Sports bridge. Gymnastic element "bridge"

Correct technique performing a gymnastic exercise bridge from a prone position, standing, the benefits of the element for the body.

Absolutely everyone knows about the benefits of gymnastic elements for the condition of the back and posture. Everyone is familiar with one of the most simple exercises- a bridge. Despite familiarity with gymnastics, this element was performed last time in physical education classes. To decide to strengthen your back with gymnastic exercises, you need to know exactly the technique of performing the bridge.

First step. We perform the bridge from the "lying" position

For beginners, the easiest option for the exercise will be to perform the bridge from a prone position. Before practicing in the stance, a mandatory warm-up of muscle groups is required not only of the back, but of the whole body. This will help to avoid damage that can be obtained with "cold" muscles. Setting from a prone position is as follows.

You need to take a horizontal position - lie on your back on a flat surface.
Next, you need to bend your knees, moving your feet to your buttocks.
Rest your hands on your palms, which are preferably located just above the shoulders. The fingers are turned towards the body.
With the help of muscle tension, the pelvic area should be gradually raised up. It must be raised so that the body sags in the back.
Having received a deflection, it is required to straighten the legs at the knees and arms at the elbows.
To return from the rack to the starting position, it is advisable to first lower the shoulder blades to the floor. After the back, the buttocks fall.
To better consolidate the technique, you need to repeat the bridge exercise from a prone position several times.

Second step. We train to stand on the bridge from a standing position

For those who have mastered the exercise from a horizontal position of the body, you can try to perform a complicated version - from a standing position. Just like before a simpler bridge, you need to warm up and warm up the muscles.
It is not advisable to immediately try to stand on the bridge while standing, since not everyone will be able to complete this exercise the first time. For training you will need swedish wall or regular wall.

You need to position your back at a distance of a little less than a meter from the selected assistant.
It is required to carefully monitor the location of the legs and arms - the feet should be at the width shoulder joints and arms should be extended upwards.
Next, you need to start bending back until the palms touch the wall.
Leaning your palms on the wall, you need to continue to go down, gradually moving your hands a few centimeters lower.
As a result, the hands should be on the floor, and the body should take the position of the rack.
In order to master the technique of performing the element, it is advisable to repeat the exercise with the wall repeatedly.

After the bridge with the help of the wall is easy, you need to proceed to the next stage of mastering the exercise. For subsequent training, you will need a gymnastic mat. It is best that in addition to the mat there is a person who can insure when performing the element.

How to get on the bridge from a standing position:

first of all, you need to face the insurer, if any;
the legs should be, as in the previous exercises, at the width of the shoulder joints;
then you need to raise straight arms up;
after the legs are located at the required level, and the arms are raised up, you can begin to lean back;
at the moment of inclination, the insurer should already easily support the back of the person performing the exercises;
it is desirable to go down as slowly as possible, excluding sharp jerks;
in order to return to initial position, you need to push off with your hands from the floor and, using your back, rise, also being on a safety net;
you should not refuse the help of the insurer until the technique of the gymnastic element of the bridge is fully mastered.

The most common mistake among beginners is to use only the lumbar and shoulder sections for the bridge, forgetting about the arms. They are the main ones in this exercise.

Third step. Learning how to get up from the bridge to your feet

For many, learning how to get up on the bridge is many times easier than returning from the rack to the starting position.

How to get up from the bridge to your feet?

The preparatory exercise is the transfer of weight in the handstand and vice versa. This can be achieved by slightly rocking back and forth.
The first step in receiving a standing position will be the transfer of all weight from hands to feet.
Further, it is required to raise the entire body with the help of the back. To make this action seem simpler, one can imagine that someone is pulling up on the top of the pants or on a rope tied to the stomach.
It is not advisable to try to stretch the body forward, as the consequence may be a fall to your knees. It is necessary to strictly perform the lifting of the body up.
For the first time, you need to get up from the bridge with a jerk. Further, when the technique of lifting to the legs will succeed without much effort, it is advisable to try to rise smoothly. But for a smooth rise, a stronger back and abdominal muscles are required.

About the benefits of the bridge and how often it should be done

The gymnastic bridge is one of the simplest exercises and racks. Despite this fact, the benefits of this element are considerable. The following positive changes in the human body are taking place.

