Featured Pose: Seated Cat-Cow Pose

by Baxter and Nina

This deceptively simple, gentle pose from our office yoga series brings mobility to your entire spine, allowing you to move your spine in two of the six important movement directions in which your spine can move, extension (back bending) and flexion (forward bending).  Mobility in the spine is important for maintaining the health of your spine, and for your entire body since your spinal cord, which communicates with your entire body, moves through your spine. Although most people don’t think of having arthritis of the spine, but it is a significant problem (see Arthritis of the Spine) and moving your spine is the best medicine for arthritis in this area. The gentle spinal movements can even help relieve back pain.

The pose also benefits your hip sockets because your sitting bones move back and forward with your spine, bringing movement into your hip sockets, which can get stiff from sitting from long periods of time. And because you move with your breath in this pose, inhaling into the backbend and exhaling into the forward bend, it’s a good way to learn breath awareness and beginning pranayama.

Accessible to everyone who can sit up, the pose is also so gentle that almost everyone, in any condition to do it. You can do it in any type of chair, even in the car! (In fact, Baxter did it just yesterday, while he was stuck in a !@#$%! traffic jam coming back to the East Bay from San Francisco.)

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

• low back pain or stiffness
• arthritis or stiffness of the hips
• arthritis of the spine
• held tension anywhere from hips to neck
• beginner’s experience of pranayama
• general stress reliever while sitting at your desk
• warming up for office yoga or any other physical activity

Instructions: Start by sitting near the front of the chair seat, with your feet hip-distance apart and planted firmly under your knees. Straighten your arms, and place your hands on or near your knees. Before moving into the pose, establish the lift of your spine, from your sitting bones through the crown of your head.

As you inhale, start moving from your pelvis, rocking your hips forward so your weight comes more onto the front edge of your sitting bones. As you continue to inhale, gently lift your spine and lengthen into gentle backbend. Lift your breastbone forward and up and allow your head and neck to lengthen out and back, coming into the Cow backbend.

As you exhale, start moving from your pelvis, dropping your pelvis in the opposite direction, moving the back of your waist backward and rocking onto the back part of your sitting bones. As you continue to exhale, allow your middle back to move back as well and drop your chin toward your chest, coming into the Cat forward bend.

Repeat both the Cow and Cat positions, moving with your breath, allowing your inhalations and exhalations to be slightly longer than they are when you are taking a resting breath. Do the pose for a minimum of six rounds up to any number that feels good to you.

Cautions: Because these are mild, everyday movements, those pose is relatively safe. However, if you have been instructed by your doctor to avoid certain movements of your spine, for example, some people who have lumbar disk problems are warned about forward bending movements being potentially dangerous, you should try smaller movements at first and see what your body can handle. The same cautions apply to people who have significant injuries to their necks.

Note from Nina: Oopsie! I just realized we already wrote up this pose in April (see Chair Cat Pose). Naturally, that write up is different if you care to compare it with the new one. I think it's time for us to move onto an entirely new set of poses....

Featured Pose: Chair Cat Pose

by Baxter and Nina

This seated version of Cat pose is a great way to counteract the tendency to round forward when you sit in front of your computer, laptop, or tablet, or commute in your car. For those who tend to assume a head forward position, this pose returns your head to a healthier alignment over your shoulders. And moving back and forth between arching and rounding your spine strengthens the muscles that support your head in a more even way. For all of us, moving your spine back and forth between flexion (rounded) and extension (arched) helps keep your spine healthy by providing nourishment to the bones and disks.

Because you move rhythmically with your breath in this pose, you take in more oxygen, which has a positive effect on your respiratory system and can help if you get winded easily. In addition, moving with your breath is a stimulating, which may perk you up when you are feeling sluggish and can help you focus your concentration. It’s a good way to kick start your practice when you are feeling fatigued or depressed. After you start gently moving in this pose, you may feel ready for some larger movements.

This pose is perfect for an office or traveling yoga practice because you can do it in any attire, anywhere there is a chair. It’s also a good alternative to Cat pose on the floor for anyone who has problem putting weight on their hands or trouble getting down to and up from the floor.

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

•    general stiffness in neck, upper back and lower back
•    lower back pain
•    head-forward syndrome
•    depression
•    lack of concentration
•    improving breathing, if you get winded easily
•    safe exercise for scoliosis or osteoporosis because it is gentle, though effective
•    alternative to Cat pose on the floor for those with wrist problems

Instructions:  Sit at the front edge of your chair, with your feet about hips-width apart and flat on the floor, and your knees parallel to each other. With your arms relatively straight, rest your hands on your knees or thighs. Lengthen your spine from your sitting bones up through the crown of your head, establishing as much space between the bones of the spine as you can.

As you inhale, lengthen the front of your spine, and lift and turn your breastbone toward the sky. Try to keep your neck and head in line with the curve of your spine.

As you exhale, reverse directions, lengthening the back of your spine, and rounded it slightly into a C shape. Allow your head to come slightly forward to stay in line with the curve of your spine.

Repeat the cycle for six breaths, and then return to the neutral starting position.

Cautions: This is a very safe pose that’s suitable for almost everyone! Naturally if you have a condition that causes pain when you do this pose, you should approach it with carefully, avoiding it entirely if it causing any flare-ups.