The modern lifestyle has reduced the amount of physical activity in a day, forcing us to sit in one place for a long time. As a result, it hurts our normal body posture and induces back pains. Fortunately, we can try a few yoga postures at home to get rid of it. One of which is the bridge pose.

The pose strengthens the back and releases tension in the muscles. Read the full article to learn about what it is, the health benefits of bridge pose, precautions, and others.

Setu Bandhasana, also known as bridge pose, is a foundational yoga posture that promotes flexibility and strength. The pose’s name comes from Sanskrit: “Setu” means bridge, while “Bandha” means lock or bind.

This pose targets the hamstrings, glutes, spine, and hip flexors. Furthermore, individuals engage their chest, core and quadriceps muscles simultaneously while performing it. Its adaptable nature makes it suitable for both beginners and advanced practitioners. 

When incorporating this posture into your daily yoga routine, consider the time, number of repetitions, and duration. You can practise Setu Bandhasana once or twice a day. Strive to remain in the pose for 30 seconds or up to one minute while maintaining equal inhaling and exhaling, which helps with relaxation and stretching. 

Each session should be repeated every three to five times with a short pause following each instance. It will help you recover from fatigue and prepare for the next round. This way, you get all-round fitness benefits of being both physical and mental while at the same time avoiding imbalances.

There are plenty of benefits you can extract from performing Setu Bandha asana. Some of these include:

1. Releasing Stress From the Back

Like most yoga poses, one of the primary purposes of Bandhasana is to calm the body and mind. It alleviates build-up stress in your back and reduces depression. It does so by improving the blood circulation in your back and providing appropriate oxygen to your brain and nervous system.

2. Stretching Your Back

One of the top benefits of bridge pose is the ability to stretch your neck, spine, hips, and chest at once. As a result, the blood circulation in these areas improves, and the tension in your muscles is released.

3. Toning the Abs and Buttocks

In the bridge yoga pose, you must hold your body while engaging your ab muscles and buttocks. This helps burn the extra fat in the area and tone your muscles. Thus, it serves as an excellent exercise for those looking to lose weight through home workouts.

4. Improving Digestion

Another muscle this pose impacts is your abdomen. This, in return, improves your digestion by lowering constipation issues and the level of acid in the stomach. Moreover, if you pair this yoga pose with Pawanmuktasan (wind-relieving pose), you can improve your back and spine health.

5. Stimulating Organs

Through this asana, you strengthen your abdominal organs and lungs through this asana. Further, it improves the function of your thyroid gland by stretching the neck and improving its blood flow.

6. Improving the Function of Your Chakras

Setu Bandhasana also improves the function of your chakras. For instance, it works to stimulate your Vishuddha (throat), Muladhara (root), and Anahata (heart) chakras. Your root chakra helps you stay grounded and connected with yourself.

The throat chakra, on the other hand, improves expression and communication. At the same time, the heart chakra induces a feeling of compassion, warmth and healing.

7. Stress Reduction

The gentle and supportive character of Setu Bandhasana helps to settle the nerves, thus reducing stress. The posture induces deep breathing that activates the parasympathetic nervous system, making one feel more relaxed.

8. Anxiety Relief

Carrying out Setu Bandhasana can help decrease symptoms of anxiety. Opening up the chest and expanding the lungs will create a feeling of open space, which would counteract anxiety and stress.

9. Improved Mood

This pose can stimulate the release of endorphins, natural hormones that make you feel good, thereby lifting your mood. In addition, gentle inversion increases blood circulation in the brain for clear thoughts and a sense of wellness.

10. Enhanced Focus and Concentration

Mental focus, and concentration may be honed through the balance and stability required in Setu Bandhasana. If the breath is used to hold this position, it could generate a state of being that maintains attention to detail throughout daily activities.

11. Improved Sleep Quality

Setu Bandhasana has a great impact on sleep quality by bringing about relaxation and lowering anxiety levels. This position is a good way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which enables rest.

12. Maintenance of Hormonal Balance

Setu Bandhasana involves mild inversion and opening the chest, an action that stimulates the functioning of the thyroid gland. This gland is responsible for metabolism control and hormonal regulation.

