Smart Workout Diary

Cat Stretch

The Cat Stretch is a gentle quadruped mobility exercise in which the spine rounds upward while you are supported on your hands and knees. It primarily mobilizes and gently stretches the back, while engaging the abdominal muscles to control spinal flexion. It can support spinal mobility, posture awareness, and a warm-up or cool-down routine.

Demonstration

Cat Stretch — demonstration 1
Cat Stretch — demonstration 2

Instructions

  1. Start on hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
  2. Set your spine in a neutral position, keep your neck long, and gently brace your abdominal muscles.
  3. Exhale as you press the floor away, tuck your tailbone, and slowly round your back toward the ceiling.
  4. Let your head follow naturally between your arms without forcing your chin toward your chest, and pause briefly in the rounded position.
  5. Inhale as you return with control to a neutral spine, then repeat for smooth, comfortable repetitions.
Muscle Group
Back
Type
Stretching
Equipment
Body Only
Difficulty
Beginner

Technique tips

  1. Move slowly: make the rounding come from the whole spine rather than only the shoulders or lower back.
  2. Keep pressure comfortable: use padding under your knees if needed and stop short of any painful range.
  3. Do not force the neck: keep the head relaxed and avoid aggressively tucking the chin.
Exercise library