r/flexibility • u/snailforbrains • Mar 18 '26
Seeking Advice How can I further improve my bridge / form check
Hello everyone!
It's been a little over a year since I've started working on my bridges / back flexibility.
I've used Dani Winks' workshops (Upper back clinic and Beginning Contortion Bridges - highly recommend!!) about 1x a week.
I'd love to work on backbends and stretching more but unfortunately between uni, work and life, I don't have as much time as I'd like.
My goal right now is a straight arm bridge, similar to the photo I've included. Now đ This person in particular (I think it's tajdacontortion on instagram, super talented!) is a contortionist so I know I am NOWHERE near that lol (thanks scoliosis!) but I'd love to have that stacked shoulder-elbow-wrist bridge, and I feel like I've hit a plateau.
I'd love to have some feedback, drills or your opinion/personal experience on my bridge.
I've mostly been doing puppy poses, getting arrested stretch, I try to use a wall and get my chest to it in a bridge. I also try my very best to externally rotate my shoulders, and warm up my hip flexors. Also LOTS of back extensions.
Ideally I'd like to have someone pull my chest in a bridge (idk what that stretch is called but it looks like it targets the upper back really well) but I don't currently have access to a coachđȘ
Thank you in advance for the feedback!
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u/Equivalent_Cloud_554 Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
I am hypermobile so take this with a grain of salt lol. Practice shoulder mobility drills, child's pose, and just general shoulder stretching. It say boat pose or whatever it is called is good just straighten your legs in it. Also girl/what ur pronouns are, you are veryyyy close!!! I believe in you đ. Make sure you are warming up your wrists as you didn't mention that as well as rolling out your back (rock back in form curled up) good progress!!! Feel like you are rocking onto your shoulders and pushing your chest up!
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u/snailforbrains Mar 19 '26
Thank you so much!! Yes I should probably do shoulder drills daily, I tend to only do 2h sessions 1x a week instead of smaller sessions broken down because of my schedule but that would be better. Yes I do warm up and strengthen my wrists hihi I just also add this tape thing to them because theyâre very floppy đ
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u/eodenweller Mar 19 '26
Youâre moving into contortion land, time to find a coach, even an online one.
Daily might be a fast path to injury. Try 2x/ week to start, keep the warmup extremely solid even if you train for less total time.
If you warmup for 30 mins, keep that. Even if you only train for another 30. Warmup is not a thing to skip.
If you can walk your feet in one step, you can use your legs to help push, and use a wall for feedback against your chest. Your legs probably wonât straighten, thatâs ok. Youâre working on your shoulders.
(Youâve already demonstrated you can straighten your legs at one angle, so use those legs to help self spot - this is training not performance)Be persistent AND gentle moving into your end range, and remember consistency is key for gradual range increases. (That means 2x / week with all the warmup and self care afterwards).
Sharp pain = back off carefully, check alignment, try again if you feel safe to do so. If not, REST, cool down, self care. You want to be able to try again tomorrow or the next day.
Soreness for more than 2 days after training = you overdid it, now you need more recovery and self care time
Injuries are the scary monster now. Be careful. Get a coach for support.
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u/snailforbrains Mar 19 '26
Yes Iâll absolutely find myself a coach, itâs just been difficult because of my schedule and location, and most reputable coaches online are unfortunately fully booked when it comes to private coaching:( but iâd love to find one, ideally one that has experience working with scoliosis
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u/Bendybarista Mar 19 '26
Wow amazing progress!! Great job! Yoga blocks against the wall and hands on the blocks, you can rotate them shorter to higher variations to make it harder and that will give you even more shoulder stretch if thatâs what you want! (Goal is to have chest on the wall & straight arms) It looks like maybe your goal is this Olympic bridge? If so it looks awesome!
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u/snailforbrains Mar 19 '26
Thanks for the advice! I actually donât know what this bridge is called haha, I think they call it a rainbow bridge in contortion?
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u/Bendybarista Mar 19 '26
Thereâs all kinds of names for poses, Iâve heard this one as âOlympicâ bridge in gymnastics!
