Cat Pose: How-to, Tips, Benefits

In our beginner yoga pose series, Michael Taylor from Strala Yoga in New York City, demonstrates and gives us the scoop on Cat pose.

How-to: From hands and knees, round your back so you spine curves upward, and relax your head toward the ground, releasing your neck.

Tips: To maximize the release in your back muscles, fill your back and ribs with strong inhales as you firmly press into the ground and round your back upward. Good to practice in succession with Cow pose.

Benefits: Releases back and neck muscles.

Michael Taylor is a yoga guide at Strala Yoga in New York City. (Michael prefers "guide" to "instructor"). He's practiced Eastern movement and healing techniques for more than two decades. He holds a degree in mind-body medicine from Harvard, and studied alternative medicine and psychology at Oxford. Mike is also the CEO of social media company Odyl, climbs a few mountains in his spare time, and is the husband of yoga master Tara Stiles.