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Technique

  1. Start in a Bridge position and bend your arms to lower yourself down until the crown of your head touches the floor. This is the starting position.
  2. Keeping your palms and head in contact with the floor, slowly bend your head forwards, tucking your chin towards your chest
  3. Finish the motion when your neck and upper shoulders rest on the floor and pause
  4. Smoothly press up, using your neck and assistance from your arms

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Form tips

  • Your head should stay in contact with the ground the whole time.
  • Progress by limiting the amount of assistance given by your arms
  • To alleviate discomfort to your head, perform the exercise on a soft surface or use a soft support like a towel.
Risks
  • The exercise puts a significant amount of force on the neck and skull. Warm up properly and make sure your neck is strong enough to support you

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Muscles

Strength

Primary

  • Neck
Flexibility

Secondary

  • Abs
  • Obliques
  • Pelvis
  • Semispinalis capitis
  • Splenius
  • Rectus capitis posterior major
  • Rectus capitis posterior minor
  • Obliquus capitis superior
  • Longissimus cervicis
  • Longissimus capitis
  • Upper trapezius
  • Obliquus capitis inferior

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Equipment

Ground (hands or body)
Ground (hands or body)

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Appears in

Strength
Flexibility
Joint movements
Neckextension
trains stretches

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Progressions

e0te

Wrestler bridge

Intermediate

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Regressions

e0i4

Neck bridge

Novice
e0tu

Neck flexion and extension

Beginner
e05a

Sphinx pose leg flutters

Novice
e018

Arch body twist

Novice
e019

Reverse penguin

Novice
e0mp

Wheel on foot

Intermediate
e0mn

High flying whale

Novice
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