This pose warms up the spine beautifully, creating suppleness and stretching the back muscles. Start on all fours. Wrists are under shoulders and knees are under hips. Look forward and lengthen into the crown of the head and into the tailbone. Slightly tip the tailbone up (SEE FIGURE 9-18). Inhale the breath. Press the inner thighs away from each other, hugging the bone. Exhale and round the spine by curling the chin into the chest and lifting each vertebrae up toward the ceiling (SEE FIGURE 9-19). Draw the tailbone in between the legs toward the pubis bone. The pubis bones moves toward the navel and the navel recedes and presses up to the front of the spine. Press the hands down and push the hands away from the body as you round the back. Repeat the lengthening on the inhalation and rounding on the exhalation nine more times, coordinating the movement with the breath.

FIGURE 9-18: The beginning position of the Cat-Cow Pose

FIGURE 9-19: The ending position of the Cat-Cow Pose