Pilates Cat Stretch: Steps, Muscles and Common Mistakes

How to do the Cat Stretch

Start on your mat on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keep a neutral spine held steady to begin.

1. Begin by pressing your hands gently into the mat to engage your arms.
2. Draw your abdominal muscles inward to round your back toward the ceiling.
3. Drop your head and tailbone slightly as your spine flexes.
4. Hold this rounded position for a brief moment.
5. Slowly transition by lifting your tailbone and chest to extend your spine.
6. Return to a neutral spine held steady before starting the next repetition.

• Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently, but a common pattern is to exhale as you round your spine and inhale as you extend. You might also be taught to inhale on the flexion and exhale on the extension.
• Where you feel it. You should feel your rectus abdominis working to round your back, and your spinal extensors working as you lengthen. You should not feel sharp pain in your wrists, neck, or lower back.
• How many. 5 to 8 slow repetitions

Common mistakes

• Sinking into the shoulders. Push the floor away with your hands to keep your serratus anterior engaged.
• Forcing the neck. Let your head move naturally with the rest of your spine instead of jamming your chin into your chest.
• Rushing the movement. Take your time to articulate through each part of your back rather than just dropping your belly.
• Overarching the lower back. Focus on a controlled extension and rely on your abdominal muscles to prevent dumping weight into your lumbar spine.
• Locking the elbows. Keep a tiny, soft bend in your arms to avoid putting too much pressure on your elbow joints.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Perform the spinal movements while seated in a chair if bearing weight on your wrists or knees is uncomfortable.
• Limit the range of motion, moving only as far as you comfortably can.
• Place a folded towel under your knees or wrists for extra padding on the mat.

Harder

• Try lifting one hand slightly off the mat as you move to challenge your stability.
• Extend one leg straight back behind you while performing the spinal flexion and extension.

Who should be careful

• Kneeling can be uncomfortable with knee pain; use extra padding or choose a version that keeps you off the knees.
• Weight-bearing through the hands can aggravate wrist, hand or shoulder pain. Fists, forearms or a raised surface can reduce the load.

Related exercises

• Jackknife Advanced
• Neck Pull Advanced
• Chest Lift Beginner
• Dart Beginner
• Quadruped Arm and Leg Reach Beginner

This exercise is part of our pages on Pilates for Back Pain, Pilates During Pregnancy, Pilates for Flexibility.

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Sharp or shooting pain in your lower back during extension.
• Numbness or tingling traveling down your arms or legs.
• Sudden, severe wrist pain when you place weight on your hands.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness when you drop or lift your head.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or are recovering from an injury or surgery, check with your own clinician before trying new exercises.

How we put this page together. Exercise data (type, level, equipment and muscles) was compiled by our editors from the classical mat order in Joseph Pilates’ 1945 book and from commonly taught mat repertoire. Muscle lists are a general anatomy guide; cueing differs between teachers. Text drafted with AI assistance and checked by the Editorial Team. See our editorial policy. Last checked October 2026.