As Pilates moves go, they don’t get much more classic than the humble shoulder bridge. Whether performed on the mat or on a Reformer, it’s one of the first moves you’ll learn in the practice and sits at number eighteen of the original 34 Pilates exercises developed by the eponymous founder of the method back in the early 20th century.
A simple move, the shoulder bridge is nevertheless pretty challenging when performed correctly, as it involves engaging, articulating and strengthening the spine, glutes, core and hamstrings simultaneously. Not to mention, it’s seriously effective for improving mobility in the hips – something that remains elusive for me, despite a regular and consistent Pilates habit.
Added to this, we’re going out on a limb and saying that a shoulder bridge could be the perfect move for counteracting the negative effects of a sedentary desk-based day – from improving spinal articulation to encouraging hip extension, it’s a great way to mobilise the whole body.
So, when I was offered the chance to try out shoulder bridges every day for a week, I was intrigued. Would it improve my spinal mobility, hip flexibility and back strength, as promised? I couldn’t wait to find out – keep scrolling to find out how I got on.
For more on all things Pilates, though, do check out our guides to the different types of Pilates, the best Pilates workouts of all time, and find out how to make mat Pilates seriously effective, plus find out how one Health Writer got on when she tried doing Pilates toe taps every day, here.
Pilates shoulder bridges promise to be one of the most advanced moves – I tried them
What is a Pilates shoulder bridge?
First things first, let’s go back to basics and take a look at what a Pilates shoulder bridge is.
“The Pilates shoulder bridge is a full body exercise that requires your deep abdominals, glutes, back and hamstring muscles to work together to stabilise the torso as you lift up your hips into a bridge position,” explains physiotherapist, Pilates instructor and founder of Core LDN, Claire Mills. “The hips lift by peeling the spine up lengthening the torso into a long line. The return to the mat is through the articulation of the spine from top to bottom, vertebrae by vertebrae.”
So far, so simple, right? Well, in traditional Pilates style, there’s always a potential add-on. “In the traditional classical variation, once you’re up in the bridge you extend one leg up to the ceiling,” Mills continues. “Point the foot on the way up, then flex the foot and lower the leg. Other variations include bringing one leg into tabletop position, too.”
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What are the benefits of Pilates shoulder bridges?
Whether you’re a Pilates novice or a dedicated disciple, you’re probably familiar with the myriad of benefits the practice offers – from mental clarity and stress reduction to improved flexibility and mobility, the reasons for regularly including Pilates in your fitness rotation are compelling, to say the least.
Studies (such as this one, published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science) show that bridging exercises in particular are effective in improving stability by strengthening the core muscles, resulting in a lower incidence of back pain, while other studies (like this randomised controlled trial, from the journal Osteoporosis International) reveal that targeted spine strengthening moves like a bridge can improve curvatures of the spine.
Other benefits include:
1. They improve core and pelvic strength
“A Pilates shoulder bridge is a classic core and lower-body exercise that focuses on glute activation, spinal mobility, and core control,” shares Pilates instructor Aleksandra Warburton. “The move enhances core stability, as the deep abdominals engage to support the pelvis and protect the lower back.”
In addition, the move strengthens the whole posterior chain – which includes the back, glute and hamstrings – facilitating strength and stability across the pelvis.
2. They enhance spinal mobility and health
The central movement in a shoulder bridge involves the articulation of the spine up and down, ideally vertebra by vertebra. “This articulation up and down focuses on and improves spinal mobility,” notes Mills. “This can help alleviate back stiffness as well as improve mindful awareness of spinal movement.”
Joseph Pilates is famously quoted as saying ‘a man is only as young as his spinal column,’ and the shoulder bridge embodies this tenet, at the heart of the practice. “Bridges are a perfect exercise for keeping the spine supple and the body strong; which is why I believe they should be a staple in every Pilates practice,” agrees Warburton.
3. They counteract time spent sitting
It’s part of the modern human condition that many of us lead fairly sedentary lives, with even the most active types spending much of their working day sitting down. And we know that this habit does our skeleton no favours, with prolonged periods of sitting associated with shortening of the hip flexor muscles and back issues.
“If you sit for a job your glutes can become lazy and the front of the hips tight,” reveals Mills. “Shoulder bridges open up the front of the hips and are therefore a great exercise to counteract sitting for long periods.”
4. They boost back strength
We can be all over leg day and never miss an arm workout, but when was the last time you did some targeted back-strengthening moves? According to the experts, we shouldn’t sleep on the benefits of a strong back.
“Shoulder bridges combine strengthening of the posterior chain alongside spinal mobility, which can help alleviate back pain,” notes Mills. “Therefore from a physiotherapy point of view, the shoulder bridge is great for the rehabilitation of back pain and injuries.”
