1] Sit on the ball & roll out with your weights while allowing your back to naturally conform to the ball. Do not hold the weights up or anything just yet. Keep the weights down alongside your waist. Your elbows can be supported by the ball until it's time.
2] Position the ball on your upper back and the ball is still supporting your head & neck. Tuck chin slightly so the head doesn't roll backwards.
3] Stabilize your scapula [ shoulder blades ] by depressing them. In other words, put your shoulder blades into your back pocket. If you're still not getting it, then imagine that you have pulleys on the very bottom of each of your shoulder blades and there is a little guy pulling on them. Got it?!
4] Your elbows are still on the ball. Position you feet hip width with second toe pointing forward. Knees, hips, and shoulders should all be in one straight line. Ankles/heels are below the knees.
5] Draw your belly button inward toward your spine and contract your glutes [ your butt ]. Pretend that there is a little guy standing underneath your butt and his hands are on each butt cheek and he is pushing it up as high as it can go. The word "bridge" in the the title of the exercise, which means that you are to form a bridge. Belly button to the floor and hips to the ceiling while squeezing your butt like you are trying to crack a pistachio nut.
6] Raise the dumbbells up and above the shoulders keeping the elbows unlocked [ a slight bend]. You do not want to "lock out " your elbows. Now open up your arms nice and wide stopping just past your ribs and before you bring the weights back up, pinch your shoulder blades together, contract your glutes again, raise the butt up higher, draw the abdominals in again and squeeze your pecs together. You will also drive force through the heels of your feet.
* During the entire exercise & throughout all of the reps , you must keep the glutes contracted, hips high, belly drawn in, and shoulder blades down. Dont just do these things in the beginning of your set thinking that it will stick throughout. You will have to "reset" these things almost every repitition. So make sure that you do this. Reset your glutes, bring those hips up high, draw in that belly, and stabilize that scapula.
* Inhale through your nose as you open and exhale through your mouth as you close.
* If you are having a hard time getting your hips up high and you're kinda drooping- preceed this exercise with a release and stretch of the hips.
* If you feel it in your neck, make sure your tucking your chin and depressing your scapula.
* If you feel it in your low back, make sure your drawing in your abdominals. You can even preceed this with a childs pose stretch.
* If you have never done this exercise before, but aren't "new to exercise", practice just doing the bridge and holding form before adding weights. Also, start with a very light weight to road test it. Once you know you've got it, go ahead and go heavier.
* This is not just a chest exercise, but it's a core stabilizing exercise. If done correctly, you wont only feel this in your chest and arms, but you will feel alot in your butt.
Thank you for visiting my blog and having an interest in health & fitness!
Hugs&Health
Bernadette
xoxo
You Tube link for this exercise right here:
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