Part of these sets

This exercise rarely works alone. It appears in the following routines, where it is sequenced alongside the others that support it.

The Lower Back Pain Starter Set

What it works

Primary muscles

Spinal erectors and deep abdominals, curving the spine each way

Also involved

Serratus anterior, pressing the floor away
Gluteals and hip flexors, tilting the pelvis

Equipment: None. A mat or folded blanket under the knees.

How to do it

1
Start on hands and knees: hands under shoulders, knees under hips, spine in a relaxed middle position.
2
Breathe out and curl the spine up towards the ceiling: the tailbone tucks, the lower back rounds, the head drops last. Push the floor gently away so the chest does not hang.
3
Breathe in and let the spine sink the other way: the tailbone lifts, the belly drops, the chest slides forward and the eyes rise a little at the end.
4
Move slowly between the two, aiming for an even curve along the whole spine rather than a big hinge at one flexible spot.
5
Stay inside a comfortable range. It should feel like movement and mild stretch, never pain.

How much to do

8 to 10 slow cycles

1 to 2 times a day, plus as a break during long sitting

Changing position matters more than any position. A few cycles every half hour of desk work does more than any chair adjustment.

Stop and get assessed if

Stop and get assessed if either direction sends pain, pins and needles or numbness into an arm or leg, or if one direction stays sharply painful rather than stiff. Familiar stiffness that eases as you repeat is the normal response.

Common mistakes

All the movement happening at one spot: Most people hinge at the lower back and neck and skip the mid back, which is usually the stiff part that needs it most. Think of the spine as a chain and move it one link at a time.
Cranking the neck to look at the ceiling: The neck joins the curve, it does not lead it. Let the eyes rise a little in the sag and drop in the curl, and keep the jaw loose.
Fast, big swings between positions: Speed is momentum, not mobility. Pace each direction to a full breath so the nervous system has time to let the range happen.
Forcing the range: Range grows over days because a guarded back gradually relaxes, not because you pushed. If a direction pinches, shrink it and keep the rhythm going.

Making it harder

Pause for two or three breaths at the stiffest point of each curve instead of passing straight through it.
Start each curl from the tailbone and let it travel up one vertebra at a time, which finds the segments that have stopped joining in.
A standing version with hands on a desk works well as a movement break when the floor is not an option.

Making it easier

If the wrists complain, take the weight through fists or drop down onto the forearms.
A seated version, hands on knees, rounding and arching the back, works during a flare or at the office.

Cat Cow