marjariasana cat pose explained step by step

MARJARIASANA CAT POSE.

Marjariasana cat pose lets discover how to carry it out step by step.

This wonderful exercise that makes us think of the cat is very useful to treat backache and cervical thanks to the movement done during this exercise. The neck is in fact subjected to a gentle massage that relieves and often makes the cervical pain disappear.

Marjariasana is one of the basic positions of yoga, and precisely for its effectiveness and ease of execution is also used as a warming up asana at the start of a sequence, and as the rest or compensation pose during the course of the practice.

In reality the term marjariasana refers only to the static position, with the back upwards, while the dynamic version of the position is called “cat stretching pose” or “the pose of the cat and the cow”. (Bitilasana).

HOW TO CARRY OUT MARJARIASANA

Get on all fours.
Make sure that your hands are exactly under the shoulders and at the same width. Also the knees should be under the belly and as wide as the sides. Your head should be in the neutral position and the weight of your body distributed exactly halfway between the legs and arms.
While inhaling, start to arch your back bringing it down, raise your bust and finally raise your chin looking upwards. Remember to keep your shoulders away from your ears and your chest well open.
Whilst exhaling now, first straighten your back and then continue the movement by lifting the central part of the backbone and forming a sort of “hump”.
At the same time fold your head downwards, bringing your chin to your throat and try to see your navel.
At this point you can continue by repeating the cycle done in the following way inhale/look upwards and exhale/look down. Try to do everything slowly and to the rhythm of your breath. Usually ten breaths are taken but you can do as many as you like.