ex_KYE74I

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Back · Body Weight

Cat Pose

intermediateyogaMale & female model

Cat Pose is an intermediate compound yoga exercise that works the spine (back), with the core, upper back and shoulders assisting. It needs no equipment beyond your own body weight. A typical prescription is 2-3 sets of 30-60-second holds, and it burns about 3.7 calories per minute.

Target: Spine
Body part: Back
Equipment: Body Weight
Category: Yoga
Mechanic: Compound
Force: Static
Sets × reps: 2-3 × 30-60 sec hold
Calories / min: ≈ 3.7 kcal

Primary muscles

Lower Back · Erector Spinae

Secondary muscles

Core · Rectus Abdominis, Transversus Abdominis
Upper Back · Trapezius, Rhomboids
Shoulders · Anterior Deltoids

How to do Cat Pose

Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keep your arms straight and your gaze toward the floor.
Slowly round your back toward the ceiling by tucking your chin toward your chest and drawing your tailbone underneath you.
Hold the stretched position briefly while keeping your shoulders relaxed and your core gently engaged.
Return to the starting position with control and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Form tips

Keep your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips.
Draw your belly button inward to help deepen the spinal movement.
Round your spine evenly from your neck to your lower back.
Inhale in the starting position and exhale as you round your back.

Cat Pose alternatives

Superman Pulls Resistance Bands

Spine · beginner

Band Deadlift

Spine · beginner

Trap Bar Deadlift

Spine · intermediate

Exercise Ball Lower Back Prone Stretch

Spine · beginner

More spine exercises

Cat Stretch

Child Pose

Bow Pose

Scorpion Twist Pose

Child Pose Up

Child Pose Arms on Side

Spine · beginner

Child Pose Lower Back Stretch

Spine · beginner

Superman Holds

Spine · intermediate

Cat Pose FAQ

What muscles does Cat Pose work?

Cat Pose mainly works the spine in the back (Erector Spinae). The core, upper back and shoulders work as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for Cat Pose?

None. Cat Pose is a body weight exercise, so you can do it at home or anywhere with enough space.

How many sets and reps of Cat Pose should I do?

Start with 2-3 sets of 30-60-second holds. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.

Is Cat Pose good for beginners?

It's rated intermediate. Beginners can work up to it once they control simpler back exercises.

How many calories does Cat Pose burn?

About 3.7 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 3. Ten minutes of work is roughly 37 calories; heavier people burn more.

What is a good alternative to Cat Pose?

Other exercises for the spine include Superman Pulls Resistance Bands, Band Deadlift, Trap Bar Deadlift and Exercise Ball Lower Back Prone Stretch.

For developers

Use Cat Pose in your app

Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.

Get a free API key Read the docs

# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_KYE74I" \
  -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "id": "ex_KYE74I",
  "name": "Cat Pose",
  "model": "male",
  "counterpartId": "ex_75XC2N",
  "target": "Spine",
  "equipment": "Body Weight",
  "media": {
    "mp4": "https://…/ex_KYE74I/mp4-720.mp4?…",
    "poster": "https://…/ex_KYE74I/poster.jpg?…"
  }
}