The Cat-Cow stretch originated in yoga, although it’s often incorporated into Pilates and general exercise classes as a great way to warm up and stretch the spine or relieve stress and pain. It’s beneficial for everyone and can be done on the floor or in a chair. It’s especially great for people with Parkinson’s, who tend to get very tight through the neck and back.
Many of our fighters have a stooped posture or rounded upper back, so I am demonstrating a way to target the lower back when the upper back tends to take over as the only part that wants to flex. This slight modification feels so good to those of us who need that little extra lumbar stretch!
Watch this video to learn how to do the modified Cat-Cow exercise for Parkinson’s stooped posture:
Here are the instructions:
- Start on your hands and knees, with your wrists underneath your shoulders, and your knees underneath your hips.
- Visualize the line extending from the top of your head to your tailbone. Relax into neutral spine.
- Keep your neck long by looking down and out.
- Lift your tailbone in the air, with your neck being the last thing to move.
- As you lower your belly, keep your core engaged, and lift your gaze gently up toward the ceiling without cranking your neck.
- Come back to neutral spine.
- If you want to go into a regular cat back, it will look like this:
stretch, then continue on to steps 8 and 9.
- Glide (don’t squeeze) your shoulder blades together to form a flatter top line.
- Think of rounding down your tailbone first. Let this ripple extend to the neck, creating a more even, gradual curve, then lower your head gently.
- Repeat the Cat-Cow stretch on each inhale and exhale, matching the movement to your own breath.
- Continue for five to 10 breaths, moving your whole spine. After your final exhale, come back to a neutral spine.
Now in Session: Rebel Fit Club’s Posture School!
Coach Kimberly instructs this five-week exercise series to address one of the most problematic symptoms of Parkinson’s: stooped posture, which causes falls, pain, and crowds your breathing and digestion. You will learn lifelong exercises that you can do every day to prevent or treat poor posture. This course is offered both virtually and in person. We also offer an in-person, seated version of this class for our fighters who can’t exercise on the floor. If you want to feel stronger, sit and stand straighter, and move better, contact Kimberly today to get on the list for our next session!
Ready to take back your fight?
Contact me to get started in Kimberly Berg’s Rebel Fit Club Parkinson’s Boxing classes today. We have online workouts, too!
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