Cat Pose, Marjaryasana, (Mar-jar-YAH-sun-ah)
marjary (cat) + āsana (pose)
Pose Type: Restorative, Core Activating, Back Pain, Sciatica, Stretching
Difficulty: Beginner
Create space and movement in your spine and shoulders with a centering cat pose.
cat Pose Fundamentals
Find Cat Pose and its counter pose Cow Pose in a Cat-Cow sequence at the beginning of a Vinyasa flow for a full body warm up and to gently awaken your spine for the practice.
Why the name? Have you ever seen a cat stretch?
Cat Pose allows us to work on our shoulder protraction, a movement that brings your shoulders forward and spreads your scapulae across your back.
Strong shoulder protraction is a foundational movement type within any yoga practice. You’ll find it when stepping through between your hands when coming out of a Downward Facing Dog, or when coming into arm balances such as Crane or Crow pose.
Tap into and connect with the natural curvature and movement of your spine in Cat Pose to balance the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
Cat Pose Benefits
- Creates space in the back body, stretching the back muscles
- Is a great counter pose for backbends
- Warms up the spine
- Strengthens the core and shoulders
How To Do Cat Pose: Step-By-Step
1. Begin on all fours – ankles directly beneath shoulders and hips directly above knees, toes untucked. This is Table Top Pose.
2. On an exhale, round your spine towards the ceiling engaging your core, drawing your belly button up towards your spine.3. Drop the crown of your head towards the mat and press down through your hands, creating a broadness in your shoulder blades.
4. To come out of Cat Pose, release the posture, coming into a neutral spine Tabletop position.
Variation: Cat Pose with forearms on blocks
If you suffer from wrist or hand complications, this variation is for you. Simply come onto two blocks with your forearms.
Related Poses
Preparatory Poses
Counter Poses
For more in-depth asana resources, check out our free Yoga Pose Library. Here you’ll find complete guides to each and every yoga asana to deepen your yoga knowledge.
Each pose page features high-quality photos, anatomy insights, tips and tricks, pose instructions and queues, asana variations, and preparatory and counter poses.
