FAD Blog: How to Improve Your Bridge!

Wed, 12 Jun 2013

FAd blog

how to improve your bridge!

Hi All FAD Cheerleading Students,

This week’s blog will help you with perfecting your front walkover as covered in last week’s blog! I will be going through ‘How to improve your Bridge!’

How to push into the basic bridge position:

Start lying on you back with your knees bent up, feet together and flat on the ground.
Hands touch the floor behind your head with elbows up and in.
Push evenly through hands and feet, lifting all of the body off the floor into an arch position.

The Ideal Bridge Position:

In an ideal bridge position your shoulders should be aligned directly over your wrists with your legs straight, ensure that you are pushing back through your shoulders to achieve the straight legs rather than walking your feet forward! :-)

Drills to achieve the Bridge Position:

Wall Drill: Start by standing close to a wall, and slowly walk your hands down the wall until you are in the bridge position. Once you are in this bridge position walk your hands back up the wall; to help build core strength try and only place hands 3 or 4 times up the wall and not do little steps of the hands back up the wall... Continue to do this to help build back strength and core strength. This will help for both your back and front walkovers.
Standing Bridge and Up:While standing, place your arms over your head. Your arms should be straight and tight with hands flat, palms up and fingers pointing behind you. Slowly arch backward and look for the ground, make sure you are keeping your arms locked as they move closer to the floor. This will ensure that you don’t hit your head when they land. You will then place your hands on the ground and keep your feet firmly planted. Your head should look back towards the floor while you hold the ideal bridge position. You will then push through your shoulders and use core strength to pull yourself back up to a standing position. Make sure you have a spot until you are confident enough to do it by yourself. :-)