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how to do cat pose

Rounding your back up toward the ceiling from all fours, cat pose moves the spine into flexion and stretches the muscles between your shoulder blades. It is a warm-up and mobility drill, often paired with its opposite, the arched cow position, to get the spine moving before planks, push-ups or hinges. It also helps when your upper back feels stiff after sitting. Cat pose is very easy and builds no real strength, so treat it as preparation or recovery rather than a workout in itself.

▶ watch cat pose on the dedicated video page

primary muscleslower back
also worksabs, traps
levelbeginner
equipmentnone — bodyweight
typetimed hold

how it’s done, step by step

  1. Start on all fours in a tabletop position with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
  2. Exhale and round your spine up toward the ceiling, tucking your chin toward your chest.
  3. Draw your navel up toward your spine and press firmly through your hands and knees.
  4. Hold the rounded position briefly, feeling the stretch across your upper back.
  5. Return to a neutral tabletop position and repeat for the prescribed reps.

how much: Hold for 25–30 seconds, 2–3 times, moving slowly in and out of the rounded position with your breath, and add a cow arch between reps as it gets easy.

form tips from the wandelbar coaches

  • Press the floor away with your hands so your shoulder blades spread wide apart.
  • Tuck your tailbone under first and let the rounding travel up your spine to your head.
  • Let your head hang loosely at the top, with your chin drifting toward your chest.

common mistakes

  • Rounding only the upper back — start the curl from your tailbone so the lower back joins in.
  • Shifting weight back toward the knees — keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists as you round.
  • Rushing through quick reps — take one slow exhale for each rounding and pause at the top.

make it easier or harder

easier
Do it seated on a chair, hands on your knees, rounding your back and dropping your chin.
harder
Lift your knees an inch off the floor while you round, keeping your hands and toes planted.
cat pose on all fours: spine rounded up, head dropped, hands pressing the floor
cat pose — correct starting position

similar bodyweight exercises

bird dog on all fours: opposite arm and leg extended level with the back bird dog child's pose: kneeling, hips on heels, arms stretched forward, forehead on the floor child's pose superman lifted position: lying face down, arms, chest and legs raised off the floor superman back extensions at the top: chest lifted, hands behind head, legs on the floor back extensions dead bug starting position: back flat, arms up, knees stacked over hips dead bug high plank: arms straight, wrists under shoulders, body straight head to heels high plank

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