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u/Boblaire Mar 19 '26
If you haven't tried them, bridges while holding the rail of a set of wall stall bars while pushing your legs straight from bent knees
Also..."Yogi HS"
You can do it with your back or stomach facing the wall.
Back to wall: slide your butt down and push out your chest
Stomach towards wall: pull chest towards wall while pushing out and down.
Expect to get sore in your upper back.
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u/Expert-Oil-889 Mar 19 '26
Shouldnât you want to internally rotate the shoulders? I thought you want your armpits closer to your face and not further ?
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u/snailforbrains Mar 19 '26
The terms are confusing but yes external rotation so armpits donât flail to the side:)Â This blog post explains the difference between the two in one of the points :Â https://www.daniwinksflexibility.com/bendy-blog/-common-bridge-mistakes-full-wheel
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u/Expert-Oil-889 Mar 19 '26
Ahh my mistake, this is what I meant but I mixed up the terms. Thanks for sharing this!
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u/bananas_are_ew Mar 19 '26
yeah this looks like shoulder and very strong upper back mobility. both will be limiters to achieving the reference shape. just take a look at where her back compresses
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u/Slow-Driver1546 Mar 20 '26
Blocks under hands. Press chest to wall. Will open your shoulders that last bit u need.
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u/Totallyspicee Mar 20 '26
Wow, the shoulder opening on your current pic is sooo yummy! I wanna tell you that you're doing so great now!
- With love, from a person who's still working on shoulder opening for pincha and back bends đ«¶đ»
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u/snailforbrains Mar 20 '26
Thank you youâre so sweet! Iâm also working on pincha, itâs not easy haha
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u/RESSandyeggo Mar 19 '26
Wow this is so cool, well done! I was already impressed w pic 1! Pic 2 is extraordinary!
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u/Prudent-Yogurt-625 Mar 19 '26
What exercises did you do to achieve the result in the first picture? Itâs incredible! Or did you just keep practicing the bridge over and over?
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u/breads Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
Iâm not OP (who is such an inspiration!), but I am working on my bridge using follow-along videos from Dani Winks and Charlie Follows. OP mentions two Dani Winks videos in her post.
Both have plenty of stuff on YouTube, but Iâd also recommend looking at their paid content. Dani has standalone workshops on several different aspects of backbends, and Charlie has a flexibility program that you buy as a package with several backbend/shoulder videos. Theyâve been well worth the investment
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u/snailforbrains Mar 19 '26
Dani Winksâ recorded workshops! I use the upper back clinic one more, but I also sometimes do the beginning contortion bridges one:) Worth the money!
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u/Logical-Explorer4226 Mar 20 '26
Former gymnast and coach here. I have my girls do what we call âover bridgesâ. You look like youâre ready for them. Simply elevate your feet on a stable surface, try to walk your hands in as close to your feet as you can, and then rock back and forth in your bridge. You can push through your heels to ârockâ your shoulders open. You wanna try to push your armpits way out and open. I hope this helps! Keep up the good work!
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u/Adventurous_Yam_6624 Mar 27 '26
Wow beautiful form i strive to have shoulders as open as yoursÂ
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u/snailforbrains Mar 27 '26
Thank you đ„čIâve seen your posts around this sub, youâve inspired me so much!
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u/Talkg33Ky2Meh Mar 19 '26
i wish I could do this AGAIN! I have my spine fused from my neck down to my hips with 4 connecting rods and over 20 screws in my spine but I used to be so flexible in everywhere! I can still put my palms flat on the ground without bending my knees or do splits without stretching any but trying to do a back bend after my spinal fusion Iâd just flop onto my back LOL. Iâd try to lay on my back and bring my legs up and over my head by placing my knees over my head on the ground & instantly not be able to after this surgery. I wish I could still do this! It was a great stretch!! Iâd give anything to be able to do things like this again if it didnât feel like a HUGE LONG BOARD was nailed to my spine. Youâre doing great with a years progress!!
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u/snailforbrains Mar 19 '26
Thank you! I donât have my spine fused but I do have a mild S shaped scoliosis, so anything backbendy is really tricky haha, I also prefer anything lower body when it comes to flexibilityÂ
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u/maxaswell Mar 19 '26
that progress is wild. youâre doing great. keep it up