Cat Cow Pose

Muscles worked: Abs & Core, Back & Core

Cat Cow Pose is a gentle spine warm-up done on hands and knees: you arch your back and lift your head (cow), then round your back and tuck your chin (cat), flowing between the two.

Move with your breath — inhale into the arch, exhale into the round — and keep the motion smooth rather than forced at either end. It is a warm-up and a mobility move, so the range should feel easy, never strained.

How to do it

1. Start on your hands and knees.
2. Inhale as you arch your back and lift your head (cow).
3. Exhale as you round your back and tuck your chin (cat).
4. Flow between the two, moving with your breath.
5. Keep the motion smooth rather than forced at either end, with a range that feels easy.

Try it in the app →

Programs that include it

All exercises

General fitness information only, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain, and talk to a doctor before starting a new workout routine if you have a health condition.