Get more out of your bridges by adding some inner thigh work!
In order to do this, you will need a little ball, about 7-8 in. Make sure it has a little squish to it so you can squeeze it. This inner thigh addition can be added to any version of bridge where your knees stay at the same level. Remember these tips as you add this:
- Squeeze the ball. When you are thinking of other things, or as you start to get tired, some times your body stops actually squeezing the ball, so make sure you don’t lose that squeeze.
- Feel that squeeze pull up into your pelvic floor and low abs.
- Keep the back of your heels even and your knees in line with your hips. If you have a tendency to let your knees fall out from or in towards your center when you do bridges, adding a little ball will help keep you more even.
- If doing the ball pulses at the top of your bridge (as mentioned in the video), make sure your hips stay perfectly still and do not go up and down as you pulse.
When doing bridges, you should feel the work in your hamstrings, glutes, back, abs and inner thighs. You should NOT feel this exercise in your quads, hip flexors, shoulders, chest or neck muscles. If you feel the wrong muscles, think about relaxing the front of your body (except for your abs and pelvic floor) and shoulders. If this does not help, stop and give us a call and we will help you figure it out!
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Addie Kelzer is a certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant. She believes that by making fitness and good food practical, her clients will hold the power to positively change their health and the health of those closest to them.