Abdominal Bridge | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Core
Secondary muscles: Abs, obliques, lower back, pelvis
Equipment: No equipment

ABDOMINAL BRIDGE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lie on your stomach with your legs fully extended and your forearms on the mat.
2. Engage your core and lift your hips.
3. Pause for 2 seconds, then return to the starting position.
4. Repeat until the set is complete.

PROPER FORM AND BREATHING PATTERN

Keep the elbows directly below the shoulders, maintain your shoulders back and keep the knees on the mat. As you exhale, tighten the core and lift your hips slowly until they’re almost at shoulder-height. Pause for 2 seconds and then inhale as you slowly return to the starting position.

EXERCISE BENEFITS

The abdominal bridge targets the core and is a great exercise to strengthen the back, abs, obliques and the pelvic floor muscles. This exercise helps reduce your risk of incontinence, improves your sexual health, and boosts your core strength and stability.

DEMONSTRATION

SETS AND REPS

Do 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. To work your pelvic floor muscles to a greater degree, pair the abdominal bridge with the glute bridge, the dead bug and the wall sit exercises.

CALORIES BURNED

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the abdominal bridge, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

RELATED CORE EXERCISES

Try these other core exercises to tighten, sculpt and strengthen your abs, obliques, lats and lower back:
Superman twist
Lying side crunch
Oblique crunch
Side leg lifts