Supine Bridging For Tennis | Exercise 6.70

Exercise Video

Starting Position

Lie face up on a floor mat with arms close to the trunk and palms down. Keep the knees in line with the shoulders and bring the heels toward the buttocks until the knees are bent about 90 degrees.

How To Perform The Exercise

Keep both feet on the mat. Raise the hips to a neutral pelvic position, hold for one second, then lower the hips to the mat.

Book Setup And Video Note

The video shows the complete raised and lowered positions before the athlete resets.

Equipment: Exercise mat
Book Difficulty Level: 1 of 5

Supine Bridging Family: 6.70-6.75

Develop hip-extension strength and control of the pelvis and trunk as a foundation for transferring force through the kinetic chain. Choose the variation by support position and control of the ball; record the selected exercise number with the session prescription.

The video on this page demonstrates 6.70. The single-leg and physio ball variations are described in the written instructions below; they are not demonstrated in this clip.

Floor Variations

Lie face up on a floor mat with arms close to the trunk and palms down. Keep the knees in line with the shoulders and bring the heels toward the buttocks until the knees are bent about 90 degrees.

Raise the hips to a neutral pelvic position, hold for one second, then lower the hips to the mat. In the single-leg variations, keep the stated free-leg position throughout the hip raise and lower; practise with each support leg.

1. 6.70 Supine Bridging

   Keep both feet on the mat throughout the hip raise and lower. Original difficulty: 1.

2. 6.71 Single-Leg Supine Bridging

   Extend the free leg at the knee. Raise and lower the hips using the other foot on the mat. Original difficulty: 2.

3. 6.72 Single-Leg Supine Bridging With Contralateral Hip Flexion

   Extend the free knee and flex that hip so the toes point upward. Maintain this free-leg position while the support hip raises and lowers. Original difficulty: 3.

Physio Ball Variations

Use a floor mat and a 55-65 cm physio ball. Lie face up with the arms about 45 degrees away from the trunk, palms down. Place the feet on top of the ball, bend the knees and keep them in line with the shoulders.

Raise the hips to a neutral pelvic position while the shoulder blades and head remain on the mat. Hold for one second. Lower until the buttocks touch the mat without lying fully flat between repetitions.

1. 6.73 Assisted Physio Ball Supine Bridging

   Keep both feet on the ball. A coach holds the ball in place throughout the hip raise and lower. Original difficulty: 1.

2. 6.74 Physio Ball Supine Bridging

   Keep both feet on the ball and control its position without the coach holding it. Original difficulty: 2.

3. 6.75 Single-Leg Physio Ball Supine Bridging

   Keep one foot on the ball. Extend the free knee and flex that hip with the toes upward. Maintain this position during the hip raise and lower; practise with each support leg. Original difficulty: 3.

The original difficulty values restart at 1 for the assisted ball variation. Complete the floor sequence before introducing ball work. Progress from a coach-held ball to an unassisted ball, then to single-leg support when the stated position can be maintained.

Breathe out during hip extension and in while lowering.

Progressions And Related Exercises

• 6.73 Assisted Physio Ball Supine Bridging
• 6.86 Assisted Prone Physio Ball Unilateral Leg Extension

Browse Strength For Performance exercises or explore tennis workouts for a complete training session.