Exercise guide · Pilates

Pilates Shoulder Bridge

Shoulder Bridge strengthens glutes and hamstrings while teaching spinal articulation. You peel your hips up from the mat into a bridge on your shoulder blades, then roll down with control.

Targets: Glutes
Equipment: Mat (Pilates)
Type: Compound

Step by step

How to do the Pilates Shoulder Bridge

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet hip-width on the mat, arms at your sides palms down.
Inhale to prepare. Exhale, tuck pelvis and peel your spine up one vertebra at a time.
Lift hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees, weight on shoulder blades not neck.
Hold or pulse at the top, pressing feet into the floor and lengthening knees forward.
Inhale at the top. Exhale to roll down slowly through the spine until hips touch the mat.
Repeat for your set count without forcing height.

Form cues

Press evenly through both feet
Keep thighs parallel, knees over toes
Long neck, gaze at ceiling
Peel up and roll down, do not jackknife

Common mistakes

Pushing hips so high ribs flare open
Weight on neck instead of shoulder blades
Knees falling in or feet turning out excessively
Dropping down fast without articulating spine

Muscles worked

Primary

Glutes

Secondary

Hamstrings

Safety: Avoid rolling through the neck. Stop if you feel pinching in your lower back—lower hips slightly.

Alternatives

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