Tone your booty and abs and sculpt your thighs with One-Legged Bridge Pose.

One-Legged Bridge Pose (Eka Pada Setu Bandhasana) – also known as Single Leg Bridge Pose, or Unilateral Bridge Pose – is a beginner-to-intermediate-level yoga pose that helps to strengthen the legs, back, glutes, hamstrings, core, and more. This is a great pose for athletes due to its core and lower-body focus, and it helps to stabilize the spine and stretch the hip flexors at the same time. This is also a good way to tone and sculpt the buttocks, and can help counteract the effects of too much sitting.

Be sure to engage your core and gluteal muscles, and don’t rely on your back to lift the leg. Keep your spine neutral, making sure your back does not arch, and your hips stay level and flat throughout the pose. If you find your hips tend to rotate or sag, stick with regular Bridge Pose instead until you build up the strength to do this variation correctly. You can also hold the pose for a shorter length of time and alternate sides until you can hold each side for the full 20-30 seconds. You may also modify the pose by supporting your hips with your hands.

Those with injuries to the neck, back, or ankles should check with their doctor before performing this pose. Since this is a gentle inversion, you may also want to avoid this one if you are in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.

How to Do One-Legged Bridge Pose:

1. Lie on your back with your hands by your sides, your knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. Make sure your feet are under your knees.
2. Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles.
3. Raise your hips up to create a straight line from your knees to shoulders.
4. Squeeze your core and try to pull your belly button back toward your spine.
5. Slowly raise and extend one leg while keeping your pelvis raised and level.
6. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
7. Return to the starting position with knees bent.
8. Perform the lift with the other leg.

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