Mobility exercise # Cat-cow stretch An all-fours movement that alternates rounding and arching your spine. It is one of the gentlest ways to get a stiff back moving, which is why Remedy often uses it at the start of a session. Also called: cat-camel, cat cow pose - **Type:** Mobility - **Equipment:** No equipment - **Area:** Lower back - **Level:** Gentle - **Starting dose in Remedy:** 2 sets of 10 slow reps ## How to do it - Start on your hands and knees, hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. - Breathe in as you let your belly drop and lift your chest and tailbone, arching your back (cow). - Breathe out as you push the floor away and round your back toward the ceiling, tucking your chin and tailbone (cat). - Move slowly between the two positions, staying in a range that feels comfortable. ## Form cues - Inhale and arch; exhale and round. - Let your head follow your spine. ## Common mistakes - Rushing. Two or three seconds each way is about right. - Forcing the end range. It should feel like movement, not a stretch you have to push into. - Bending only at the neck. Try to move from the tailbone up. ## Easier and harder versions - **To make it easier:** If kneeling is uncomfortable, put a folded towel under your knees, or do a seated version: hands on your thighs, round and arch from a chair. ## Why it helps a sore back It moves every segment of the spine through flexion and extension without load, so it works as a warm-up and as a way to loosen up first thing in the morning. ## How Remedy uses it In the app it is called **Cat-Cow Stretch**. Remedy is more likely to pick it if you say your back is bothered by mornings or after rest or sitting too long. A typical starting dose is 2 sets of 10 slow reps, and the program adjusts reps as the weeks go on. Every exercise in the app has a demonstration video. General fitness information, not medical advice. Stop any exercise that causes sharp pain, or pain, numbness, or tingling spreading down a leg. Cat-cow stretch in the Remedy app Get it in a program Remedy builds this into a 4 to 6 week plan with video, sets, and reps. [](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/remedy-back-pain-relief/id6813745106) ## More mobility exercises [Mobility ### Open-book rotation A side-lying rotation for the upper and middle back. No equipment · Gentle](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/open-book-rotation) [Mobility ### Chair thoracic extension A gentle backward bend of the upper back over the top of a chair. No equipment · Gentle](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/thoracic-extension) [Mobility ### Hip flexor stretch A lunge-position stretch for the front of the hip. No equipment · Gentle](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/hip-flexor-stretch) ## Guides that use it [Guide ### Lower back pain exercises The kinds of exercise that help a sore lower back, with a simple routine to start.Read the guide](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/lower-back-pain-exercises)[Guide ### Stretches for lower back pain Gentle stretches that ease a stiff lower back, and why stretching alone is not enough.Read the guide](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/stretches-for-lower-back-pain)[Guide ### Upper back pain exercises Mobility and strength for a tight upper or middle back, especially if you sit a lot.Read the guide](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/upper-back-pain-exercises) [More exercise guides](https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/) ## Get a back program you can actually keep Free to download on the App Store. Answer a few questions and your first session is ready in minutes. [](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/remedy-back-pain-relief/id6813745106)[Read the guides](https://remedyrecoveries.com/guides/) --- Source: https://remedyrecoveries.com/exercises/cat-cow Remedy is a fitness and wellness app, not medical care.