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"name": "KC Clements, MS"
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"name": "Warrior Made",
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"headline":"How To Do Alternating One Leg Shoulder Bridge Lifts With Perfect Form",
"datePublished":"2018-01-12",
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"description":"Learn How To Do Alternating One Leg Shoulder Bridge Lifts With Perfect Form.",
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<article>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="#section1">Instructions</a></li>
<li><a href="#section2">Things to Keep in Mind</a></li>
<li><a href="#section3">Conclusion</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<section>
<p>The bridge is a classic exercise with many different variations, each one training a distinct muscle group. Bridges are an especially common feature in yoga and pilates workouts. Incorporating moves from these practices offers many benefits including: increased core strength, improved flexibility, and better muscle symmetry. Here we’re going to teach you an intermediate variation on the bridge: the alternating one-leg shoulder bridge lift.</p>
<p>The alternating one-leg shoulder bridge lift builds on one of our beginner exercises, the shoulder bridge lift. Lie on your back with your knees up and feet planted. Press through one of your heels to lift your hips up while extending the opposite leg towards the ceiling. Because you’re pressing your body up with one leg at a time, this exercise improves balance and builds equal strength in your left and right legs which is helpful for preventing pain and injury.</p>
<p>Beginners should start with the simple shoulder bridge lift. Start in the same position, but instead of lifting up with one leg, press your hips up towards the ceiling using both legs. Drop back down to the floor with a controlled movement then go directly into the next repetition. This move is great for building up the strength you need in your glutes, hamstrings, and core to perform more challenging variations.</p>
<p>Once you’ve perfected the alternating one-leg shoulder bridge lift, you can move up to the alternating one-leg half bridge pushup. Bend your elbows and place your hands next to your head, fingers pointing towards your toes. Press through one heel to lift your hips until you’re in a half bridge, meaning that your back is not fully arched. Besides the incredible back stretch you’ll get from this move, the half bridge forces you to fire your core even harder than the other two variations. This will help you build strength in your abs and lower back.</p>
<p>Let’s get started by learning how to do the alternating one-leg shoulder bridge lift with proper form.</p>
</section>
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<section>
<section id="section1">
<h2>Instructions</h2>
<ol>
<li>Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted. Bring your feet as close to your hips as you can comfortably. Place your arms flat on the ground with your palms facing up.</li>
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<li>Press through your right heel to lift your hips up towards the ceiling. At the same time, raise your left leg up and extend it so that it’s pointing upward by the time you reach the top of the lift.</li>
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<li>In a slow, controlled movement, drop back down to the ground. Repeat on the other side, pressing through your left heel and extending your right leg.</li>
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<li>Continue alternating until you’ve reached the desired number of repetitions.</li>
</ol>
</section>
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<section id="section2">
<h2>Things to keep in mind</h2>
<ul>
<li>Shoulder position is important for this exercise. For proper alignment, place your arms so that your thumbs are pointing outwards away from your body. Think about reaching your fingertips down towards your heels.</li>
<li>As you press through each heel, make sure that your knees are tracking directly over your toes as you lift up, not wobbling too far in or out. This keeps you stable through the exercise and prevents you from hurting your knees.</li>
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<li>Maintain level hips, not allowing either side of your hips to drop down as you press up towards the ceiling. If you’re not sure if your hips are balanced, place your hands on your hips while you lift up for one or two repetitions. This way you can feel if everything is well aligned.</li>
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<li>Press your chest and your extended leg as high up as you can get them during the lift. This promotes flexibility while working the entire backside of your body, especially the glutes and hamstrings.</li>
</ul>
</section>
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<section>
<section id="section3">
<h2>Conclusion:</h2>
<p>As with all of our exercises, the key to getting the most out of your alternating one-leg shoulder bridge lifts is to keep focus on your form. Take a few reps to check on your shoulder, knee, and hip position. You should push yourself up as far as you can comfortably to see the maximum benefits from this move, but take your time and if something hurts or feels uncomfortable, don’t go any further.</p>
<p>Again, if you’re struggling with the alternating one-leg variation, that’s completely fine. Build up strength first by doing the normal shoulder bridge lift. Pressing yourself up with both legs and skipping the single-leg extension you do at the top of the alternating version makes this move ideal for beginners. From there, move on to the half bridge. It’s a challenging exercise, but the benefits for your strength and flexibility are well worth the effort.</p>
<p>Now that you know how to execute this move with perfect form, why not try out a few alternating one-leg shoulder bridge lifts today? Try adding a few sets to your normal workout or even test out some repetitions during commercial breaks while you watch TV.</p>
<p>If this exercise is too easy, try <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/perfect-form-alternating-one-leg-half-bridge/">Alternating One Leg Half Bridge Pushups</a>. If this exercise is too difficult, try <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/shoulder-bridge-lift/">Shoulder Bridge Lifts</a>.</p>
</section>
</article>
