Challenge Pose : Funky Supported Bridge

A yoga teacher, friend and one of the most bendy people I know once told me, "never forget to practise the foundation asanas daily - they are the bridge to advanced poses and a deeper understanding of yoga". This highly respected yogi wakes up at 4am daily, meditates, does Pranayama and dedicates at least 2 hours to the practice of foundation asanas - all this before sunrise. 

With building blocks in mind, here's this month's challenge pose. I don't know a Sanskrit name for it (though it looks like a hybrid of perhaps Ardha Bheka Setu Bandha Sarvangasana?), but I call it Funky Supported Bridge Pose. 

Funky Supported Bridge Pose

I first attempted this pose about a year ago, but an elbow injury during a mountain climbing incident held me back from practising the full asana. Please warm up with at least 8-10 rounds of Sun Salutations, toss in some backbends like Cobra, Bow Pose, and poses to open up the quadriceps and psoas muscles (hip flexors). Please avoid if you're recovering from elbow, wrist or ankle injuries. Do observe the response of your body to the asana in each of these stages. Practice with smooth breaths and awareness, and stop when you feel it's too much for you to handle. It's not worth getting injured over a yoga pose.

My Go-To warm up asanas also happen to be the Foundation Prep Poses for Funky Supported Bridge.

Step 1 : The Low Lunge 

Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge) with
backbend variation

From Downward Dog, step your right leg forward (toes in line with your fingers), and place your back knee to the floor, back toes flat. With the right shin perpendicular to your mat, interlace your fingers behind you, sink the hips down to the floor, and lift your heart up to the sky, coming into a backbend variation of Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge). You'll feel a deep stretch in the quadriceps and psoas muscles (also known as the hip flexors) of your back leg. Stay for 8 breaths, release your palms on the mat, and step back to Downward Dog before practising the second side.
(An alternative is to place your hands on two blocks, skip the backbend, and just focus on stretching the front thigh muscles and hip flexors).

Step 2 : Half Frog

Ardha Bhekasana (Half Frog Pose)

Another great foundation asana that combines a backbend with the stretch in the quads and psoas, is Ardha Bhekasana (Half Frog pose). Lie on your belly with your feet hip width apart. Place your right forearm diagonal to the front of your mat, lift your chest up and bend your left leg, whilst keeping the straight leg energized. Reach back with your left hand, and hold the left foot from the inner arch. Press down on the top of the left foot, and try to bring the heel next to the hip (not on your buttocks!). If your shoulder has the range of mobility, rotate the arm until the fingers point to the front of the mat (like the toes) and the elbow turns up. Keep your pelvis on the mat, stay for 8 breaths before slowly releasing the left leg. Repeat for the other leg.

Step 3 : The Supported Bridge

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
(Supported Bridge Pose)

Flip onto your back, bend your knees and place your feet parallel and hip width apart. Inhale, and slowly lift up the hips, and place your palms at the hips, or lower back. Engage your thighs by hugging them into the midline, tailbone turns down, feel your navel lifting up to the sky, and chest moving toward your chin. Keep the neck neutral, press firmly onto your upper arms and try not to let your elbows splay. Stay in Setu Bandha Sarvangasana for 8 breaths before releasing the hands, and slowly lowering the upper back, mid back, lower back and then hips down onto the mat, in that order. Repeat Supported Bridge a few times if you'd like to.

Step 4 : Building the Hybrid

Bridging the gap

You're almost there, but this stage is the most critical. From Supported Bridge Pose, shift your weight to your right side, and bring the left leg into that Half Frog pose that we did in Step 2. If this is too much on your knee, back off! Take the pose to where you can still breathe freely, and exit from, without pain.
If you've managed to flip the left leg into Half Frog, equalise the weight onto both hands and elbows, and lift your right heel. Stay here for 8 breaths, lower the right heel, gently release your Half Frog leg, and lower yourself back onto the mat. Repeat the other side.
(An alternative is to place a block under your sacrum for additional support).

Step 5 : Funky Supported Bridge Pose

Funky Supported Bridge Pose

If you're comfortable in Step 4, it's time to get funky. With equal weight on both arms, inhale and lift your right leg up to the sky. I personally love this hybrid of a pose, as it stretches the hamstrings of the extended leg, whilst the bent leg gets a front thigh stretch. So very yin and yang. Stay in the pose for a few breaths, exhale and lower the right leg down, before releasing the left. Repeat on the second side.

Let your practice evolve from simplicity to complexity. And from complexity to serenity. Remember to breathe fully and freely throughout, and enjoy the discovery.

(and if you know the Sanskrit name of this asana, please let me know).

Love & Light always.