Cat-Cow
A gentle spinal mobility flow that works the entire spine from sacrum to skull. It lubricates the spinal discs, wakes up the paraspinal muscles, and restores the natural rhythmic movement of the vertebrae — the ideal movement for morning stiffness.
How to do it
- 1
Start on all fours with hands directly under shoulders and knees under hips.
- 2
Cow: Inhale and let your belly drop toward the floor, arching your back and lifting your head and tailbone simultaneously.
- 3
Cat: Exhale and round your entire spine toward the ceiling, tucking both your chin and tailbone.
- 4
Flow between the two positions in sync with your breathing, inhale into cow, exhale into cat.
- 5
Move through the full range available at each end, do not shortchange either position.
Benefits
- Mobilizes the entire spine through both flexion and extension
- Lubricates spinal discs through movement-driven hydration
- Reduces morning stiffness and lower back pain quickly
Common mistakes
- Moving only in the neck and missing the thoracic and lumbar segments
- Not breathing in sync with the movement, the breath drives the motion
- Rushing through instead of flowing slowly and feeling each segment
Target areas
Good for
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