Yoga 101: Bridge

Setu Bandhasana, or bridge, is a solid place to begin opening up your chest and hips on your way to practicing deeper backbend poses like wheel, bow, and camel. Begin by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet grounded hip-width apart at a 90-degree angle below them. Press your upper arms and shoulders to the floor as you lift your hips as high as possible into the air as you clasp your hands together beneath you and hold.

Benefits:

–Stimulates thyroid and lungs

–Improves circulation and cardiovascular health

–Combats anxiety, fatigue, headaches, asthma, and osteoporosis

–Aids in digestion

–Strengthens core, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles

–Stretches neck, chest, spine, hips, and hamstrings