Top 5 Fridays! 5 Cues to Maximize Posterior Chain Activation in Bridges and Minimize Lumbar Recruitment

Many patients, especially the more athletically inclined think the "lowly" bridge is an easy exercise not worth their time. When cued appropriately, the double leg bridge is a great regression to hip hinging and way to groove hip extension. This is especially important after restoring hip extension after manual therapies the patient cannot replicate away from your office.

Patients also often complain of lumbar pain when doing bridges incorrectly, instead of hip hinging, recruiting lumbar extensors. The below cues should minimize that.

Here are 5 Bridging Cues to Maximize Hip Extensors and Minimize Lumbar Recruitment

Try these cues for either double or single leg bridging and see if you notice a difference. There should be quite a bit more perceived effort and difficulty holding it for prolonged periods. Work up to 3 sets of 1 minute as my arbitrary recommendation for endurance ;)

Interested in live cases where I apply this approach and integrate it with pain science, manual therapy, repeated motions, IASTM, with emphasis on patient education? Check out Modern Manual Therapy!

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