and all bend in the lower back, only excessive bend. Personally, I could tell when I was doing it wrong because my lower back didn't like it. I raised my feet higher and felt a huge difference. Lights up my thoracic area like crazy. But I can't do all the final progressions either. It's like strength work for me. And I can tell if I push it too hard that I'll injure myself, so I'm working up to it slowly.

Progress will come with consistency. And form checks if you're unsure.

In my case - after just trying this for the first time - if my feet are elevated I don have the strength to push up into the bridge. I only get onto my head.

I did the bridge with my feet on yoga blocks after that, so about 6 inch elevation 

This did feel like I was getting into my shoulders

Any ideas - tips - thoughts? 

Maybe try kicking into a handstand with back facing the wall (or stall bars if you have access), then carefully walking your hands out, letting your feet slide down the wall, lowering into elevated bridge.

I don't understand, did you use the yoga blocks with your head on the ground? Or you're saying you could push up with feet less elevated somehow?

3 hours ago, Ben Neal said:

In my case - after just trying this for the first time - if my feet are elevated I don have the strength to push up into the bridge. I only get onto my head.

I did the bridge with my feet on yoga blocks after that, so about 6 inch elevation 

This did feel like I was getting into my shoulders

Any ideas - tips - thoughts? 

Try lowering the hips a little and then as you press up elevate the hips. This little momentum can help getvthrough the sticking point. If this does not work use the 60 secs to do an isometric press. Keep pressing up even though you won't be moving. You will build strength and eventually get up.

Hi - Thanks

Yes - I can press up with my feet less elevated - just with my feet on the blocks against the wall. Then I go onto my toes to try and get more global extension.

I will try a more dynamic approach next week and report back

Hm, I'd guess you can press that way because you're putting less weight into your hands and more into your feet. But I'd have to wonder if you're actually getting shoulders over and then in front of hands. I'd find it harder to do it lower because of the greater demand on thoracic mobility. This is all about opening up shoulders and upper back, which means you really need to get your chest over your hands.

But just a guess. Best bet is a video for form check, or word from someone more knowledgeable than I.

After reading all your posts, the only thing is missing in this thread is some pictures! I'd like to see what your bridge looks like. It would certainly make the coaches' job easier and less guessing for all.

On 17 February 2016 at 9:02 PM, Travis Widmann said:

Maybe try kicking into a handstand with back facing the wall (or stall bars if you have access), then carefully walking your hands out, letting your feet slide down the wall, lowering into elevated bridge.

I don't understand, did you use the yoga blocks with your head on the ground? Or you're saying you could push up with feet less elevated somehow?

Good idea. I experimenting with this. Its very much like a handstand with a big banana shape so at the weekend I will tru putting a bench there too and walking down until I am in elevated bridge. Will try and film it (for comedy value if nothing else)