Bridge - side to side

Starting Position
  • This dynamic bridging on the ball exercise requires you to start by lying supine on the floor with your heels on the ball
  • Arms are straight and out to the sides of your body
  • Engage your abdominals and lift your hips up so that your body is straight from your heels to your shoulders
  • While maintaining this bridging position slowly take your feet to one side, pointing with your toes toward the side you are leaning.
  • Always stay in control and stop the turn before you feel you are going to fall over.
Prime Movers
  • Upper back, shoulders, hamstrings, glutes, abdominal obliques, back extensors
Physio Tips
  • Start with short movements.
  • Gradually increase the size of your movements as you gain control.
  • Try another dynamic ball exercise: The Clock
This ball bridging exercise is a good progression from the static bridging exercise. If you are able to hold a bridge with good form, no shaking or sagging for 60 seconds, then you are ready to try introducing a little dynamic movement. Keep your movements small to start. You are asking your stabilizing muscles to control movement, rather than just control a position. Your stabilizing muscles may not be used to stabilizing you in the new positions so work on this gradually. Start by taking your feet around just to the 11:00 position, return to the 12:00 position, stop, then try around to the 1:00 position. Never underestimate the difficulty of these exercises. It is all about control rather than brute strength. If you can't control the movement you just leave yourself open to injury.

Remember, if you start to shake or sag, this is a sign that the exercise is done. Take a rest before attempting it again. The small stabilizing muscles around your spine are the muscles that control the fine movements at the joints in your spine. When they fatigue, the larger muscles around them try to take over. They are not designed for fine motor control so their use results in shaking. Overuse of the larger muscles when you have no control of the smaller stabilizing muscles is what can result in injury.

1ballshold each position for 5 seconds

2ballshold each position for 30 seconds

3ballshold each position for 60 seconds or more