Plus, did you know? “During an episode of back pain, the deep back muscle (multifidus) that helps control vertebral movement tends to switch off,” she goes on. “The shoulder bridge – particularly when extending one leg or bringing a leg into tabletop – is a great exercise to re-recruit and retrain this muscle to regain and improve strength in the back.”
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How to perform a shoulder bridge with good form
As always, there’s little point in simply bashing the moves out without paying attention to your form and technique – you’ll simply risk injury and likely won’t notice any benefits, so it’s worth taking some time to focus on getting the exercise right, to begin with.
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width apart, and arms by your sides.
- Engage the core and glutes, then slowly lift the hips off the mat, peeling the spine up one vertebra at a time.
- Pause at the top, ensuring a straight diagonal line from tops of the knees down to the shoulders, without overextending or arching the lower back, or allowing the ribs to flare (Warburton suggests cueing a “ski slope shape”).
- Lower slowly, rolling down through the spine to return back to the mat.
Furthermore, Warburton advises noting the following tips:
- Keep weight evenly distributed between both feet and focus on keeping the knees in parallel.
- Maintain a neutral neck position – don’t press into the head and potentially crunch the neck.
- Focus on slow, controlled movement for maximum engagement and enjoy the spinal articulation.
I tried doing shoulder bridges every day for seven days – and my back has never felt so free
Days one to three
While I know that shoulder bridges are a classic, traditional Pilates move, I’ll level with you and admit that I’ve never really given them more than a passing thought before this week, so I’m looking forward to getting started. And day one reminds me that Pilates really is a practice, rather than something you can complete – I feel like a shoulder bridge newbie.
Granted, I’ve completed my fair share of bridges both on the mat and in my beloved reformer classes, but now I’m aware of all the benefits (plus how I should be performing them) somehow I feel as if I’m discovering it for the first time, and I’m more connected with the move – something I can only take as a win.
And, as I often find, once I focus on the intricacies of the exercise, it magically appears more challenging – it’s true what they say, Pilates never gets any easier! For the first couple of days, my hips and hamstrings felt super tight – possibly a result of an intense spin class I took over the weekend.
But by day three, they feel looser, meaning I can concentrate more on my spinal articulation (it’s tricky to focus on that when my hips are screaming at me!) and notice that my lower back feels a little strained. Turning back to the experts for advice, I discovered this could be a sign that I’m not engaging my glutes and core properly – so it’s back to basics for now.
“Avoid overarching the lower back,” advises Warburton. “Focus on the glute activation rather than pushing the hips too high. If you feel strain in the lower back, reset your form and ensure the movement initiates from the glutes and core, and keep the core engaged to support the movement.”
Health writer Anna during her Pilates shoulder bridge challenge
(Image credit: Anna Barrter)
Days four to seven
Advice banked, I decide to focus on perfecting the standard bridge before I add on any modifications (the leg lifts will have to wait), and the experts are right – once I engage my core better (and my breath helps with this), I can feel that my lower back is moving more fluidly – I can almost (almost!) feel my spine articulating in my lower back, and my mid back feels much looser – win.
By day five I feel ready to give the leg lift a go – but quickly work out that I’m compromising my form, so I decide it’s not worth the risk. Instead, I concentrate on firing up my (lazy) glutes, and I can definitely feel them more than at the start of the week. Note to self, though – doing a strength class before my daily bridge isn’t the best idea, as I’m sore the next day, with an ache all down the left side of my hip.
As a core exercise, I have to say that I’m really loving the bridge. Often in a seated core move, I’ll feel my hip flexors take over as my core gets tired, but in a bridge, they aren’t able to do this, meaning my core is constantly activated. I try and engage with moving with my breath, too, lifting my hips up on an exhale and dropping them on my inhale.
By the end of the week, I feel like I’ve improved my form and technique no end – but have I noticed any other gains? Absolutely – my back feels less achy and I feel like I have more movement around my mid back, too. I think to really notice significant improvements in core and leg strength, I’d need to keep going for a few more weeks.
My biggest takeaway has to be to resist the temptation to always do the advanced versions of moves – it’s in my nature to be competitive with myself and want to see progress, but often in Pilates, less is more and you’ll see more improvements when you strip things right back to basics.
Perhaps that’s a good life lesson for me, too.
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Can I do shoulder bridges every day?
“Yes!” says Mills. “The Pilates shoulder bridge is a low-impact exercise that you can absolutely perform daily, and as a physio, I often recommend the move as part of a daily mobility routine.”
That said, she also stresses that it’s important to have a well-balanced exercise routine to balance the body and target different muscle groups. “As the Pilates shoulder bridge focuses on the posterior chain, I would then suggest adding in a move to target the anterior chain alongside it, for a balanced approach,” she concludes.