Bridge modification

Hi forum

Would someone mind showing a photo of how to use a chair/furniture/other for the elevated bridge?

 I can't get into the bridge at all, I have read around the forum and taken the advice to work on stretches such as elevated cat etc. Other recommendations are to use a low chair or other- I have tried this but I cant work out how much of myself to place on the chair, how much to hang off. Ive tried experimenting but non of it feels 'right'.

I need pictures !

 Thanks in advance, Lucy

Hi Lucy,

Your goal is to put your feet as high as you need to feel it only in your thoracic back.  If your low back is working, you're too low.  

To put myself up, I like to put head first on the floor and from there push up into brige.  Depending on your shoulder flexion, it could be harder.

I suggest you to post a form check so coaches could help you more precisely.

Here's a picture of me into elevated bridge to help you understand : 

Thank you Etienne, that's very kind of you to post a picture. Unfortunately cant even do this . If I put my hands and head on the floor I cant then  move even 1 millimetre.

 I have to miss out all the bridge exercises in the TB class- which obviously isn't going to help me find a bridge.

 I wondered if it would be helpful to lean back over a chair or off the end of my bed or anything else- does any one else find themselves unable to move into even the tiniest bridge?

The only thing I can think of right now is the variation shown in the elevated push-up technique tip :

You can try to make your way down a wall (a little bit like a bridge wall walk), and put your hands under something (like a shelf) and press your shoulders into flexion.  What do you think?

I'll give it a go, I'm a bit nervous to walk down the wall in case I get stuck !!

 Thank you !

2 minutes ago, Lucy Wilkins said:

I'll give it a go, I'm a bit nervous to walk down the wall in case I get stuck !!

 

 Thank you !

 

Start as high as in the picture or grab yourself first on furnitures then progressively lower yourself down. Doesn't have to be on wall.

Give us news about your progression

Lucy one thing for people who can't push up ito a bridge is to stand facing a wall and go down on your hands and flip your feet up to the wall. Once there start to walk your hands out from the wall as best you can. You don't have to go very far but this will help start building the shoulder and arm strength and as you progress you will be able to move farther out. You can also start doing some push ups in this position and again you may not be able to go very far but the more you do it the more strength you will develop. With the wall walk just go as far as you can. I started doing this and now have moved out from the wall quite a bit and now can do about 80 seconds  where I could not do 60 sec at the beginning .

Hope this helps

Hi Michael- I'm having difficulty visualising that, do you mean do a handstand against the wall then try to walk the feet down? How far away from the wall should I be?

Yes flip up in a hand stand with the back toward the wall. As far as walking the hands out go as far as your comfortable. At first don't go to far. Also put a pad or something soft below your head so if you go to far and can't hold it you will have a soft landing. Don't start far from the wall because you can walk the hands out and the feet will go down as you move your hands out. This gives you more control. 

Bump

oh dear, I just tried this but I couldn't kick up into a handstand! perhaps Ill stay off the bridge exercise for now !

 Thanks for your help

It takes a little practice. At first I also had trouble kicking up to the handstand, but the more I did it the easier it got where now I get it on the first try. It is a little intimedating at first but don' give up. When we first try this we don,t kick up hard enough and come back down I know I did but I persisted and it is paying off. A lot of the things we do here can be at times a bit frustrating but don't give up. I have been doing GB for almost a year now and I am seeing progress that I did not think at first I could. My mobility and strength has improved. The thing that I really wanted was the mobility and at first it seemed impossible but now I know it is. Keepi Trying

Michael

One other thing is when we first try to kick up to that handstand we kick one leg and the other lags back and pulls us back down. When you kick up try and get the second legi up closer to the first. Hope this helps. 

Michael

That's really great advice. Thanks will keep trying and yes I definitely do that with the second leg and hadn't noticed!

Hi Lucy,

It's completely normal to not be able to finish the entire bridge series to begin with. The final stretches are quite advances and for some people it may take some time to build the strength and mobility you need in order to perform the bridge work. It can also be handy to have a partner helping you in to the position. Just work as far into the series as you can for now. Feel free to post a video of your attempt as well and we may be able to give you some more pointers  

@Lucy Wilkins I was in the same position like you. I couldn't push myself into the elevated bridge, and I couldn't do a handstand, so that option was out for me… for many many months, I was doing the standing version (that you find in your library) for the elevated bridge, push-ups and hip-taps. It didn't feel that intense, and I was thinking that maybe I am not doing much, but I thought it was better than nothing. As I got more flexible, I was going deeper. You don't need to worry that you would get stuck at the wall (as you write) and couldn't get up. You hands will push toward the wall and you "walk yourself up". This really was not a problem. 

Each TB session I tried from the floor. It didn't work, so I went to the standing version. Then one day I got the idea to use a thick rubber band to put around my waist to make the entry into the elevated bridge easier. You can find my videos/pictures here in the forum. It worked great. It could work for you as well. 

Thanks Julia and Suzanna. I will post a form check when there is actually some form to check- I just cant do anything bridge at the moment.

 Suzannah that band looks like a good idea, but you seem to be easily able to raise your head and straighten your arms, could you do that before using the band at all?

 I'm looking around my home to see how I could utilise the band- I had thought the door frame but too high and then nowhere to put my feet.

 For now I'm just practicing handing off the end of my bed upside with my arms on the floor to get used to the feeling.

 Lots to think about !

 much appreciate your support.

On ‎03‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 5:04 PM, Étienne Lajeunesse said:

 

@Étienne Lajeunesse where did you find that clip for elevated pushup? I cant find any modifications in the TB library

On ‎03‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 5:04 PM, Étienne Lajeunesse said:

The only thing I can think of right now is the variation shown in the elevated push-up technique tip :

You can try to make your way down a wall (a little bit like a bridge wall walk), and put your hands under something (like a shelf) and press your shoulders into flexion.  What do you think?

@Étienne Lajeunessewhere did you find this? I cant see any modifications in the  TB library

Hey @Lucy Wilkins,

You have to click on course library in the fitness menu. Then choose stretch/Thoracic Bridge/Stretch series.  From there look at the elevated bridge pushup towards the end of the list (21st) and click on technique tip.  You can do that for the other elements too.  This way, you could find easier variations.

Hope it helps

Thanks Etienne , I've found it now. I think the push up is the only bridge exercise with  a modification- I will definitely practice this both as a push up and perhaps as a way to walk down the wall, really helpful- thanks!

Lucy, I am in the same boat as you after doing TB for almost 5 months. I am 58 so mobility has come slowly, but it is coming along. When I do TB, I skip the handstand parts and end with the wall walks at the very end. At first, I could barely touch the wall behind me over my head, but now I can walk down to about waist high, so progress! I can even lift my head about an inch off the floor in the elevated bridge now. It will probably take me another 5 months to get further and maybe some day I will even be able to do a handstand (I'm pretty sure I have never done one in my life, though I can do a headstand at least). I have a long way to go with shoulder, hip, and thoracic flexibility but I am amazed I've progressed this far.