Cat/Cow pose
Kneeling posture in modern yoga
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cat/Cow is a pair of kneeling asanas in modern yoga as exercise. Cat pose is called Bidalasana (Sanskrit: बिडालासन; IAST: biḍālāsana) or Marjariasana (Sanskrit: मार्जरीआसन; IAST: mārjārīāsana) in Sanskrit.[1] Cow Pose, the counter-posture, is called Bitilasana (Sanskrit: बितिलासन; IAST: bitilāsana) in Sanskrit. The widely used Cat/Cow exercise alternates between Cat and Cow poses repeatedly, providing a gentle flexing and extension of the spine.
A variant with one leg held up is Vyaghrasana (Sanskrit: व्याघ्रासन; IAST: vyaghrāsana), Tiger Pose; a similar variant with one leg held straight out is Chakravakasana (Sanskrit: चक्रवाकासन; IAST: cakravākāsana), Sunbird Pose.
Etymology and origins
The name Bidalasana, बिडालासन, is from the Sanskrit बिडाल, biḍāl, meaning "cat", and āsana meaning "posture" or "seat".[2] The alternative name Marjariasana (also written Marjaryasana), मार्जरीआसन, is similarly from मार्जरी, mārjārī, also meaning "cat".[3] A similar pose was described in Niels Bukh's early 20th century Danish text Primary Gymnastics as "prone-kneeling position",[4] which in turn was derived from a 19th-century Scandinavian tradition of gymnastics.[5]
A different asana, Marjarottanasana, meaning upside-down cat stretch pose, is illustrated in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi.[6]
A pose named Vyaghrasana or tiger pose is listed but not described in the 17th century Hatha Ratnavali.[7]
Description
The practitioner kneels on all fours and slowly raises and lowers the back, transitioning in a gentle vinyasa between Cat and Cow Poses, and exercising the core muscles that support the spine.[8] Cat Pose flexes the spine; Cow Pose, where the belly and back are lowered and the hips and shoulders remain unmoved, extends the spine.[9]
The pose is considered in Sivananda Yoga to be suitable for use during pregnancy.[10][2]
Variations
In variations of the pose, one leg is stretched out straight, and the knee of the stretched out leg may then be bent so the foot points straight up; the opposite hand may also be stretched out in Vyaghrasana, Tiger Pose.[11][12] The similar Chakravakasana, Sunbird Pose, has the leg and arm stretched out straight, horizontally.[13]