The muscles that fix the spinal column become stronger and stronger. With the help of these muscles, the back bends and unbends.
In addition to working on many spinal muscles, are also involved muscle groups shoulder girdle, arms, buttocks and legs.
The flexibility of the spine and back muscles increases.
The abdominal muscles are stretched.
The wear resistance of the vertebral discs increases, which occurs due to the improvement of blood circulation in the tissues.

The best video tutorials. Learning to stand on the bridge with professionals

In order to get not only recommendations, but also a clear example of implementation various options racks, you should take the time to watch the video how to stand on the bridge.

Flip gymnastic bridge - a projectile that performs an auxiliary function in the performance of jumps, is used to determine the take-off point. A springboard, an attached bridge are other names for the device. The flip-up gymnastic bridge enhances the repulsion and provides the athlete with a greater distance to overcome than when performing the exercise from a hard surface. The device of the projectile may vary, but its functioning is based on a spring mechanism. Recoil increases in direct proportion to the force exerted on the lever action.

Projectile characteristics

There are shells with a straight and curved platform, there are also bridges, the design of which does not include springs. The shock-absorbing function is performed by high-strength springs, on the side of which safety slings are built. These features (with or without springs) determine the rigidity of the projectile. Throwing bridges with springs are more elastic, but less rigid, they are well suited for equipping sports clubs. A bridge with a flat surface and without springs is optimal for equipping a gym at school or in a children's gymnastics section.

The gymnastic swing bridge can be of two types, similar in functionality, but with some differences in designs. More popular shells made of wood with a curved elastic plate, working like a spring. Another type of bridge is made with a main frame made of metal, a kick-off platform made of natural or synthetic materials, and steel springs between them. Sports springboards are made for children and adults. These models are divided into the following varieties:

used for amateur activities;
training, used in educational institutions;
professional.

The total area of an adult projectile is on average 120-125 x 50-60 cm. The repulsion surface is made with an area of 135 x 50 cm. The slope has a height of 10-30 cm and is determined by the characteristics of the spring mechanism. Thus, the rigidity of the bridge is controlled, on which the height of the jump will depend. Projectiles for children are more compact, on average their dimensions are 100 x 50 x 20 cm, they are made taking into account a body weight not exceeding 30 kg.

The device must be installed on a hard, level surface. Installation can be done indoors or outdoors. To make the base more stable, rubber pads are used, thanks to this, possible slipping becomes less likely. The pads must be securely fastened. A spring mechanism, for example, a hardened steel spiral, is placed between the repulsion platform and the base frame. Most often, the design uses a double row of springs at the corners, but an additional row can be added for greater dynamic acceleration.

In bridges of another type, repulsion is provided by a diagonal plate wedge. It can be fixed rigidly, or be adjustable, which allows you to change the degree of repulsion when jumping (spring force). The bridge has a special coating, which makes the exercise more comfortable. Some modifications are supplemented with markings that provide a more accurate hit in the required area of the site.

materials

This equipment is used in professional sports, and in educational institutions, so the requirements for the quality of the materials from which it is made are very high. It is usually made from multilayer wood plywood with a thickness of about 15 mm. Raw materials from solid wood are used: birch, cedar, ash.

In modern designs for the manufacture of sites for repulsion, the use of artificial materials such as composite carbon fiber, bakelite. A slip-reducing padding material, such as carpet or corrugated rubber, is applied on top. The hull can be completely wooden or contain steel structures. Between it and the repulsion platform, sheet or wire coil springs made of hardened chrome steel are placed. They are securely fastened with bolts and nuts. For safety reasons, the fasteners are mounted so that there are no protruding parts anywhere.

Functions

The swing bridge is used as an auxiliary equipment for exercises on uneven bars, crossbar, beam or pommel horse. Using it, the gymnast rises to the main projectile and begins to perform the exercise. After that, the bridge is moved to the side so that it does not interfere with the speaker. In vaulting, the bridge is of much greater importance, since its use is closely related to the main projectile.

The platform located at an angle has springy properties. The jump consists of several stages:

The gymnast runs up and jumps onto the bridge.
Under the weight of the body, the projectile bends.
When the surface is straightened, the gymnast is thrown up, starting to move forward and upward along an arc trajectory.
Next, the athlete must group and, resting his hands on the projectile, land on his feet, before doing one or more rotations.

