Seated cat-cow: how to do it
In short
A small, rocking wave through your spine, done sitting down. Works: upper back and lower back.
How to do it
- Sit tall near the front of your chair, feet flat, hands on your knees.
- Breathe in and let your chest lift a little. Your shoulder blades slide gently down your back. This is the cow.
- Breathe out and let your upper back round softly, like a cat. Keep your head up and your eyes looking ahead.
- Move with your breath, 5 to 8 slow rounds.
As you go
- Keep the range small. About a third of what you could do.
- Breathe out as you round; keep breathing throughout.
- Your head never drops below your chest.
What it works
- Works
- upper back and lower back
- Position
- Seated on a chair
- Have nearby
- a sturdy chair
- Effort
- Gentle
An easier and a harder version
Easier
Only do the lifting half. Or make the wave smaller and slower.
Harder
Do more rounds, up to 10, at an even, slow pace. The range stays small.
Take care
- Back: if rounding feels sharp or pinchy, stay with the lift only.
- Neck: keep your chin level, do not tuck it hard.
- Low bone density: keep the rounding very small and never push into it with your hands.
Where it is in the plans
In our chair plan: 12 of 28 days, first on day 4, Spine waves.
| Plan | Days | First time | How much, that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chair plan | 12 of 28 days: 4 to 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 19 to 22 and 25 to 26 | Day 4, week 1: Spine waves | 2 min |
| Chair plan, round 2 | 16 of 28 days: 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13 to 15, 18 to 23 and 27 to 28 | Day 1, week 1: Round 2 begins | 1 min 20 s |
| Week | Day | How much | The plan's note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 2 min | Small wave. Head stays up. |
| 2 | 9 | 2 min | Small wave. |
| 3 | 19 | 1 min | Keep the range small. |
| 4 | 22 | 1 min | Move with your breath. |
In the plan, this move plays as a looping video with a spoken cue.
Seated cat-cow: day 4 of a 28-day chair plan
Short daily sessions at home, a step harder as you get stronger.
What the guidelines say
Any amount of activity is better than none, and all activity counts.
World Health Organization, Physical activity, fact sheet
Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel dizzy, short of breath or chest pressure.
General information, not medical advice.
28-day chair planSee the plan