Seated cat-cow

Spine · Seated · about 45 seconds · Updated 23 October 2026

Seated cat-cow gently alternates arching and rounding your spine while you sit with your hands on your thighs: lift the chest and look slightly up, then round the back and let the head drop. It keeps the whole spine moving and pairs well with slow breathing.

The Moveful figure doing the seated cat-cow — The seated cat-cow as the Moveful figure demonstrates it. The pink glow shows the area it works.

How to do the seated cat-cow

Sit tall, hands on thighs.
Breathe in: arch gently and lift your chest.
Breathe out: round your spine and tuck your chin.

What it works

Spine mobility

How long and how often

In a movement break it's about 40 seconds of steady movement, about 45 seconds in total, and it can come up in the “Upper back & chest”, “Hips & low back” and “Full-body reset” classes. It's meant to be repeated through the day in short breaks rather than done once; doing it regularly matters more than the exact timing.

Tips

Follow your breath
Small, smooth range
Let the movement spread down your back

Who should skip it

Osteoporosis or a vertebral fracture

Move gently, in a comfortable range. Stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness, tingling or dizziness.

Try it with the guided 3D figure →