Cat Cow

Difficulty: ⭐ Beginnercore

Home Setup

Use any cushioned surface like a folded blanket, towel, or carpet to protect your knees and provide comfort during the movement

Yoga mat or towelFolded blanket for knee padding

💡 Pro tip: If your wrists are sensitive, place a folded towel under your palms or make fists to reduce wrist extension

Gym Setup

Yoga mat or padded exercise mat in a quiet area with enough space to move comfortably

Safety: Avoid forcing the neck into extreme positions; let the head follow the natural curve of the spine

💪 Muscles Worked

Erector SpinaeRectus AbdominisTransverse AbdominisHip FlexorsNeck Extensors

⭐ Why This Exercise?

Cat Cow is a foundational yoga movement that improves spinal flexibility, relieves back tension, and teaches breath-movement coordination. This gentle flow warms up the spine, massages internal organs, and helps develop body awareness while reducing stress and promoting relaxation through rhythmic breathing.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Seated Cat Cow

chair

Removes weight-bearing from wrists and knees, easier for those with joint issues

2. Hands on Blocks Cat Cow

yoga mat + yoga blocks

Elevates hands to reduce wrist extension and strain

3. Partial Range Cat Cow

yoga mat

Smaller spinal movements for those with limited mobility or back sensitivity

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Cat Cow with Leg Extension

yoga mat

Adds balance challenge and hip extension work

2. Cat Cow to Thread the Needle

yoga mat

Incorporates rotation and deeper shoulder mobility

3. Dynamic Cat Cow Flow

yoga mat

Increases speed and adds variations like side bends for greater coordination challenge

↕️ Similar Movements

Child's Pose

Complementary resting position that provides spinal flexion and hip stretch

Downward Facing Dog

Natural progression from tabletop position with similar spinal engagement

Bird Dog

Uses same starting position but adds stability and anti-rotation challenge

Cobra Pose

Similar spinal extension pattern with different body position

Spinal Waves

Advanced continuation of segmental spinal articulation

Form Checklist

✓Start in tabletop with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips

✓Inhale as you drop belly, lift chest and tailbone for Cow; exhale as you round spine, tuck chin and tailbone for Cat

✓Move slowly and smoothly, initiating movement from the tailbone and letting it ripple through the spine

✓Keep arms straight but elbows soft, avoiding locked joints

✓Coordinate breath with movement: one full breath cycle per complete Cat-Cow sequence

Common Mistakes

•Moving too quickly without coordinating breath, losing the meditative quality
•Collapsing into shoulders or locking elbows instead of maintaining active arms
•Cranking the neck too far back in Cow pose instead of letting it follow the natural spinal curve
•Holding breath or breathing shallowly instead of using full, deep breaths
•Keeping the spine rigid instead of articulating through each vertebra sequentially

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can perform 10-15 smooth, breath-coordinated repetitions with full spinal articulation, maintaining steady rhythm and experiencing no discomfort. You should feel comfortable in tabletop position and be able to isolate spinal movement without compensating through shoulders or hips.