13. Enhanced Respiratory Health

Setu Bandhasana promotes deep breathing through diaphragmatic movement by expanding the chest cavity and lungs. These improved lung capacities can help develop better overall respiratory health.

14. Boosts Energy Levels

Inversion in this asana increases the flow of blood to the brain, which may result in better alertness and elevated energy levels. This posture is good for morning or mid-day fatigue because it promotes blood flow and oxygenation in the system.

Setu Bandhasana has different variations that suit various flexibility levels, strengths and healing needs. They are as follows:

1. Basic Setu Bandhasana (Mool Setu Bandhasana)

The regular form of bridge pose involves lying on your back with bent knees, the feet placed hip-width apart, lifting the hips in the direction of the sky while pressing down the arms and legs on the floor. This type emphasises building up power and suppleness in your back, butt muscles and legs.

2. Supported Bridge Pose (Sahayak Setu Bandhasana)

In this variation, a yoga block or bolster is positioned under the sacrum to support the lower back. It offers a gentle stretch for relaxation, making it a good alternative for restorative yoga practices or for people suffering from low back problems.

3. Dynamic Bridge Pose (Gatishil Setu Bandhasana)

This entails moving hips up and down with breaths. Inspiration will lift the hips, whereas expiratory will bring them lower down. Such dynamic movement helps warm one's spine, increasing mobility and engagement of the core.

4. One-Legged Bridge Pose (Ek Pada Setu Bandhasana)

For a more advanced version, one can raise one leg towards the ceiling while still maintaining a bridge pose with another leg. This makes these muscles work harder, especially the glutes and core, while balancing stability further enhances.

5. Extended Bridge Pose (Vistarit Setu Bandhasana)

In this variant, as the hips lift, arms are stretched over the head, and palms are facing upwards for added shoulder stretch and more openness in the chest.

6. Reclined Bound Angle Bridge Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana in Setu Bandhasana)

This is a combination of bridge pose and bound angle pose; hence, it brings the feet' soles together when still at the bridge, with the knees falling open. The pelvis will be opened through hip joint flexion while supporting the spinal extension.

Setu Bandhasana, or bridge pose, is a fundamental yoga pose that hugely helps strengthen the muscles of the neck, shoulder, and thigh muscles. The following is the step-by-step guide explaining to you how to perform a bridge pose:

Step 1: Begin by lying on your back on a yoga mat placed on the ground.

Step 2: Fold your knees while maintaining a hip distance between them. Make sure it is 10 to 12 inches from your pelvis. Also, your knees and ankles should be in a straight line.

Step 3: Keep your arms beside you with palms facing down.

Step 4: Inhale, slowly lift your lower back, then your middle back, and lastly, your upper back off the ground. Raise it until only your shoulder touches the floor. At this position, only your shoulder, arm, and feet would be the three pillars of support.

Step 5: Now roll on your shoulder and touch your chin to the chest.

Step 6: Engage your abs and buttocks in the exercise by tightening them.

Step 7: For an advanced position, you can bring your hands closer and interlock them beneath your torso to push your body a little higher. This position will make you look like a bridge.

Step 8: Continue breathing slowly and normally. Hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds, then release.

Step 9: Exhale and lower your back.

To practise Setu Bandhasana more effectively and comfortably, it is important to have some essential items in place. These are the things you will require:

• Yoga Mat: This mat helps cushion and stabilise your practice, avoids slipping and saves your back.

• Yoga Block: It is good for people starting with this pose or those with low back problems; it provides additional comfort and support while doing the variations in the position.

• Yoga Strap: A strap can help maintain proper alignment and support the spine when performing poses that involve holding the ankle, like Setu Bandhasana.

• Comfortable Clothing: You should wear clothing that allows freedom of movement without restriction. The most appropriate ones include yoga pants or shorts with a tight-fitting top.

• Blanket: Placing a folded blanket under your shoulders can provide extra padding for comfort and support during the pose.

