Flexibility
Flexibility
Stretch: Lower Back (Cat / All-Fours)
1 min read
Sources and review status
Review pending — this text hasn’t been signed off by a reviewer yet.
Historical reference: its only source is the original reference manual, and some of it may be out of date. Not used for AI answers until re-sourced.
See this lesson’s sourcesstretchlower-backcatall-foursstatic
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Exercise demo
In one line
On all fours, round the back while contracting the abdominals, then relax back to a flat-back position.
Detail
Target area: Lower back. (Diagram 13)
Steps:
- Kneel on all fours with your toes facing backward.
- Inhale, contract your abdominals, and round your back.
- Exhale, relax your abdominals, and return to the "flat back" position.
Key facts
- Position: on all fours (hands and knees), toes facing backward.
- Action: inhale, contract abs, round the back; exhale, relax abs, return to flat-back.
- Alternates between rounded ("cat") and flat-back positions.
Connections
- Static Stretching — technique used.
- Erector Spinae (Sacrospinalis) — lower-back muscles involved.
- Stretch: Lower Back (Knees to Chest) — companion lower-back stretch.
Sources
Historical reference · reference manual (page cited)
p.468
Pages: 468.
Keep this lesson, or ask how it applies to you.
Educational content only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional for individualized guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy, or medical conditions.
Explore related topics
Atlas Connections
Erector Spinae (Sacrospinalis)
Three muscle-group columns (iliocostalis, longissimus, spinalis) running skull-to-sacrum that extend, laterally flex, and rotate the vertebral column.Static Stretching
Stretching to the farthest point and holding the position — the safest technique, requiring the least energy and giving time to reset the stretch reflex, change length, and relax the muscle via the GTOs.Stretch: Lower Back (Knees to Chest)Closely related
Lying on the back, grasp behind the thighs, pull the knees toward the chest/shoulders, and elevate the hips — with cautions on knee hyperextension and re-extending the legs slowly.