How To Do Setu Bandhasana- Steps, Benefits And Precautions

Meaning of Bridge pose-Setu Bandhasana

Bridge pose is also known as Setu Bandhasana.
Setu Bandhasana is a Sanskrit word.
SET-tooBhan-dahs-anna
Setu means dam, dike, or bridge
Bandha means to lock, bind
Setubandhasana means forming a bridge or dam
It looks like a bridge hence known as bridge formation pose.

What is a Setu Bandhasana

Bridge pose is one of the important supine yoga poses.
It is called bridge pose because of its resemblance to a dam or bridge.
It comes under the category of topsy-turvy yoga asanas.
It works upon nerves, spine, and muscles on a finer scale, especially of the back region, thus facilitates better coordination between the body and mind.
The pose is helpful in the prevention and management of thyroid, back pain, neck pain, and problems related to the nervous system.

How To Do Setu Bandhasana- Steps, Benefits And Precautions — Bridge pose

Bridge pose introduction

In the article, it has been systematically described what is bridge pose; how to do it; what are its benefits and precautions. All these aspects have been elaborated and mentioned after having depth research on SetuBandhasana. The easily explained steps, benefits, precautions, images, and videos of bridge pose- Setubandhasana will help you to understand the yoga pose technically right thereby extracting maximum benefits of it.

How to do bridge pose step by step

It’s a simple and easy yoga pose with so many important health benefits. Its simpler step-by-step technique has been mentioned below.

Lie down on a flat surface in Shavasana.
Keep your arms straight beside your thighs.
Fold your legs and try to clasp ankles with palms.
Maintain a distance of 10 inches between your feet.
Inhale, raise your back as per one’s flexibility.
After coming to the final position, maintain the pose as long as you can (initially for 30 seconds). And increase the duration as you become perfect in the practice.
Do slow inhaling and exhaling during maintaining the pose.
Exhale; slowly bring your back down.
This is the one round.
Do 2-3 rounds.

Breathing

Breathing awareness is one of the important aspects while practicing the bridge pose. During raising the back, one should inhale. Slow and deep inhaling-exhaling should be continued during maintaining the pose. One should exhale while bringing the back down.

Muscular movement

Various muscles are experiencing stretching and compressing while performing the yoga pose. Some of the muscles, which exposed to movements, are the back, legs, knees, chest, thighs, arms, and the muscles of the neck region. For body and mind balance, try to feel finer movement in the muscles and nerves of the back region. The abdominal muscles also experience stretching.

Bridge Pose in different schools of yoga

Setu Bandhasana has some variations in steps and technique while performing by renowned yoga experts and teachers. These different techniques by different schools of yoga while practicing Setubandhasana are given below

Iyengar yoga: In the Iyengar School of yoga, palms are kept on the raise back. Legs are raised and straight, seem to long and big bridge.
Vinyasa yoga: It is just the technique mentioned above. Here the hands don’t clasp the ankles, in fact, the palms are interlocked and lying on the surface just below the hips.
Ashtanga yoga: It is similar to vinyasa yoga.
Baba Ramdev yoga: It is similar to the technique mentioned above.
Art of living: It is similar to vinyasa yoga.
Power yoga: Main focus is given on stretching and rigorousness of the posture.
Hot yoga: It is similar to power yoga but more strenuous in nature.
Satyananda yoga: Here the entire body is uplifted and the body is rest upon soles and palms.
Bikram yoga: It is similar to Iyengar yoga.

Top 10 health benefits of bridge pose

Some of the important benefits of Setu Bandhasana are given below.

Thyroid gland disorders: Practicing this asana properly helps for the better health of the thyroid gland. The yoga pose massages the glands and ensures the secretion of thyroxin hormone, which treats hypo and hyperthyroidism.
Back pain: It is beneficial if somebody has back pain. The practicing of the yoga pose provides suitable stretch to the spine, nerves, in fact to the entire vertebral column, thus helps to give relief from backache, and pains related to the spine and vertebral column. However, it should be practiced under the guidance of a yoga therapist.
Legs strengthening: The yoga pose is good for strengthening of legs, thighs, hips, and buttocks. It should also be practiced by those who have weak legs and muscles.
Belly fat: It helps to control weight as the hormone thyroxin ensures weight management. Practicing it in a proper way and maintaining it for a suitable time, helps to burn fat from the belly region.
Hair loss: Regular practice of the pose helps to healthy hair. Its proper technique as mentioned above ensures the proper flow of blood and oxygen in the scalp region, which in turn strengthens the hair follicles.
Chest congestion: If you are a patient with chest congestion or respiratory problems, it is recommended to practice the asana on regular basis. It helps to increase the lung area and also makes the bronchia and alveoli stronger.
Tennis elbow pain: Tennis elbow pain can be minimized by practicing Setu Bandhasana. The yoga pose gives suitable stretch to the elbow region and helps to rejuvenate the muscles and nerves of that region. This stirs the flow of blood and oxygen in that area thereby giving relief from pain.
Digestion: It helps to stimulate the secretion of gastric and enzymatic juices thereby beneficial to indigestion and constipation. It is also good for the health of the colon and alimentary canal.
Depression: The asana works well upon the nerves and muscles of the spinal region. If it is practiced from a therapeutic point of view, it shows soothing impacts on the synergy of nerves of the spinal and vertebral column.
Facial complexion: It helps to fresh and rejuvenates the cells and tissues of the facial region by supply blood, oxygen, and nutrients in the region.

Bridge pose precautions

Some of the few contraindications/cautions/limitations of Setu Bandhasana are:

Acute knee pain
Back injury
Severe neck pain
Shoulder injury
Elbow injury
The Head shouldn’t be moved while performing the pose.

Beginner’s tip

The practice of this yoga pose doesn’t require a high level of flexibility. But, it is better to perform the asana with technique. Initially, the beginners should try to raise his back as per his flexibility. But to raise the back to the recommended level has become easy if you are able to clasp your ankles.

Preparatory pose

Tadasana
Stickasana
Bhujangasana
UrdhvaMukhaSvanasana
Virasana

Follow-up / counterpose

Bhujangasana
Shalbhasana
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Pawanmuktasana

Points to remember

Knees should be in line with hips
Pelvis and chest lift up
The feet should be pressed evenly.
Fingers are interlocked and palms are pressed on the surface.
The side of the upper arms should be on the mat.
The back of the neck should be on the mat.

The science behind bridge pose

Though it’s a simple asana, yet to harness its benefits; one should aware of the anatomy and physiology of the yoga pose. The muscles, which are prominently involved during the practice of the asana are: rectus abdominis, quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, triceps brachii, brachialis, posterior deltoid, and bicep brachii

Video of bridge pose

The video will help to understand the pose in a better way.

Modification and variations