To date, manufacturers sports equipment develop more advanced designs of swing bridges. The technological process must meet the requirements International Federation gymnastics, following them, firms are looking for new solutions. As a result, gymnastic bridges become even more reliable, safer, quieter, stronger, and the maximum return of the energy of the jump is ensured.

It is pretty obvious that fitness is becoming more and more popular every day. But special attention is paid to the gluteal muscle group. It is safe to say that they are the most important in the body. But in modern world we spend most of the day sitting, with little to no use of these muscles. This has led to the fact that in most people they are lethargic and weak.

Many of the exercises that we still do in gym, do not equally well affect the gluteal muscles. But the bridge is perfect exercise for them to do every day. If you do it right, you can reap many wonderful benefits. We will talk about them further.

Your back will stop hurting

The bridge is the perfect recipe for lower back pain. Since the majority modern people leads a sedentary lifestyle, the gluteal muscles do not work enough. This causes other muscles in the spine and hamstrings to take over the work. This process, when the buttocks become inactive, is called amnesia. gluteal muscles. It results in too much stress on the lower back instead of the hips. This is the main reason for back pain.

If you do the bridge every day, especially after you have to sit for a long time, it will help the muscles of the buttocks to "wake up" and redistribute the load. This exercise helps the body remember to use the hips during the movement, and not to put all the load on the more fragile lumbar region.

Knee pain disappears

One of the main causes of knee pain is lack of control over top legs - thigh. It causes the hip to slide forward, internal rotation, or valgus movement. All of these movements are chronically associated with knee pain. Gluteal muscles play important role in the control of the femur in hip joint, which affects how other bones knee joint stick together and move.

Bridge, especially on one leg, allows the femur to remain in line with the knee and toes, avoiding potentially dangerous knee motion.

Improves running speed

One of the primary functions of glute movement is to strengthen the hip. Runners on long distances develop only the hamstring and do not pay attention to the gluteal muscles. This can not only limit their stride length, but also affect the force of their foot strike on the ground, and the stability of the pelvis. By improving the function of the gluteal muscles, doing the bridge, you thereby improve all aspects of your running, and your speed increases.

you seem taller

Posture is very important. You can go to the gym and work out hard for an hour a day, but if you slouch the rest of the time, you lose all the effect of training after 60 minutes. The gluteal muscles are also very important for posture. If they are not active and strong, you cannot sit properly. This means that all the muscles above and below the pelvis cannot work at their maximum efficiency, and your body has to compensate. This compensation usually results in poor posture, leaning forward or arching your back.

If you start doing bridges every day, not only will you strengthen your gluteal muscles to sit properly, but you will also feel like you have good posture.

Your partner will thank you

Both guys and girls will agree that toned buttocks suit everyone. Such appearance considered sexually attractive almost universally. And our distant ancestors should be blamed for this, since for them it was an indicator of fertility.

But the same can be said for men. Most women are attracted to a fit man.

If you start doing bridges every day, then don't be surprised if your significant other compliments you about it.

You finally like the way jeans fit you

Women, as a rule, are always unhappy with the way jeans fit on them. There is no need to look everywhere for the perfect pair of jeans that you will “fit in” or just look “normal” in. Slim legs instantly enhance any pair of jeans. However, keep in mind that once you've pumped up your glutes, you'll have a hard time finding jeans that are wide at the hips and narrow at the waist, as your figure will no longer fit into the "normal" cut of jeans. But can this be called a problem?

You can do better squat exercises

Squats are often viewed as leg exercises. But ask any experienced lifter and they will tell you that these exercises actually work the muscles in the thighs and buttocks. In order to perform squats safely and effectively, it is very important that these muscles are active and strong. Underdeveloped and weak gluteal muscles create poor tension on the thigh muscles. This is one of the most common problems among beginners. Badly developed muscles buttocks reduce the depth of your squat, so the hips and joints cannot work together effectively.

There are many ways to do the bridge exercise. All of them are programmed to activate or strengthen the muscles of the buttocks, depending on what you choose. Doing these exercises every day will allow your glutes to catch up with your hamstrings and hips, improving the effectiveness of your squats.

