DIGGING DEEPER - Get to Know Your Pilates Exercises: Cat

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By Amanda Turner

Excel Pilates Annapolis clients Maureen, Merissa, & Scott doing Cat

Fall is officially in full swing, and if you know me - I love a good theme. With all the pumpkins, witches, and black cats jumping out in every seasonal section of the stores, I’ll remain consistent and our exercise of the month with be Cat. This exercise is performed with the Push Through Bar of the Cadillac or Wall Unit and is for the advanced student. It is one of the few exercises where the spine articulates from both ends simultaneously (most exercises start at one end of the spine and articulates to the other) although at the middle of the exercise when your spine is arched, you can find the same feeling in your Kneeling Knee Stretches with Arched Back. 
This exercise is fantastic for integrating the arms into the powerhouse, articulating the spine, opening the chest, working to maintain the scoop during round back, arch back, and articulation, balance (no face planting, please!), and strengthening the glutes - see why it’s advanced?!?
To properly perform Cat:
  • Kneel facing your Push Through Bar, at an arm’s distance from the bar *like starting position of Spine Stretch Forward on the Wunda Chair
  • Slightly press down on your bar (to integrate the arms into the powerhouse and lengthen your spine) *like starting position of Spine Stretch Forward on the Wunda Chair
  • Come chin to chest and begin rounding forward pressing your bar down, keeping your hips over your knees *like Push Down on the Wunda Chair
  • Open your chest, lifting your tailbone and arching your spine (keep your scoop, don’t let your shoulders lift), and then round your spine, not letting the bar move during this section *like Kneeling Knees Stretches II on the Reformer
  • Squeeze your glutes, magnetize your inner thighs, and begin rounding your spine up, keeping your hips right over your knees and your shoulders down *like the return of Roll Up on the Wunda Chair
  • And with that, you get two more delicious reps.
If you’re looking for something not quite as advanced, but wanting to work toward this exercise, here are a few exercises to work on:
  • Roll up, Spine Stretch Forward, Swan, Single Leg Kick, Double Leg Kick, and Neck Pull on the Mat
  • Long Stretch Series (Long Stretch, Down Stretch, Up Stretch, and Elephant) and Kneeling Knee Stretches on the Reformer
  • Push Through Front, Teaser, Mermaid, and Swan with the Push Through Bar
Happy Catting!

Scott, Excel Pilates Annapolis client since 2017, doing Cat. Check out that shirt!

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