Warm-Up
Cat-Cow Stretch
A gentle flow between spinal flexion and extension designed to improve mobility and relieve lower back tension.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position with a neutral spine, aligning your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Inhale deeply as you drop your belly toward the floor, lift your chin and chest, and gaze toward the ceiling for the Cow portion.
Broaden across your shoulder blades while drawing your shoulders away from your ears during the extension phase.
Exhale as you pull your belly button toward your spine and round your back toward the ceiling, tucking your chin to your chest for the Cat portion.
Press firmly through your palms to maximize the stretch between your shoulder blades while maintaining the arch in your upper back.
Continue to flow between these two positions for 10 to 15 repetitions, matching each movement to the rhythm of your breath.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Moving too quickly through the transitions instead of feeling the stretch in each vertebra.
- Collapsing into the shoulders rather than actively pressing away from the floor.
- Bending the elbows to compensate for limited spinal range of motion.
- Forcing the neck back too far during the Cow phase which can pinch the cervical spine.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.