Exercise Options

1. Bridge on two legs is the simplest version of this exercise. To perform it, you need to bend your knees and raise your pelvis off the floor. In this case, the shoulders should remain down. At the very top, you should focus on the gluteal muscles, and then gently lower yourself to the floor. The secret to effective bridges is to focus on using the glutes without engaging the hamstrings. If done correctly, you should keep a straight line from your shoulders through your hips to your knees.

You can start using only your body weight, but this exercise will be more effective if you lower the barbell to your hips.

2.Bridge on one leg. When the first variation of an exercise becomes too easy for you, you can switch to this variation. Too easy - it means that you do not experience any difficulties with the execution, and the muscles do not tense up. You need to do it in exactly the same way as the first option, only with one leg raised. This position makes it difficult to move up and down. Make sure your toes, ankle, knees and hips are always in a straight line.

3. Bridge with raised shoulders. This exercise has a much greater range of motion. To perform it, it is necessary that the shoulders are on a stable surface (bench, box, chair). The legs should be placed so that the shins are vertical when you perform the movement. Make sure the weight is on the heels and not on the toes. This will lead to better activation of the gluteal muscles. As in the first exercise described, it can be made more difficult by lowering the barbell across the hips.

Keep your chin pressed against your chest. Although this is not a neutral position for cervical spine, this position helps most people to keep chest right when to do it upper part movement.

The bridge is gymnastic exercise, performing which you can strengthen the back muscles, straighten your posture, develop flexibility and improve blood circulation in the tissues surrounding the vertebral discs.

In bodybuilding, the bridge is rarely used, since the very specificity of this sport implies for the most part an assessment of the appearance of the athlete. The goal of exercising in the gym for many is to maximize beautiful body, but not always the maximum healthy.

Meanwhile, strong back and a flexible spine will allow any bodybuilder to achieve significantly greater results in training. And this is not to mention the fact that the main bonus of doing the bridge exercise regularly is the absence of back problems and good mobility.

The benefits of exercise

Good mastery of the bridge technique and its regular implementation leads to a number of positive changes in the body:

The muscles that straighten the spine (extensors of the back) are strengthened. These are long muscular "ropes" that run along the entire spinal column at both sides.
Trained set small muscles back and body, as well as the muscles of the arms, legs and buttocks.
Increases the flexibility of the spinal column and the overall mobility of the body.
The abdominal muscles are stretched, the chest is opened.
Blood circulation is activated in the tissues surrounding the intervertebral cartilage. This prevents premature wear of the vertebral discs.
The rush of blood to the head increases cerebral circulation and simulates mental activity.

In addition, with a clean performance, this gymnastic element allows you to demonstrate your flexibility and physical fitness.

Contraindications

However, the bridge also has contraindications. It should not be done when:

diseases of the spine, gastrointestinal tract, high blood pressure or headaches;
pregnancy;
injuries or diseases of the joints.

The exercise should be mastered gradually, starting with its simplest variations. Then your body will have time to adapt to the hitherto unusual load.

Execution technique

Before we talk about how to stand on the bridge, let's define exactly what the position of the body in this position should be:

The back when performing the bridge should be arched in an arc. Bridge with a straight back, made at the expense of the limbs, is incorrect.
The buttocks should be above the head and shoulders.
The limbs should be as straight as possible, the hands should be on the palms, and the legs on the feet. The distance between the palms (as well as between the feet) should be equal to the width of the shoulders. It is not easy to achieve this level of performance, but we are now talking about the ideal option.
Breathing should be free, without delay.

In order to learn how to perform the bridge correctly, you need to consistently work out all the exercises leading to it. We list these exercises, and then give a description of each of them. They are arranged in order of increasing difficulty:

Straight bridge (you may have heard of this exercise called the “reverse plank”).
Classic full version.

Actually, you can stop at the fifth point, however, there is no limit to perfection. Therefore, we move further towards complexity:

Bridge up and down the wall.
Leaving the bridge from a standing position.
Rise from the bridge to a standing position.

Lead up exercises

Shoulder bridge

To perform this exercise, you should lie on your back and place your feet on the floor, bending your knees. Hands can be extended along the body or folded on the stomach. This is the starting position.

When you can complete this exercise for 3 sets of 50 reps, move on to the next one.

Starting position: sitting on the floor, legs straight, extended in front of you. Palms rest on the floor on both sides of the body, fingers pointing forward. The back should be kept absolutely straight.

