Supported Bridge
Supported Bridge offers the benefits of a backbend with almost no effort — a favourite in restorative classes.
- Level
- Beginner
- Family
- Restorative
- Hold
- 1–5 minutes
- Works
- Chest, hip flexors, lower back
- Rest on the block
Step by step
How to do Supported Bridge
Begin Lie on your back with knees bent.
- 01
Lie on your back, feet hip-width, knees bent.
- 02
Lift the hips and slide a block under the sacrum (flat bony area).
- 03
Lower the weight onto the block.
- 04
Rest the arms by your sides.
- 05
Relax and breathe.
- ↩
Coming out. Lift hips, remove the block and lower slowly.
Breath
Relaxed, natural breathing.
Focus
Restorative backbend
Why practise it
Gently opens chest and hips; restful.
Alignment & cues
Block under the sacrum, not the lower back.
Teacher’s cues
- “Rest on the block”
Common mistakes
Block under the lumbar spine.
Make it yours
Every body is different. Use props and variations freely — they are not a lesser version of the pose.
Easier
Use the lowest block height.
Variations
- Legs extended over the block
Props
- Block
Where it fits in a flow
Warm up with the poses on the left, then move into the ones on the right.
Practise with care
Safety
Avoid with neck injury.
Educational guidance, not medical advice. Stop if you feel sharp pain, pinching or dizziness, and check with a qualified teacher or health professional if you are pregnant, injured or managing a health condition.
In the tradition
A restorative adaptation of Bridge.
Questions
Where exactly does the block go?
Under the flat bony triangle at the base of the spine (sacrum).