Spinal Flexibility - Backbending and Bridge Routine

[@tomthumb9839]

I am 67 years old and have found my body has become bound up. My mission is to do a back bridge within two years and these stretches will be the main reason for my successful mission. Also, I like how classy this video is.

[@fgv3357]

How it's going so far?

[@corochena]

Good luck! Keep us informed.

[@anthonycraig274]

Have you reached your goal?

[@girlofanimation]

How's your bridge now?

[@brrrt6666]

I'm 36 years old dude, did my first one today. Good luck!

[@amyhengst773]

I found this on your web site a few months back, and it's changed my life. I was just looking to practice some back bending but it all helped reset my shoulder from being constantly rounded to the front to a more neutral position. With these stretches my back generally feels less kinked and crunchy, and I have a better position to work all the overhead press, pullup practice and more because I want to get strong, do handstands, pullups, all the things that with whiplash and shoulder injuries I have really struggled with. And my abs/shoulders/wrists are loosening up so I can start to do the final proper backbend too. Thank you so much! I'm slowly exploring all your other tutorials and they are golden.

[@gmbfit]

Happy to hear we were able to help, Amy! :)

[@ryanmaravilla1338]

Best bridge progression video with instructional cues that I’ve watched. I am adding it to my personal practice. It will most definitely help me in my training.

[@4351-rv]

GMB, thanks for the knowledge. Kiera Newton, you are awesome!

[@ayaanhussain8416]

love the routine...

[@randolphpinkle4482]

I have found that going into the back bridge pose with my head on a cushion and my arms supporting my head and neck to be the best beginning--if you have no other chronic issues. Then I lift my head up off the ground with my arms just a little, like a backward pushup. Then I keep doing sets of these mini back pushups, and over time I increase my motion. Then I work on the full back bridge. Some of these progressions are harder than the full back bridge for me!

[@sherules5005]

My glutes are sore, a day after doing the bridge routine. A good remedy for sitting for long hours in heavy traffic ☺️

[@sherules5005]

Thanks GMB for the tutorial 🇰🇪✌🏿💪🏿. I did this routine this morning. However, I feel the wording is blocking part of the video. (Part of Kara demonstration).

[@gmbfit]

Unfortunately, we don't have any control over that

[@sergiosantos9534]

If I could post here before after I would. I started at 44 (october 2022) and practicing 5 days a week and in April (2023) I think I can tell already I have improved much. If I could put pictures here I would because it is quite remarkable as I was super rigid.

[@gmbfit]

Hey congrats on the progress! You've put in the work, and that's what makes the difference :)

[@nandini6136]

GMB, thanks for the tutorial, can you help with my problem please. I'm unable to straighten my elbows when in full bridge?!!

[@gmbfit]

You're probably just not flexible enough for that yet. Check the link in the description for this video for more suggestions on getting there - it takes time, but you can do it.

[@thebachu786]

Great narration!

[@tomfc1]

Fantastic tutorial!

[@GacekDnb-dx7dp]

Thank you

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

Would you suggest doing all these drills, or are they different progressions of stretches for the back bend?

[@gmbfit]

They are all a part of a back bending routine to help with bridging. I suggest trying to work through them and see how they feel.

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

Thank you, will do. Back bending is a long journey but worth it :)

[@NobodyXX]

When I see your moves I really want to start too

[@gmbfit]

do it

[@CowboyBebop444]

Awesomeness

[@billymaguire59]

At 6:37 her hand position is something I cannot attain. How would I get there?

[@gmbfit]

The answer you're gonna hate it: practice. Do other things that give you the range of motion to get there. We have whole training programs that build this (and more) up systematically. You can try to do it piecemeal, but then there'll always be that one other thing you can't quite get. So my answer is honestly that it's probably not just the hand position. That's most likely an indicator that you have a whole bunch of other strength and mobility limitations you should address and build up in a logical, progressive manner.

[@thomaskishmanii2675]

Could this be done 6 Days a week?

[@gmbfit]

sure

[@artsunny1011]

I am 66 and can do the wheel pose How can I raise a leg straight up?

[@gmbfit]

Gradually. Start by lifting it off the ground and holding. Then after a couple weeks, maybe extend the leg. Gradually increase the height.

[@artsunny1011]

@@gmbfit thanks, I will try it.

[@fgv3357]

That camel stretch feels amazing. Thank you

[@begin2dig]

would be great to see normal folks just starting with their ROM limitations against this polished performance too.

[@gmbfit]

check out our back stretching routine as a place to start 👍

[@begin2dig]

@@gmbfit thank you - they're v. good

[@ktkee7161]

I'd like to know if this is a healthy and helpful exercise for the average person? One yoga teacher said the only way to do it successfully is to bring your arms out of their sockets and it's actually damaging for most people, like the lotus position.

[@gmbfit]

Any stretch can be damaging if someone rushes into a position they aren't ready for. Our hope is that we can provide the foundation to help someone properly move onto positions like the full bridge. :)

[@williamroberts2752]

Great tutorial, but at 5:30 you say use your quads and not your glutes, this goes against everything anyone says about bridges. Your reasoning that using your glutes would make your lower back jam into extension is wrong too given that the glutes posteriorly tilt the pelvis which causes lower back flexion. I actively use my glutes to help bridge more from the hips and thoracic, avoiding excessive lower back extension. Otherwise a great tutorial, but i really do think that part needs reassessment.

[@gmbfit]

Thanks for that William. However, by relaxing the glutes and using the quads you can get deeper into the stretch. By squeezing the quads you place more of the stretch in your lumbar and that isn't the goal for this particular exercise being demoed. We go into further detail here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKGpZ31uiNegrJI

[@williamroberts2752]

GMB Fitness I appreciate what you are saying, but anatomically and functionally relaxing the glutes and using the glutes isn't going to stretch the lumbar muscles (in fact it's going to do the exact opposite), it just doesn't make sense from physiological standpoint. Perhaps I am just being pedantic over some of the language used, but it just think it opens the door to some confusion.

[@gmbfit]

I think you are entitled to your opinion. Give it a try and see how it goes for you.

[@Leafie1]

@@gmbfit what I can't seem tounderstand is how to relax the glutes? It's impossible for me 🤔

[@gmbfit]

Here is a video that deals with that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKGpZ31uiNegrJI

[@xuakhoibui9846]

Bấm vào xem phim thì ra tập thể dục bó tay luôn mọi người ạ