Don’t Kneel for Cat and Cow Poses if You are Obese

This model is posed in a way that no obese person should be doing in an attempt to exercise.

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There are two reactions obese people have to an exercise like this.

You have to kneel for this exercise, so I can’t do it.

You have to kneel for this exercise, so I will do it even though it hurts me.

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I was in the first camp before I started working with a fitness trainer. I had an all purpose reason why I could not perform most exercises. I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.

Obese people in the second group do the exercise anyway and then injure themselves so that they can no longer do anything at all.

My fitness trainer had a third option.

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MODIFY!

This is the path he forced me to take, and the one I willingly take today. I may not be able to do the exercise exactly like a “normal” and fit person can do it, but I can make some adjustments and get great benefit anyway.

In the case of the cat and cow moves, I do not get down onto the floor. Instead I stand and put my hands or forearms on a desk, or bed, or something else this is higher or lower.

Opening up my back like this is very important to me as a keyboard warrior. I might do the cat a cow move once or twice a day as I get up and down from work. I currently have:

A bed
A desk
A chair seat
A chair back
A balcony railing
A kitchen counter

These spots are all of different heights and so I get a different stretch with each one. All of them stretch out the back of my legs, my neck, and my shoulders as well.

None of them hurt my knees which still cannot bear my weight. I may be thin now, but Rheumatoid Arthritis gives me bad knees I do not want to make worse.

Directions for Modified Cat and Cow

Find a place to try the move. Use my ideas above in your own location.
Clear the area and stand back at a comfortable distance.
Stretch out your limbs and shake it out a bit.
Take a few deep breaths.
Place your arm or forearms on the prop.
Think of "pivoting" down with your hips.
Make sure you are "square." Each foot should be behind each shoulder
Feel for a straight back.
Check the angle of your arms related to your shoulders. You need to be comfortable, not extended or squished.
Drop your head (gently and comfortably) and arch your back up. Even a few inches is good. (You will improve over time.)
“Drop” your arms out of your shoulder joints gently. You will feel how to do this when you try.
Take one or two breaths.
Sink your spine back down to a neutral position.
Drop your spine into a U shape. Even a few inches is good. (You will improve over time.)
Adjust your shoulders down and back.
Take one or two breaths.
Feel the stretch in your hamstrings and all along the back of your legs.
Bring your spine back to the neutral position.
Repeat the above steps 1-4 more times.
When done, at the neutral position, push off gently with your hands or forearms, and stand up straight.
Shake it out and feel proud!

NOTE: About your head position:

Your head is something to pay attention to while performing cat and cow. Keep your head hanging down gently for the whole time,
OR
Raise your head gently as you drop your back into the U shape.
BUT DO NOT
Overextend your neck, or swing your head up and down. Make sure you are not causing neck pain. You head is very heavy and you are not that strong in the neck.

In the case of this exercise, one rep as above is fine. If you are going to do this twice a day, space the activity out.

Keep going!

Scout your normal locations for different places you can do this move.
Use those locations of varying heights on a rotating basis for best results.

I am so grateful to know I can do something to help myself feel better. I work many hours at the computer each day and used to be a broken mess when I finally got up to go to bed. Now instead I am renewed by these simple moves spaced out during my day.

Remember!

Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. No excuses!