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Exercise guide
Cat-Cow
A kneeling flow that alternates between rounding the spine towards the ceiling and letting it sag while the chest opens, moving every segment of the back through its range.
What this exercise works
- Muscles
- erector spinae · rectus abdominis · transverse abdominis · trapezius
- Goals
- mobility
- Equipment
- No equipment
- Category
- Stretching
- Difficulty
- beginner
Demonstration
Step 1
How to perform the movement
- Start on all fours with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips.
- Exhale and round the spine towards the ceiling, tucking the tailbone and letting the head drop.
- Inhale and reverse it: let the belly sink, lift the chest and tailbone, and look slightly forward.
- Move between the two shapes slowly, one breath per position.
- Finish in a neutral spine and sit back onto the heels.
Technique cues and common mistakes
- Let the breath set the tempo rather than rushing between the two positions.
- Keep the hands pressing evenly so the shoulders do not collapse towards the floor.
- Move the whole spine, including the neck, instead of hinging only at the lower back.