Cat-Cow
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds drills like this into your personalized off-ice program, week by week. Your first week is free.
How to Do It
On hands and knees, slowly alternate between rounding the spine toward the ceiling (cat — tucking the chin and pelvis) and arching it down (cow — lifting the chest and tailbone). Move smoothly with the breath — exhale into the cat, inhale into the cow — flowing through a comfortable range. Repeat for the prescribed reps.
Why It Works
A gentle, breath-paced spinal flow that mobilizes the spine through flexion and extension, lubricating the segments and relaxing the back muscles; the rhythmic, breath-linked movement promotes spinal mobility and a calming, recovery-oriented stimulus.
Hockey Transfer
Restores spinal mobility and relaxes the back after the loading of training and the flexed posture of skating; maintaining segmental spinal movement supports a healthy, mobile back and comfortable skating posture.
Coaching Cues
- "Round into the cat, arch into the cow"
- "move with the breath"
- "smooth and controlled, comfortable range"
Common Mistakes
Forcing the end ranges; moving too fast (not with the breath); only moving from the low back (move the whole spine)
Progression / Regression
add gentle side-bends or segmental focus
smaller range or slower tempo
Primary Muscles
Energy System
N/A (mobility/recovery)
Put it to work
on the ice.
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds exercises like this into a personalized off-ice program — created by a sport scientist and former national-team coach. Your first week is free.
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