← EXERCISE LIBRARYRecovery
Supported Bridge on a Bolster
Passive bridge with the pelvis resting on a bolster so no muscular effort is needed. Held for several minutes as a gentle front-body opener and a way to slow the breath down.
- 01Lay a bolster lengthwise or crosswise on the mat and sit just in front of it with the knees bent.
- 02Lie back and lift the hips, then slide the bolster under the pelvis so it supports the sacrum, not the low back.
- 03Lower the hips fully onto the bolster and let the arms rest out to the sides, palms up.
- 04Either keep the feet flat and the knees bent, or extend the legs long over the bolster if the low back stays comfortable.
- 05Stay for four to eight minutes, then bend the knees, slide the bolster out and rest flat for thirty seconds before rolling to one side.
- 01The bolster sits under the back of the pelvis, not under the waist.
- 02Let the whole weight of the hips go into the prop.
- 03Lengthen the exhale until it is longer than the inhale.
- 01Placing the bolster too high under the low back — the lumbar spine is held in extension for minutes instead of resting.
- 02Holding the hips up with the glutes — the pose stops being restorative and becomes a bridge hold.
- 03Coming straight up at the end — sitting up fast undoes the settled state the hold produced.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.