intention
I bridge as it is such a versatile pose. Allow your intuition to direct your experience. Whether you would prefer to develop your glute strength and hip stability or allow your body to soften and stretch. Explore variations of rhythm, holds, add a strength challenge by holding a light weight plate over the hips, draw awareness to your alignment and stability by adding a resistance band around the outer thighs or a block in between the inner thighs. My favourite variation is the restorative version, supported bridge, where you can support yourself with blocks and blankets to allow rest and gentle release.
the practice
Relax down on your back, soles of the feet planted firmly, hip-width apart, with soft knees. Ensure your toes are pointing forward. Draw your belly button in towards your spine, feeling a lengthening in your lower back. Slow deep breath in, gently press into the floor with the soles of your feet and feel the stability in your shoulders. Lift, ensuring your knees are tracking forward. Lengthen through the thighs and open through the chest, feeling your heart rise towards the sky. Hold for 3-5 rounds of breath, slowly releasing each vertebra to the ground as you lower the hips back towards the heels. This pose is great for strengthening the glutes, opening through the hip flexors and across the chest to open up through the heart space.
As always, listen and learn from your own experience.
Your body knows best.