3 Fun Ways to Cat-Cow

The yoga pose cat-cow is a great way to move your spine and keep it healthy. It provides opportunities for flexion and extension from your cervical spine all the way down to your sacrum.

It’s a goodie if you’re short on time, but know you need some movement. It’s a great way to connect your breath with your movement, giving your mind a break from it’s daily tasks. You can also add it onto other poses (more bang for your buck!), or segment it to really workshop quiet spots throughout your spine.

Here are 3 fun ways to move through cat-cow to create more opportunity to connect with your breath, provide more thoracic flexion and extension, and release pelvic and inner thigh tension:

Moving Cat-Cow

A great opportunity to move with your breath!

Start in table/top pose (hands directly under your shoulders, knees directly under your hips). 

Your choice to keep the tops of your feet planted on the mat (provides some more stability for the knees - you can also double up your mat or place a blanket under your knees for more support) or tuck your toes under pressing into the ball of your foot (activates your core muscles a little more).

Move your hands forward about hands distance (so they’re no longer directly under your shoulders).

Inhale, start to pull forward while tilting your pelvis, and gradually allowing your spine to begin to curve vertebrae by vertebrae until the crown of your head reaches towards the ceiling (cow pose).

Exhale, begin to tuck your pelvis, allowing your spine to roll up vertebrae by vertebrae towards the ceiling until your chin comes towards your chest, while pressing your glutes back towards your feet (cat pose).

Continue this wave like movement several times, letting your breath guide your movement.

Pro tip: actively press your palms into the earth with each cat and cow pose to create stability in your shoulders.

Just Thoracic Cat-Cow

So much of our day is spent hunched over a screen. This cat-cow variation is a goodie for releasing tension through movement in just your thoracic spine.

You’ll need a yoga block for this variation!

From a seated position, take your yoga block to the medium setting.

Begin to slowly roll your spine down onto the yoga block, readjusting as needed so it nestles right under your scapula (shoulder blades).

Cradle your hands behind your head, and bring your elbows in towards your ears. Note that your hands are cradled behind your head just for support. Do not use any force here to find the movement.

Exhale, begin to curl up feeling your upper thoracic spine peel away from the block (cat pose).

Inhale, begin to roll back into the block, letting your head be heavy in your hands (cow pose). Your head can lean back as far as it’s comfortable without letting your rib cage pop up towards the sky (there will be a little movement, but we don’t want to over-arc the upper spine here).

Repeat several times, again, letting your breath be your guide.

Cat-Cow for Pelvic Tension Release

A great combination to find some movement with breath through your spine while releasing pelvic or inner thigh tension.

Begin by kneeling on your mat (again, padding under the knees is a lovely support for your joints).

Extend your right leg out straight from your hip. Your right foot may plant fully into your mat, or you may find you’re on the inner arc of the right foot (both are fine!).

Hinge forward from your pelvis to lower your hands to the earth (note, blocks or books work great here to bring the floor up a little closer to your hands).

Inhale to find your cow pose (pelvis tilts forward, allowing your spine to curve until the crown of your head reaches for the sky).

Exhale to find your cat pose (pelvis tucks, allowing your spine to roll up towards the ceiling until your chin lowers towards your chest). 

Pro tip: actively press your palms into the earth with each cat and cow pose to create stability in your shoulders.

Repeat several times before switching over to the other side, always letting your breath guide your movement.

Have fun experimenting with cat-cow in these new ways.

After practicing these variations, if you need some more, make sure to grab my free Tension Release practice HERE.