What should I do if my knees hurt on the mat?

You can fold your gym mat for extra cushioning or place a small towel under your knees to reduce direct pressure.

How many repetitions should I perform?

Aim for 10 to 15 full cycles, or move for two minutes to effectively warm up the spine and shoulders.

If wrist extension is painful, you can perform the movement while resting on your forearms or make fists to keep your wrists in a neutral position.

Master the Cat-Cow yoga exercise to improve spinal flexibility and relieve shoulder tension with our step-by-step guide.

Begin on the mat in a tabletop position with your wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
Inhale as you drop your belly toward the floor, lifting your chin and chest to gaze toward the ceiling for the Cow phase.
Broaden your shoulder blades and pull them away from your ears to create space in the neck.
Exhale as you pull your belly button toward your spine and round your back toward the ceiling for the Cat phase.
Tuck your chin toward your chest and focus on pushing the floor away with your hands to protract the shoulders.
Continue flowing between these two positions, matching each movement to the full length of your breath.
Maintain a neutral spine at the conclusion of your final repetition.

Collapsing the weight into the shoulders rather than actively pushing away from the mat.
Moving too quickly and skipping the full range of motion in the upper spine.
Holding the breath instead of synchronizing it with the spinal movement.
Overextending the neck by looking up too sharply in the Cow position.

Shoulders · Shoulders