Your new favorite animals: cat and cow

There’s a simple exercise that comes from yoga that can make an amazing difference in your body.

Cat/Cow

Its focus is to bring spinal mobility and fluidity, but it also pairs breathing with specific movements, and stretching to the abdominal wall, back, and pelvic floor. Really, it gets the entire “abdominal canister” involved.

Your set up is on the floor on your hands and knees. Your hands are directly under your shoulders, and your knees are directly under your hips. Find yourself in alignment with your spine in a generally straight line.

Breathing in, allow your tummy to relax and gently descend towards the floor. Your chin raises so you’re gaze comes upwards, your shoulder blades pull down and together (away from your ears), and it feels like you’re sticking your booty out.

Breathing out, round your back like you’re giving space in between each vertebrae, rounding your shoulder blades away from each other, chin tucking towards your chest. You should feel a bit of heat/activation happening in your lower abdominals as you pull your tailbone under (like a scared dog).

Repeat this flow and allow the movement to be fluid and gentle.