Cow Stretch
- Músculo objetivo
- —
- Equipamiento
- Body weight
- Parte del cuerpo
- Hips, Waist
- Tipo
- Stretching
The cow stretch is the extension half of the classic cat-cow yoga flow, performed on all fours as a gentle bodyweight mobility drill. By dropping your belly toward the floor and lifting your chest and tailbone, it mobilizes the spine and opens the front of the torso, gently stretching the abdomen while relaxing the lower back and hips. It is most often paired with the cat stretch as a warm-up or a between-set spinal reset.
Cómo hacer el Cow Stretch
- 1Set up on all fours on a mat in a quadruped position, with your wrists stacked under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- 2Spread your fingers wide and press evenly through your palms, keeping your spine in a neutral, flat starting position.
- 3Inhale slowly and let your belly drop toward the floor as you tilt your pelvis so your tailbone lifts upward.
- 4Lift your chest and gaze gently forward and up, allowing your shoulder blades to draw down your back.
- 5Continue the gentle arch through your mid and lower spine without forcing the movement or cranking your neck back.
- 6Hold the extended position for a breath or two, feeling the stretch across your abdomen and the openness through your spine.
- 7Exhale and return to the neutral flat-back position, or flow directly into the cat stretch by rounding your spine.
- 8Repeat for several slow, breath-paced reps, then finish back in a neutral quadruped position.
Consejos de técnica
- Move with your breath — inhale into the arch and let the motion be slow and controlled rather than rushed.
- Keep the arms straight and shoulders away from your ears so the extension comes from your spine, not from shrugging.
- Initiate the movement from your pelvis and tailbone, letting the arch ripple up the spine instead of forcing it from the neck.
- Pair it with the cat stretch and alternate the two for a smooth, full-range spinal mobility flow.
- Cushion your knees on a mat or folded towel if the floor feels hard, and keep the range comfortable.
Errores comunes
- Cranking the head far back to exaggerate the arch, which compresses the neck and can strain the cervical spine.
- Letting the shoulders shrug up toward the ears, which shifts effort away from the spine and tightens the neck.
- Forcing an aggressive, deep arch instead of a gentle one, which can overload the lower back rather than mobilize it.
- Holding the breath and rushing through reps, which defeats the relaxing, mobility-focused purpose of the stretch.
- Letting the hands or knees drift out of alignment, which removes the stable base and reduces the stretch's effect.
Preguntas frecuentes
What does the cow stretch do?
It gently extends and mobilizes the spine while opening the front of the torso. As you drop your belly and lift your chest and tailbone, it stretches the abdomen and helps relax the lower back and hips, making it a good warm-up or spinal reset.
What is the difference between the cat and cow stretch?
They are two halves of the same flow. The cow stretch arches the spine — belly down, chest and tailbone up — while the cat stretch rounds the spine in the opposite direction. Alternating them moves the spine through its full range of flexion and extension.
Is the cow stretch good for lower back pain?
Many people find the gentle spinal mobility soothing for a stiff or achy lower back, especially when alternated with the cat stretch. Keep the arch gentle rather than forced, move within a comfortable range, and check with a professional if you have a back condition.
How long should I hold the cow stretch?
You can hold the arched position for a breath or two, or simply flow continuously between cow and cat with each inhale and exhale. Most people do 5 to 10 slow, breath-paced reps as part of a warm-up or mobility routine.
