Flexibility exercise

Cat-Cow Stretch

How to do it

  1. Start on hands and knees with wrists under the shoulders and knees under the hips, spine level.
  2. Drop the belly toward the floor while lifting the chest and tailbone, letting the spine flow into a smooth arch.
  3. Continue the motion by rounding the spine upward toward the ceiling, tucking the chin and pelvis in one continuous wave.
  4. Inhale as the spine arches downward and exhale as it rounds upward, linking each breath to the flowing motion without pausing.
  5. Continue the flowing cycle for 20 to 30 seconds at a steady, unbroken pace.
  6. Keep the motion continuous rather than stopping at each end range, which is the most common fault that turns the flow into separate holds.

Muscles worked

Lower BackMuscles of the lumbar region responsible for supporting the spine and trunk movements. All Lower Back exercises

Related Lower Back exercises

Type
Flexibility
Primary muscles
Lower Back
Measured in
Time