What Are The Benefits Of Bridge Pose
The Bridge Pose or Sethu Bandhasana literally means constructing a bridge and this is what you do in the posture. It is derived from the words “Sethu” meaning bridge and “Bandha” meaning lock; the word asana as we all know means posture. In this pose, your hips and legs do most of the work. This helps reinvigorate and revitalize tired and sore feet.
Benefits:
- Sethu Bandhasana is good for reducing stress and promoting relaxation. It stretches the neck, chest, hips and the whole spine.
- It massages the abdominal organs thereby improving digestion
- It stimulates the thyroid gland and the lungs.
- It strengthens the muscles of the buttocks, back and hamstrings and rejuvenates tired legs.
- It helps to ease symptoms of depression and stress.
- It helps relieve dysmenorrheal and symptoms of menopause.
- It is effective in reducing headaches, backache insomnia, fatigue, and anxiety.
- It is highly therapeutic for high BP, sinusitis, asthma and osteoporosis.
Contraindications:
Avoid practicing this asana or posture in case of the following conditions:
- Knee and neck injuries
- Late term pregnancy
Technique:
1. Lie on your back on your Yoga Mat, with your folded Yoga Blanket under your shoulders if necessary, to protect your neck. Place your feet firmly on the floor and bend your knees with your heels close to your pelvis.
2. With a deep exhalation, press your arms and feet firmly into your Yoga Mat, shove your tailbone up toward your pubis, squeezing your buttocks. Now raise your buttocks from the floor keeping your thighs and feet parallel to each other.
3. Place your hands below your pelvis and stretch your arms as much as possible to help you support your hips.
4. Raise your buttocks till your thighs are parallel to the floor with knees right over your heels. Push your heels away from the hips, forward and stretch your tailbone toward the backs of your knees. Raise your pelvis toward the ceiling.
5. Hold the pose for 30 – 60 seconds. With a deep exhalation, release the pose by rolling your spine slowly down into your Yoga mat.
The more you explore Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) the more you will have to bear in mind the following important details. Firstly, don’t let your knees splay wider than your feet as you raise your pelvis upwards. Simultaneously, keep your feet parallel to each other. Keep all four corners of each foot firmly planted into your Yoga mat so that you end up with symmetrical and even footprints on your mat, not off-center toe or heel prints.
Last, but not the least, as your Sethu (Bridge) arches higher up, make sure to readjust your upper back in such a way that you are resting more on your shoulders rather than on your shoulder blades.
