Cat Stretch
Holds the rounded spine position for 15 seconds.
- Level
- Beginner
- Movement
- Cat-cow · On hands and knees
- Tracks
- Duration
Works
Lower Back Back Rhomboids Traps
How to do it
- Start on your hands and knees with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
- Inhale deeply while dropping your belly and lifting your chest and tailbone.
- Exhale fully while tucking your chin and rounding your spine toward the ceiling.
- Hold the rounded position for 15 seconds to deepen the stretch.
- Return slowly to the neutral starting position.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging shoulders up toward the ears instead of keeping them depressed.
- Rushing the transition between the arched and rounded positions.
- Failing to tuck the chin, which limits cervical spine flexion.
Safety
Move only within a pain-free range and stop if you feel sharp or radiating back pain.
Tips
- Visualize pushing the floor away to maximize the roundness in your upper back.
- Initiate the movement from your tailbone rather than just your neck.
- Keep your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears throughout the hold.
Details
- Base movement
- Cat-cow
- Body position
- On hands and knees
- Stretch type
- Static (held)
