Cat-Cow
Cat-cow is a gentle spinal mobility drill done on your hands and knees: you round your back up toward the ceiling (the "cat"), then let your belly drop and your chest lift (the "cow"), moving slowly with your breath. It is also called cat-camel, and in some CrossFit gyms the rounded half goes by the less appealing name "cat vomit." There's no equipment required, so it's easy to do at home before a workout or first thing in the morning.
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A demo of cat-cow (cat-camel): on hands and knees, exhaling to round the back up and tuck the chin and tailbone, then inhaling to ease back through neutral and repeat in a slow rhythm.
Step 1: Start on hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Step 2: Exhale and round your back toward the ceiling, tucking chin and tailbone (cat). Step 3: Inhale and come back through a flat back. Step 4: Let your belly drop and your chest and tailbone lift (cow). Step 5: Keep moving slowly with your breath.
Suggested dosage: 8 to 10 slow reps.
How to Do the Cat-Cow
- Start on hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
- Exhale and round your back toward the ceiling, tucking chin and tailbone (cat).
- Inhale and come back through a flat back.
- Let your belly drop and your chest and tailbone lift (cow).
- Keep moving slowly with your breath.
How long: 8 to 10 slow reps.
Muscles Worked
Primary: Spinal extensors, Abdominals
Secondary: Rhomboids, Serratus anterior
Common Mistakes
- Moving only the neck.
- Rushing instead of matching the breath.
- Sinking between the shoulder blades.
Easier and Harder Variations
- Easier: Seated cat-cow in a chair
- Harder: Pause at the end of each range
More About the Cat-Cow
Much of this guide focuses on the rounded "cat" position, because that's where people most often lose control by dropping into the neck and shoulders instead of moving from the core. Alternating it with the arched "cow" position gives you a full flex-and-extend cycle through the spine.
What is Cat-Cow?
The cat position is a spinal flexion movement that is performed on all fours. It requires no extra equipment – only enough room on the floor to be on your hands and knees and a padded surface if you desire. We recommend having a yoga mat or blanket on the floor to pad the knees.
Once you have found an area that you can use, start from the Tabletop position. Because this is the starting position for cat-cow, it is vital that you set up properly. In Tabletop pose, your hands should be firmly planted on the floor directly under your shoulder. Your knees should be on the floor as well underneath your hips. Press the tops of your feet into the floor for stability. Keep your gaze pointed down at the ground to avoid any unnecessary strain in the neck. Lastly, pull your belly button in towards your spine. This will help engage your core and keep your spine in a neutral starting position.
From here, take a big inhale in through your nose. On your exhale, round your back as much as possible while you simultaneously bring your chin towards your chest. Think about sending your back towards the ceiling, bringing your belly button even closer to your spine, and sending your tailbone down towards the floor.
On your next inhale, slowly come out of the cat position and return to the starting position. Sync up with your breath again and repeat as many times as you feel necessary.
Benefits of the Cat-Cow Pose
The cat position is a beneficial pose for your overall spinal health. For many of us, we spend long periods of the day sitting in a chair hunched over a computer. Unfortunately, this leads to poor posture, tight hips, and a hunched back.
The cat position puts our spine into a flexed position. Spinal flexion certainly has many benefits when done properly. It is of utmost importance that when we move into spinal flexion, we do so from our core. This is why we encourage you to set up properly in a Tabletop position prior to attempting this posture. It allows you to recruit the correct muscle groups and move from your center to avoid any injuries. Strengthening your back and core muscles can also help protect your spine.
Putting your spine into intentional positions can help increase blood flow to the area which is beneficial for the health of your spinal discs. If you experience back pain, this position may bring relief as well.
Cat-Cow Pose Modifications
If you struggle with any sort of back pain, whether it presents in your upper, mid, or lower back, please consult your personal healthcare professional before attempting this on your own at home. Above all, we always want you to be safe and avoid injury.
If a Tabletop position feels uncomfortable or painful on your knees, please use a folded blanket or rolled-up towel to place underneath them for extra support. If it is the wrists that are experiencing pain, you can come down onto your forearms and complete this movement as written. This will help take pressure off of your sensitive joints.
If coming onto your hands and knees is not possible, don’t worry! You can modify this by performing the movement while seated in a chair. The movement will follow the same steps – you are just in a seated position instead. Focus on rounding through the spine, dropping your chin to your chest, and syncing up with your breath. You should feel a similar stimulus in the spine as completing this on the floor.
Starting in a table top position, slowly draw a deep breath in. As you exhale, round your back as much as possible (safely) draw your chin to your chest and your tailbone down. Slowly inhale, ease out and repeat, exhale firmly to active your core and midline.
