Why this one exists
The spine likes to move in both directions before you ask it to sit still in a hold. Cat-cow is a warm-up that belongs at the front of most back routines.
Set up
Hands and knees. Spread the fingers. Knees under hips.
Steps
- Inhale: tip the tailbone up, let the belly drop, lift the breastbone. Eyes look forward, not cranked up.
- Exhale: round the back, drop the head, press the floor away.
- Move as if you are spreading the motion across many joints.
What you should feel
A wave from tailbone to neck. The motion should be even, not all in one segment.
Skip if it hurts
Keep the range small if you have acute low-back spasm, or do the same shapes seated in a chair.
Common mistakes
Do not hang in the end of cow with a collapsed neck.