Need Assistance Starting Thoracic Bridge

Just starting the stretch series. I'm doing the Strong Lifts 5x5 program 3x per week and doing the stretches on my non-lifting days. Really loving it. I can get through the middle split and front split series reasonably well considering I'm just starting, but the thoracic bridge series becomes really hard for me right after the hand stand wall presses. After that, every stall bar move is either something I fail at completely, or barely get 1/2 way towards a rep.

For example, on the bridge with feet elevated on the stall bar, it's enormously difficult for me, once I'm up, to hold the pose, and even harder to walk my feet up the bars to where I can straighten my knees. My shoulders and arms get completely fried. By the time I'm done with that one I'm useless for the remaining work.

Are there assistance exercises/equipment that help with this? I feel like I need some support under my thighs or knees to help with even a single rep of the stall bar work. Walking bridge is a non-starter and doesn't seem to have a support video explaining the fine details. Any ideas?

Hi Jonathan have you already checked the scaled variations in the course page?

Definitely send in videos Jonathan so we can give you the best assistance. 

Hi Guys,

I have the same issue.  I started the stretch series in December and can work my way through the Front/Middle Split reasonably well especially with the assistance of the progression videos.  In the thoracic bridge series, however, I am unable to even get into the poses once the actual bridgework starts (i.e. can't even get up for elevated bridge).  The walking bridge and hip touches are non starters.  I feel weak when trying to enter the bridge, but I think it is more of a mobility issue (my upper back and shoulder mobility is awful...hence the reason for doing the series). For example, in the shoulder extension exercises, I can not even bring my hands within 6 inches of each other on the floor behind me. Do you have any recommended techniques/progressions for somebody like me with frozen shoulders and a frozen back to slowly work my way forward (like using blocks in the other stretch series).  Right now, I am not sure if I am making progress or getting anything out of the second half of the bridge series.  Please DM me if you feel that is more appropriate.  Thank you for your time!

Sam

22 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

Hi Jonathan have you already checked the scaled variations in the course page?

Are these new? They only just showed up for me today. So helpful!

If you look in the top labeled part of the course page you will see a label FITNESS, access it and then move over COURSE LIBRARY, then select the second icon to the right of your course and all the exercises with proposed scaled variations will appear.

On 2/22/2018 at 3:38 PM, Alessandro Mainente said:

Hi Jonathan have you already checked the scaled variations in the course page?

Yes, I followed along with all of those. They're great!

The three moves that I'm struggling with the most presently are elevated bridge, elevated bridge pushups, and bridge wall walks.

For elevated thoracic bridge my arms and shoulders get completely fried from shoulder flexion press. I don't feel strain in my lumbar spine, and I have a lot of difficulty walking my feet up the bars once I'm in position. I can sooooorta do that one, though. 

Elevated thoracic bridge push up has a good scaled variation where you can do it against the wall, so that helps a bunch.

Elevated thoracic bridge hip tap is straight up not happening for me. There are not really scaled variations for this. It just says to get the feet wide and lean. My shoulders aren't supporting me at all by this point of the videos. Something like the bridge pushup against the wall would help tremendously, or maybe a swiss ball under the hips?

Then, like I mentioned above, there are no scaled variations for bridge wall walk. I'm trying though, much to the entertainment of the other folks at the gym

On 2/23/2018 at 3:35 PM, Alessandro Mainente said:

If you look in the top labeled part of the course page you will see a label FITNESS, access it and then move over COURSE LIBRARY, then select the second icon to the right of your course and all the exercises with proposed scaled variations will appear.

I had no idea about this page....thank you! So very helpful.

23 hours ago, Jonathan Howard said:

Yes, I followed along with all of those. They're great!

The three moves that I'm struggling with the most presently are elevated bridge, elevated bridge pushups, and bridge wall walks.

For elevated thoracic bridge my arms and shoulders get completely fried from shoulder flexion press. I don't feel strain in my lumbar spine, and I have a lot of difficulty walking my feet up the bars once I'm in position. I can sooooorta do that one, though. 

Elevated thoracic bridge push up has a good scaled variation where you can do it against the wall, so that helps a bunch.

Elevated thoracic bridge hip tap is straight up not happening for me. There are not really scaled variations for this. It just says to get the feet wide and lean. My shoulders aren't supporting me at all by this point of the videos. Something like the bridge pushup against the wall would help tremendously, or maybe a swiss ball under the hips?

Then, like I mentioned above, there are no scaled variations for bridge wall walk. I'm trying though, much to the entertainment of the other folks at the gym

 

swissball under the hips is something I've never considered but is not a bad idea.

I used a Swiss ball the first 5 months to help me get into the elevated bridge exercises.