Pilates side bridge
The Pilates side bridge is the best way to target muscles along the side of the body. It’s great for building strong shoulders, helping with back pain, toning the hips and improving posture. Some people notice a difference after only two to three reps! This is definitely an all-time favorite at Body Harmonics.
Great way to prepare
- Start on the side propped up on the elbow
- Allow the ribs to drop towards the ground
- Get tall on the supporting arm and lift the ribs away from the ground. Come to a position where the spine is aligned
- Repeat several times
- Try on the other side
Postural considerations
- Keep elbow directly under shoulder when the arm is at it’s tallest point
- Align hips more or less on top of each other. They may not be perfectly stacked. Do your best
- Imagine your torso is long and your head is reaching away from your tailbone. Look straight ahead
When doing the full exercise, keep in mind
- You have two anchor points, your elbow and your knee. If you press into them, you may get a bit more strength in this exercise
- Keep your abdominal wall pulled in for extra support
- Don’t stop breathing! This is a challenging exercise. Make sure you don’t hold your breath
Keep this exercise in your toolbox and pull it out as often as you can. In the beginning, it may be challenging and uncomfortable. Be persistent and keep coming back to it.
Love your Shoptalk videos Margot! Keep them coming!