It may not be the first thing people check out when you sun tan on the beach, but a strong lower back can save you all sorts of headaches in life. From making you less injury prone at work or protecting the spine if you engage in any hard contact sports, time spent training the lower back can be rightly thought of very much as a health insurance policy in all the best ways.
A Bodyweight Exercise from the wrestler's tool box - the Back and Neck bridge offer us the best of the best lower back builders, once again completely ignored by mainstream trainers and fitness gurus. Never use one of those dumb back extension machines ever again!
Here's some thoughts concerning the Wrestler's Bridge...
- Try to Get a First Hand Lesson in Bridging. It's important before you try to do your first back bridge to ideally get a lesson from someone with bridging experience face to face. If this isn't possible take the tips from this guide, read a bit further on the internet and watch some of the many YouTube demonstrations before you try your first go at it. When done correctly they are more than safe, but having a clear visual lesson on the proper technique is a must just to be sure no mistakes are made.
- Start with Wall Walks. Stand with your back to a wall roughly two feet away. Arch your back and slowly and securely wall walk down with your hands continuing to arch your back. This will condition your lower back for full floor wrestler's bridges in a short time.
- Back Bridge Details. The wrestler's back bridge is when you arch your back and your bodyweight is on your palms. Hold for time.
- Neck Bridge Details. The wrestler's neck bridge is when you arch your back and your bodyweight in on your forehead and neck. Also hold for time.
- Shoot for Duration NOT for Reps. With bridging you are aiming to hold the bridge for longer and longer times at full extension, rather than working for reps. This builds tremendous strength, makes your stabilizer muscles powerful and even helps to develop supreme will power and force of mind. Using a small stop watch or kitchen timer is the best way to increase time under pressure without having to distract yourself counting.
- Always Stretch After Doing Bridges. It's a great habit to get into doing "toe touch" leg stretches after back bridging to make sure you are conditioning both sides of your muscles as a injury prevention measure. Take around five minutes (or more if you'd like) to engage in stretching after your back and neck bridges.
- Skip if You Have Previous Back Injuries. If you have prior lower back issues either skip the wrestler's bridges or get your Doctor's okay before you dive in. Remember safety always comes first!
Pushups, pull ups, back bridges. Bodyweight Training is very much akin to old school fight training. It's real hard once you get momentum going to not feel like you're preparing for a prize fight and that's a great thing.
Our challenges may not be in a ring, but a fighting spirit and strong and healthy body makes all of life's obstacles much easier to overcome. I can tell you that much from hard earned personal experience!
