One of my favorite exercises…IF you are doing it right!!!
Let’s check your form:
We want a hip-driven bridge, meaning we drive from the hips not the quads or knees!!!
You should be actively engaging your glutes, hamstrings, adductors & core.
If you feel that your feet are sliding out and you feel pressure in your knees and you feel that your quads are doing most of the work then we need to redirect your movement!
To correct this you keep your heels closer to your bottom and make that mind-body connection to the muscles we should be working.
During the movement imagine your heels pulling in towards your glitz to help activate the posterior chain.
There are many variations to this exercise and benefits to improve various compensations, muscle imbalances and pain.
In every variation we need to maintain neutral alignment and do not tuck your pelvis or over-extend movement.
-> engage those inner thighs and core to help correct overuse of hip external rotators.
Barre ball -> activate those inner thighs and pelvic floor with a slight squeeze of the ball at the top of the movement. We need strong adductors (inner thighs) as they are the anchor to your pelvic floor.
Band-> activate more glute medius and deep hip rotators. Make sure you really engage those hamstrings on this one.
Elevated on foam roller —> activate more hamstrings & improve core stability.
On balls of feet -> strengthen ankles, improve balance, improve ankle mobility, improve calf strength all to minimize risk of ankle sprains!!
Single leg -> improve core stability, spine stabilization more glute and hamstring activation.
By doing these hip bridges correctly we can improve lower back pain, knee pain, hip pain, pelvic floor function, core stabilization & hip flexor strength!
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