Pose sheet

Cat Pose

Mārjāryāsanaमार्जार्यासन

On all fours, round your spine upward and draw your abdomen inward.

Open this pose in the 3D body

Steps

Support

Palms, knees, shins, and tops of feet; hands and knees bear weight.

Enter

Start on all fours: hands under shoulders, knees under hips.
Spread your fingers; ground your palms and tops of feet.
Exhale, draw your abdomen inward, and round your back upward.
Let your head lower without forcing your chin toward your chest.

Hold

Keep your hips over your knees and your arms straight.
Press through your palms to spread your shoulder blades.
Keep your abdomen drawn inward and your tailbone pointing downward.
Relax your neck and distribute the curve along your spine.

Exit

Inhale and return your spine to neutral Tabletop.

Breathing: Exhale while rounding; inhale to return.

Adapt

Adaptations

BlanketPlace a folded blanket under your knees.
Forearms on blocksRest your forearms on blocks instead of your palms.
In a chairSit with feet grounded, hands on knees; round while exhaling.
Neutral neckKeep your head aligned with your torso instead of lowering it.

Variations

Cat–Cow: alternate exhaling into flexion and inhaling into extension.
Standing: bend your knees, place your hands on your thighs; round while exhaling.
Three-second-retention variation: alternate Cat–Cow, holding three seconds after inhaling and exhaling.

Signals of effort

Weight on extended wrists.
Bent knees resting on the floor.
Spinal and cervical flexion.
Breath retention in the variation.