Here are 5 reasons to do Cat Cow:
Number 1.) The Cat-Cow is a great yoga pose for beginners.
Number 2.) Cat Cow is a good exercise to ease back, shoulder and neck pain.
Number 3.) It will revitalize the spine by loosening the muscles and increasing the flexibility in that area.
Number 4.) Women will gain extra treats from this pose as it's been used to relieve menstrual cramps and is usually included in prenatal yoga classes!
Number 5.) As the pose promotes deep relaxation and deep breathing, the cat-cow stretch is great to practice before bedtime, engaging you in a physical chant through its simple but rhythmic sequence it will prepare you for sleep.
Are You Ready? Let's Get On All Fours!
How to do the Cat Cow pose:
It works from the hips to the head.
Step 1.) Begin in Table pose, on your hands and knees with knees under the hips, hip distance apart and hands under the shoulders or slightly in front with straight arms. Your back should be flat, and your neck should extend out straight from your spine.
The main part of the pose is making sure your tilting the hips front to back. A lot of senior students (when starting Yoga) have limited movement to no movement in the hips because they spend most of there day seated in chairs. If you're like these students you may need to have someone watch your hips to make sure they are moving. Have them physically move your hips by grabbing and tilting your hips so you can know what it feels like.
Caution: If you have neck problems or an injury, keep your neck in the original position in line with your torso instead of moving it with your spine.
Step 2.) On your next exhale, round your spine upward like a cat. Keep your knees and shoulders in place, but allow your head to bow toward the floor.
Step 3.) As you inhale, arch your back, lifting your chest and sit bones upward. When you do this, your belly will naturally move toward the floor.Your head comes up so that your gaze is straight in front of you. Make sure to do the movements as you breathe in and out.
The cat and the cow come together to create one of the simplest, yet most desireable of poses.
Below is a good demonstration of the Cat Cow.
