Cat Cow
Marjaryasana/Bitilasana
Benefits:
Physical:
Emotional:
Cautions:
Method:
Physical:
- Massages the spine and back
- opens the vertebra, allowing the nerves to relax and regenerates the bone marrow
- Opens chest so it is beneficial for respiratory problems
- Stretches the hips, abdomen and back
- Improves flexibility of the spine
- Stretches the intestines and abdominal organs and is useful for all abdominal ailments.
- Recirculates stagnant blood in the back, helping backache.
- strengthens the back
- Massages and stimulates organs in the belly, like the kidneys and adrenal glands
- Activates the pancreas which keeps in check the blood sugar level with the secretion of insulin
- Keeps the reproductive organs fit, good for pelvic floor
- Strengthens the arms
- Opens tight shoulders
- Improves flexibility in the neck
Emotional:
- Creates emotional balance
- Relieves stress and calms the mind
- allows prana to flow along the spine and removes emotional blockages
- Strengthens the arms
Cautions:
- If their is a neck injury keep neck in a neutral position
Method:
- Come to table top on your hands and knees
- Knees are underneath the hips and wrists are underneath the shoulders
- Ideally the inside of the elbows will be facing each other
- Inhale and lift the tailbone at the same time as lifting the chest - cow pose
- Exhale and tuck the tailbone down and tuck the chin in - cat pose
- Inhale and open the chest, arching the spine downwards, lifting the tailbone
- Exhale and curve the spine upwards, sucking the navel in towards the spine massaging the internal organs
- Keep moving with the breath from cat to cow for about a minute to warm up the spine
Variation - Cat cow Pointer
Extension A:
Extension B:
extension C:
- Engage the core
- Extend one leg behind
- Hold and breathe
Extension B:
- Engage the core
- Extend one leg behind
- Exhale and tuck the knee to the forehead
- Inhale and extend the leg again
- repeat x 5
- Change legs
extension C:
- Engage the core
- Extend the leg behind and the opposite arm out the front
- Exhale and tuck the knee into the elbow and forehead
- Inhale and extend
- repeat x 5
- Change arm and leg