How To Do The Bridge Pose And What Are Its Benefits: Setu Bandhasana
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana is an Asana. It is translated as Supported Bridge Pose from Sanskrit. The name of this pose comes from “setu” meaning “bridge”, “bandha” meaning “bound”, “sarvanga” meaning “full body”, and “asana” meaning “posture” or “seat”. When you’re in the pose, your arms and legs create a “locked bridge” with your body. This pose can be used as preparation for deeper backbends, or practiced with a block as a restorative pose.
What You Should Know Before You Do This Asana
Do not perform this pose if you have a neck or shoulder injury. Always work within your own range of limits and abilities. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga. Pregnant women may do this asana, but not to the full capacity. They must do it under the guidance of a yoga expert. If they are in their third trimester, they must do this asana with a doctor’s consent.
How To Do The Setu Bandhasana: Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Begin the asana by lying flat on your back.
2. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor hip-width apart. Make sure that your ankles and knees are placed in a straight line.
3. Let your arms rest beside your body, with your palms facing downwards.
4. Inhale, and lift your back (lower, upper, and middle) off the floor. Roll in your shoulders, and make sure your chin touches your chest without you having to move it. Let your shoulders, feet, and arms support your weight.
5. Firm up your buttocks as you tighten them. Make sure your thighs are parallel to each other and the floor.
6. Interlace your fingers and push your hands harder to the ground to lift your torso higher.
7. Hold the posture for at least a minute. Breathe slowly and deeply.
8. Exhale and release the pose.
Beginner’s Tips
Beginners must keep in mind that when they roll their shoulders underneath, they must not pull them away forcefully from the ears. This will tend to overstretch their necks. Gently lift the tops of the shoulders towards the ear while pushing the insides of the shoulder blades away from the spine.
Modifications & Variations
If you have difficulty supporting the lift of the pelvis in this pose after taking it away from the floor, slide a block or bolster under your sacrum and rest the pelvis on this support. Once in the pose, lift your heels off the floor and push your tailbone up, a little closer to the pubis. Then from the lift of the tail, stretch the heels back to the floor again.
Benefits Of Setu Bandhasana
Take a look at some amazing benefits of bridge pose.
- This asana helps to strengthen the muscles of the back. The stretch also helps to relieve the stress trapped in the back.
- This asana stretches and tones the neck, spine, and chest.
- Practicing this asana reduces depression, stress, and anxiety and calms the brain.
- The lungs are opened up, and thyroid problems are reduced.
- This asana also massages the digestive organs, thereby helping to improve digestion.
- This asana greatly benefits pregnant women and also helps alleviate menstrual pain and symptoms of menopause.
- It also aids high blood pressure, sinusitis, asthma, insomnia, and osteoporosis.
- With regular practice of this asana, blood circulation is improved too.
Preparatory Poses
Bhujangasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Virasana
Follow-up Poses
Bhujangasana
Salamba Sarvangasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Urdhva Dhanurasana
This is a fairly simple asana that has a whole lot of benefits, owing to the stretching of almost the entire body. You must definitely add it to your usual workout regimen.
