Bridge Exercise Analysis

2. Slowly raise your right arm and your left leg a couple of inches off the ground and hold this position for 5 seconds.

This exercise is done with a barbell and a incline bench (“Exercises”). The way to do this exercise is to lie down faced up on an incline bench. The exerciser grips the bar with a medium-width grip and lifts the bar off of the rack (“Exercises”). the exerciser then holds the bar straight over his or her head, and keeps the arms locked. This is the starting position of the exercise. Next the exerciser inhales slowly while moving the bar slowly down toward the upper chest (“Exercises”). After a slight pause, the exerciser pushes the bar back to the starting position while exhaling and the arms should be locked. Before the exerciser brings the bar back down again the exerciser squeeze the chest for a second. The exerciser repeats the process for the desired number of repetitions. When the exerciser is finished with the exercise the bar should be placed back on the rack (“Exercises”).

Lie down and place the soles of your feet while bending the knee to the side. Put your hands behind your head and keep your elbows in line with your ears. Continue to lie on the floor and bend your chest until almost stick to the floor. Do this exercise 10 times a day.

Triceps - Tricep curls with dumb bells are a good starting point. Stand tall, legs apart, raise your arms over your head, keep them close to sides of your head. Bend your elbows and lower the dumb bells behind your head. Straighten your arms and return to starting position. Perform 15

Lie prone on the floor. Stretch your legs back, tops of the feet on the floor. Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Hug the elbows back into your body.

Keeping your heels on the floor and your back knee straight, shift your weight toward the wall. You should feel a gentle stretch in your back calf.

This exercise will strengthen your back, thighs and pelvis in addition to increasing flexibility. To begin, sit on the floor with the soles of your feet pressed together and your knees bent. While keeping your back straight, use your elbows to push your thighs toward the floor. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds before releasing. Repeat five to 10 times.

The next exercises that you can perform for the lower body are squats. Such an exercise should be done in sets of five to begin with twenty reps in each set. You should make sure that you are doing this exercise regularly. This is a spot reduction exercises that will help to reduce the fat in your thighs and your butt. This will also help to shape up your lower body.

For this exercise, follow the same motions as single leg raises, only bring one of your knees to your chest at a time. In short, start off in sit up position, then bring one knee up, slowly, until it touches your chest. Then lower it back to the floor, slowly, until your foot is flat against the floor. Repeat with the other leg.

The hip lift, sometimes also referred to as the bridge exercise, is also done while lying on the floor on your back, with your feet flat and knees bent. This exercise is the next step up from the pelvic tilt. It starts in a similar manner; you draw your navel to your spine and engage your glutes. Instead of staying on the floor, you raise your hips and back until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Hold the contraction for up to five seconds, and then lower back down to the starting point. Repeat this motion 10 times, up to three times a day. (See References 3, p. 65)

While keeping your heel at your buttocks, gently arch your back so your head, shoulders, and hips line up.

Place your hands behind your head, and bring your knees towards your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the ground (Right Elbow and Left Knee, then Left Elbow and Right Knee)

Start with lying on your stomach, legs stretched out and steadily together, lengthening the legs by extending the big toe and inner muscles of the foot. Turn your thighs inwardly to the ground to help in widening your back.

Use your forearm to push your hip up off of the floor. Keep your head and neck aligned with your spine and hold this position for two seconds. Do several repetitions and repeat on the other side of your body. Repeat on both sides ten times and work your way up to at least twenty repetitions per work out session. In addition to your abdominal muscles, this exercise also strengthens your obliques and shoulders.

Breathe in, while slowly lifting your lower back, middle back and upper back off the floor. Gently roll in your shoulders. Touch your chest to your chin without bringing the chin down. Support your weight with your shoulders, arms and feet. Feel your buttocks firm up in this pose. Both your thighs should be parallel to each other and to the floor.