• Quiet Space: Practice in an environment conducive to relaxation and calmness, as this will help you to focus better on what you are doing.
• Wall Space: For beginners who are still learning how to balance and hold their postures correctly, practising near a wall gives them that added security

Bridge pose is an effective exercise that helps you with many body issues, but advanced-level backbends are needed to perform it perfectly. So, here are some tips you can undertake for better practice:

1. Warm-Up: Before attempting a bridge pose, you need gentle warm-ups on your spine and hips. Your body should be prepared through cat-cow stretches or simple backbends.
2. Practise a Few Times: When attending a yoga session, you might have noticed the yoga teacher first helps you with two or three rounds of the yoga pose to bring perfection. Do the same while practising at home alone. You will see that after two to three times of performing the bridge pose, you can bend your back better and hips higher.
3. Relax the Glutes: Lift your hips using your legs and let the glutes relax. Imagine glutes like an apple hanging from a tree.
4. Breathe Throughout the Exercise: Inhalation and exhalation are essential for bridge pose. It helps you stay relaxed and hold the position for a little longer.
5. Ground Your Feet: Press your feet firmly on the ground. It will help you pull your hips higher.
6. Do Not Move Your Head: Avoid moving your head left or right when in position. It can cause neck injury.
7. Support with Block: For those who are new or suffer from low back pain place a yoga block under your sacrum for support. It means that this position is less intense and more restorative.
8. Shoulders Should Roll Inward: With shoulders rolled inwardly towards the body and fingers interlaced beneath the backs, it aids in opening up the chest and providing a stronger base.
9. Abstain From Forcing Yourself: Do not push yourself to attain perfection. Listen to your body as flexibility differs from one person to another, and you don’t want to hurt yourself.

Be mindful of the following precautions and contraindications to avoid an accident while performing bridge asana:

• Do not perform this yoga pose if you have a back, neck or shoulder injury.

• Avoid doing this asana if you suffer from severe knee and neck injuries.

• Unless under the guidance of an experienced trainer, pregnant women should avoid performing bridge yoga poses.

• Before performing this workout, do some warm-up and only wear comfortable clothes.

• Avoid eating heavy meals at least one hour before attempting this workout. It is best to perform it on an empty stomach, i.e., after waking up in the morning.

• Clean or empty your bowel movement to perform this exercise.

• Consult your doctor about this yoga pose if you have had a back, knee or leg surgery.

For beginners, it may not be easy to perform a bridge pose. Thus, they can perform the following easy modifications:

• Take the Help of a Folded Blanket or Yoga Block: Help your back by placing a block or folded blanket under your shoulders.
• Use Hand for Support: If it is difficult to raise your back, place your hands on your back for support.
• Access Wall Support: Suppose you are slipping while maintaining your posture. Try placing your feet beside a wall. It will provide the necessary support and avoid falling.

There are cases where Setu Bandhasana, also known as bridge pose, ought to be approached with care or avoided completely, which include:

• Neck or Spinal Injuries: Those with neck or spinal injuries should avoid performing Setu Bandhasana since it could worsen the injury.

• Recent Lower Back Injury: Individuals with a recent history of lower back injury or chronic lower back pain should approach Setu Bandhasana cautiously or abstain from it.

• Knee Problems: People suffering from knee injuries or knee pain should be mindful when doing Setu Bandhasana to avoid overexerting their knees further.

• Pregnancy: Pregnancy, especially in its advanced stages, should make women avoid practising Setu Bandhasana because the pose might press on the vena cava.

• High Blood Pressure: Uncontrolled high blood pressure patients should desist from deep backbends such as Setu Bandhasana.

• Severe spinal disorders: If you have severe spinal disorders such as herniated discs and spinal stenosis, consult a healthcare provider before attempting Setu Bandhasana.

Including Setu Bandhasana in your daily yoga schedule can significantly enhance your physical and mental wellness. It serves many purposes, such as strengthening muscles, increasing flexibility, massaging internal organs, and reducing anxiety. 

By ensuring correct timing, the period of frequently exercising this pose will cause harmonious changes to the entire system. Therefore, It is important to maintain constancy with this pose as it has multiple gains on healthiness, making a person more ruggedly built.