Next, lift your pelvis off the floor and straighten your torso to a straight line. The feet in this position will rest on the heels, and the gaze is directed upward diagonally. We do not press the head to the chin and do not bend the neck. The whole body is one straight line.

When you can cleanly perform 3 x 40 reps, move on.

Exit to the bridge from the bench

To practice this exercise, you will need a bench, a low box, or other stable support. Sit on a bench, place your palms on its edge on either side of you. Move your feet forward and lower your shoulders onto the bench. Rearrange your hands so that your palms are completely on the bench, and your fingers are pointing towards your feet. In this case, the feet should be on the floor, and the knees bent at a right angle.

Rise from the bench due to the strength of the arms and arch your back as much as possible. You are almost on the bridge! Do 3 sets of 30 reps.

Take a ball or a small ottoman. Any small object will do. Sit on the floor and place the ball behind you. Then lie on it with the middle of your back.

Place your feet on the floor and bend at the knees. Place your hands over the top on the floor near your head, fingers to your feet. and put your head down. From this position, straighten your arms and legs and arch your back as much as possible.

2 sets of 20 reps will suffice.

classic bridge

This exercise is performed in exactly the same way as the previous one, only without the ball. In the deflection, you rise immediately from the floor. At the same time, the head is freely lowered down, there is no tension in the neck. The distance between the legs (as well as between the arms) is equal to the width of the shoulders. Try to arch your back as much as possible and fully straighten your limbs.

We do 2 sets of 15 times.

Practicing the perfect bridge from a prone position can take some time. You can choose to stick with this way of doing the exercise, or you can make the task even more difficult.

Complication of the bridge

Having worked out the classic version of the bridge well, you can try to perform the exercise from a standing position.

Climbing up the wall

Stand with your back to the wall at a distance of 2 steps from it. Bend back and rest your palms against the wall. Point your fingers down.

Take small steps with your hands on the wall and thus lower yourself to the floor. You can step back a little with your feet so that the distance to the wall is comfortable. Stay on the bridge for a few seconds.

Now you need to get your hands back on the wall. This is more difficult than the descent and requires more effort. All movements are performed in reverse order. At the end point, you must return to the starting position - standing with your back to the wall.

Step back and forth 8 times, do 2 sets.

Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, put your hands on your belt. Further:

Bend your knees and bend your pelvis forward, tilt your head back. You must see the space behind you.
When you feel that further deflection will lead to loss of balance, raise your arms, bend your hands so that your fingers are pointing back.
Take your arms back as much as possible, bend your back, take your pelvis forward and spring your legs. Your task is to overcome the fear of falling and land softly with your palms on the floor behind your back.
When your hands touch the floor, stay in the bridge for a few seconds and lower yourself to the floor.

You can ask your partner to insure you by holding his hand under your back. This exercise requires well .

When you manage to complete it in 2 sets of 5 times in a row, you can proceed to the last step.

Getting up to a standing position

So, the final task. Now you need not to go down into the bridge, but on the contrary - to rise from it. Get into the starting position. Push off your hands from the floor, swing your pelvis forward and bend your legs. At the same time, due to the powerful effort of the abdominal muscles, lift the body to a vertical position.

You can try to combine this and the previous movement. We descend into the bridge and rise from it. Do the descent-ascent three times, rest a little and repeat the approach.

Podkidnoy gymnastic bridge- it sports equipment, used as an aid to improve the jump. It is used as a repulsion point and, due to its elasticity, allows the gymnast's body to be thrown higher than is normally possible if they simply push off from a hard surface. The pushing force of the bridge is directly proportional to the force with which the athlete descends onto its platform.

Projectile dimensions

Bridges come in a variety of sizes, depending on the age of the athletes they are intended for. Children's shells differ significantly from each other, but as for equipment for adults, they are made in a single standard. The dimensions of the repulsion platform are 135x50 cm. The height of the bridge itself can be 10-30 cm.

Where is the gymnastic bridge used?

It is widely used in gymnastic disciplines as an aid to help the gymnast climb the projectile. The bridge is used when jumping over, to exit to, jumping on rings and other sports equipment. Its use is common in both amateur and professional sports. Many disciplines in which competitions are held on Olympic Games, involve the use of a bridge. Usually, the athlete's assistant removes the springboard after the gymnast has used it, which is necessary to reduce injury. However, there are disciplines where the bridge remains in place throughout the performance, for example, jumping over a horse. The swing bridge is used when performing somersault training, and other body flight exercises.

