New week, new body region. For the next several posts we are going to focus on the low back. Low back pain is one of the most common complaints people have and it can affect anyone. You don't have to lift things to have low back trouble. Having abnormal posture can be enough to set off the discomfort.
Our goal today is to move the structures of the low back and core. This stretch/exercise is good at getting all of the soft tissues of the low back and core moving as well as putting motion into the joints. The Cat-Cow will stretch one side, while contracting the muscles on the opposite side.
To perform this: Get on the floor on your hands and knees. It doesn't matter which position you perform first, but we will start with the cow. Slowly lower your abdomen to the floor, rotating the pelvis on the hip forward and hold for 2 breaths. For the cat portion, pull your belly button in toward the spine and arch the low back, rotating the pelvis back on the hip. Hold this position for 2 breaths. Repeat the process for 2 sets of 10.
*The goal here is to activate the muscles and mobilize the joints. Over time this will help improve flexibility and strength, helping to decrease fatigue through the day. If you have pain while doing this modify it to be pain free or skip it.
