Bridge for Beginners

I rarely ever get sick. I appear to be on the downhill slope of this cold I've got now. I'd like to arm you guys with a better immune system than I apparently had this year.

Backbends are great for your immune system. They stimulate a gland in the chest (that I of course forget what it is) that strengthens the immune system. So please incorporate some backbends into your days to avoid going through the hell of being sick for a week plus. Everytime I tell people that they need to do more backbends they kinda freak out - "oh backbends!? I'd just break my back or fall and smash my head on something!" I'm not asking you to do dropbacks, or to be able to sit on your own head. It doesn't need to be a huge backbend. Anyone can do baby backbends, so anyone can benefit from this.

Full Wheel is preferable if you already practice it. Hold it for a few breaths - do it maybe 3 times. Once you're fully warmed up of course, not many people can safely do urdhva dhanurasana out of nowhere. My urdhva prep pose is Bridge. Anybody can do bridge, and no matter how beginner or advanced your are - it should feel great. Bridge is plenty of backbend to stimulate your immune system. Try it today - you won't regret it! Again, hold it for a few breaths, repeat 3 times. (Instructions Below)

More backbends great for this: camel, bow pose, upward facing dog, and cobra.

Bridge Pose for Beginners:

• Lie down on your back, knees bent.
• Feet parallel and  hip distance apart - pretty close to your butt. (I reach my hands straight down my sides and barely touch my achilles between the tips of my 2 longest fingers.)
• Lengthen your neck, root your shoulders down into the floor.
• Spread your toes, root down through all 4 corners of your feet to lift your hips up. (don't let your knees splay apart or come together)
• DON'T flex your butt - keep it soft.
• Press your chest up and towards your face a bit (make sure your neck is NOT pressing into the floor)
• You can do one of 2 main things with your hands -

1. Either interlace your fingers together underneath you, and one at a time, draw your shoulder further behind your chest which will allow you to lift your chest higher and open your chest and shoulders
2. Draw your hands up at your sides, fingers wide, press down through your triceps and your shoulders. It really opens up the chest without the potential arm/elbow strain of interlacing your fingers. Plus it's really stable and solid.