Types of bridges and design

The gymnastic bridge can have a different surface plane from completely flat to slightly curved. This parameter affects the dynamics and direction of flight in the future after repulsion. In some disciplines you need to fly more forward, and in others as high as possible.

The design of bridges is:

Tough.
elastic.
Inflatable.

Rigid bridges

This is the most popular design, usually a wooden frame with steel springs. Rarely, it is made of aluminum. The projectile is made of multilayer plywood 15 mm thick. Preferably a hardwood such as birch, cedar or ash is used. Plywood is located above and below the bridge, 2, 4 or more springs are installed between its parts. They are fixed on a metal base in the form of plates, which eliminates the possibility of their accidental exit through the wood. Helical or leaf springs made of hardened chrome steel can be used. The internal equipment of the bridge is located in such a way as to minimize the athlete's foot getting into it. A non-slip material, usually carpet or corrugated rubber, is stuffed over the plywood top.

Under the upper support platform of the device, there are springs with safety slings that do not allow the device to fully unbend from the acceleration of the springs after the athlete kicks back.

The lower plywood platform can be made with an arc, therefore it is able to spring itself, taking part of the load on itself, which is especially important when the springs are worn. Sometimes on the surface of the bridge there is a marking used for aiming, which contributes to correct setting gymnast's legs, providing good flight dynamics after acceleration.

The rigidity of the bridge can be adjusted by changing the number of springs. The fewer of them, the softer the gymnastic bridge works, which naturally minimizes the load on the joints. However, bridges with fewer springs wear out faster. The stiffer the spring structure, the higher its resource. In addition, the stability of other elements also affects the service life of the bridge. As the operation progresses, the anti-slip upholstery begins to rub off, then the plywood becomes covered with cracks.

elastic bridges

Such designs are devoid of springs, and instead they are equipped with an elastic rubber platform, which repels the athlete. Such a projectile is a frame made of metal tubes.

A metal frame structure covered with elastic material is used much less often. These are amateur products, which professional athletes do not use, due to low operational resource.

Such a projectile has a foldable design, which facilitates its transportation. It weighs less, so after each jump, the gymnastic bridge is slightly moved to the side. If a heavy adult gymnast uses it, then everything has to be constantly corrected, which is completely inconvenient.

This design is rather unreliable, since much is put on the properties of the elastic material with which the frame is covered. If the product turns out to be of poor quality or defective, then a rupture is possible right during the jump, which is fraught with injury to the athlete. In this regard, such products are often used to train children, since their low weight does not pose a danger to the structure.

inflatable bridge

A novelty in the range of sports equipment for gymnastics was the appearance of an inflatable truss bridge. Such a projectile is devoid of any frame. It is done in a similar way with air mattresses. Its important difference is a higher quality material that can withstand not only the weight of an adult, but also the dynamic load that occurs when jumping onto a work surface.

An inflatable gymnastic bridge has many advantages over a rigid one. First of all, it should be noted the very low weight, as well as the possibility of compact storage, which can be done simply by deflating the air. In terms of repulsion characteristics, such bridges act similar to classic bridges, with the exception that landing on them is much softer, which removes the destructive effect on the joints. The stiffness of the bridge can be adjusted by decreasing or increasing the air pressure.

Perhaps the only drawback of this design is the need for a specialized high-pressure pump, the purchase of which is accompanied by significant costs. It should also be noted that design features inflatable bridges force them to be larger than the established international standard. In this regard, such shells are not used in competitions, although they have undeniable advantages.

Rules for installation and use when jumping

The projectile must be placed on a hard, level surface. It is set with the blunt side in the direction in which the athlete should jump. The projectile itself is not fixed to the floor, maintaining mobility.

The principle of using the bridge does not imply anything complicated. The gymnast runs up and jumps onto the gymnastic bridge with both legs. Under the influence of acceleration, weight and gravity, the support platform bends towards the floor, thereby squeezing out the metal springs, or pulling up the elastic material. After the downward movement is completed, straightening is carried out, and the platform pushes the athlete's body along the trajectory up and forward. After the athlete groups the muscles and rests on his main sports equipment with his hands or stepping on it with his feet.