Arms reach overheadGaze up, neck longHips liftedKnees over the anklesBridge with Arms Overhead
Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana (arms overhead)
Read what the gnome says
Bridge with arms overhead! Lie on your back, knees bent, lift the hips, and reach the arms overhead to the floor. Press the feet, keep the knees over the ankles. Open the shoulders. Breathe, then lower slowly. Bridging gnome.
Works on Glutes · Hamstrings · Chest · Shoulders
How to do it
- Lie on the back, knees bent, feet flat hip-width apart.
- Lift the hips into Bridge Pose.
- Reach the arms overhead and down toward the floor behind you, keep the neck long and hold.
Common mistakes
- Don’t let the knees splay.
- Don’t force the arms down: bend the elbows.
- Don’t turn the head side to side.
Benefits
- Opens the chest, front of the hips and shoulders.
- Strengthens the muscles along the back.
- Counters long hours of sitting and rounding forward.
Take care: Go easy or skip if you have lower-back, neck or wrist pain, or are pregnant. Stay in the comfortable range and never force depth.
Not medical advice. Ease off if anything feels sharp or wrong.
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