Skip to content

Mobility

Cat-cow

Quick facts

  • Beginner
  • Mat
  • Back
  • Core
  • reps
  • ~4 s per rep
Do workout 1 for free See the course

Cat-cow is a gentle alternation between arching and rounding the spine on all fours. It wakes up the spine: it gets blood into the muscles along the back, teaches you to feel a neutral lower back and eases stiffness after a day of sitting. We put it at the start of warm-ups and into cool-downs. One rep equals one 'cat' plus one 'cow'.

How to do it

  1. Get on all fours on the mat: hands under shoulders, knees under hips, back flat.

  2. Inhale and arch: let your belly drop toward the floor, open your chest and look up — that is the 'cow'.

  3. Exhale and round your back toward the ceiling: tuck the pelvis, drop the head, push the floor away with your hands — that is the 'cat'.

  4. Flow between the two positions with your breath, moving the whole spine from pelvis to neck.

Coaching cues

  • Move with the breath
  • Move the whole spine
  • Push the floor away

Common mistakes

  • Moving only the neck and lower back while the mid-back stays stiff
  • Rushing through the reps

Breathing

Inhale into the arch (cow), exhale into the round (cat).

Used in courses

Related exercises

FAQ

What are the most common mistakes in Cat-cow?

The most common ones: moving only the neck and lower back while the mid-back stays stiff; rushing through the reps. Watch for them from the first rep.

What should I focus on during Cat-cow?

Keep these cues in mind: move with the breath; move the whole spine; push the floor away.

How should I breathe during Cat-cow?

Inhale into the arch (cow), exhale into the round (cat).

Train it inside a program

Cat-cow is part of the Forma. Start: home CrossFit basics course: the app scales reps, rest and load to your level after every session.

Do workout 1 for free See the course