Lower back, hips, knees and ankles

Bridge: Mini

The most accessible bridge: minimal range makes this gentle enough for almost everyone, introducing posterior chain activation without placing excessive demand on your spine.

How to do it

1. 1

   Lie on your back with your knees bent

   Feet flat, hip width apart, heels close enough that your fingertips almost reach them. Arms resting by your sides.

2. 2

   Breathe out and press your feet into the floor

   The press comes first. It is what makes the lift come from your hips rather than your lower back.

3. 3

   Lift your hips just a few centimetres

   Small on purpose. This version is the entry point, and a low lift with good control is worth more than a high one without.

4. 4

   Lower slowly, one bone at a time

   Coming down slowly is where much of the benefit is, so resist the urge to drop.

5. 5

   Repeat for 20 to 60 seconds

   A block or cushion held between the knees gives the inner thighs something to work against if the knees drift apart.

What to watch for

Squeezing the buttocks and arching the lower back to get higher. Height is not the goal here, and the lift should feel like it comes from the hips.

Ways to adjust it

• Supported sacrum

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits. See all Bridge versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

• Bridge: Block Between Knees
• Bridge: Classic Hold
• Bridge: Legs on Chair
• Bridge: Movement
• Bridge: Supported Sacrum
• Bridge: Wall
• Glute Bridge: Single Leg

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.