[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/guided-yoga-seated-heart-opener-and-cat-cow-pose\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/guided-yoga-seated-heart-opener-and-cat-cow-pose\/","headline":"Guided Yoga: Seated Heart Opener and Cat-Cow Pose","name":"Guided Yoga: Seated Heart Opener and Cat-Cow Pose","description":"Reading Time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span> Seated Heart Opener Pose\u00a0is a simple pose will open your chest and shoulders.\nCat-Cow Yoga Pose \u2013\u00a0Cat Pose is often paired with Cow Pose as a gentle warm-up sequence. When practiced together, the poses help to stretch the body and prepare it for other activities.","datePublished":"2018-05-14","dateModified":"2020-05-09","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/author\/mvallveameba-com-uy\/#Person","name":"Miguel Vallve","url":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/author\/mvallveameba-com-uy\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/nsl_avatars\/82ad20c5457e8fb1e0c4d171e49969da.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/nsl_avatars\/82ad20c5457e8fb1e0c4d171e49969da.jpg","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"YouVeda","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/youveda_logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/youveda_logo.png","width":190,"height":51}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Seated-Heart-Opener.png","url":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Seated-Heart-Opener.png","height":410,"width":410},"url":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/guided-yoga-seated-heart-opener-and-cat-cow-pose\/","about":["Guided Yoga","Knowledge Center"],"wordCount":518,"articleBody":"Reading Time: 2 minutesTwo poses for today are Seated Heart Opener and Cat-Cow PoseSeated Heart Opener and Cat-Cow PoseSeated Heart Opener and Cat-Cow Pose can help you\u00a0improve your posture\u00a0and balance. Try these poses with Guided Yoga from YouVeda.Seated Heart Opener PoseThis simple pose will open your chest and shoulders.Start with sitting on your heels,Lean back and put your palm flat on the floor about 8 inches behind you and your fingertips are pointing awayPress your hands into the groundLift your chest by arching your back and push your hips into your heelsLower your head behind you and increase the stretchStay in this position for about five breaths and come back to the previous position.Cat-Cow Yoga PoseCat-Cow Yoga Pose \u2013\u00a0Cat Pose is often paired with Cow Pose as a gentle warm-up sequence. When practiced together, the poses help to stretch the body and prepare it for other activities.\u00a0The Cat-Cow Stretch (Chakravakasana) is a yoga essential and for good reason. It involves moving the spine from a rounded position (flexion) to an arched one (extension). Each movement is done in conjunction with either an inhalation or exhalation of the breath, making this a simple vinyasa (linking breath to movement).StepsYou can perform Cat-Cow on an exercise mat or a carpeted floor.Starting Position: All FoursStart on your hands and knees, aligning your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.Think of the spine as a straight line connecting the shoulders to the hips. Try visualizing the line extending forward through the crown of the head and back\u00a0through the tailbone. This is the position of a neutral spine.Keep the neck long by looking down and out.Inhale and Arch\u00a0Curl your toes under.Tilt your pelvis back so that your tailbone sticks up.Let this movement ripple from your tailbone\u00a0up your spine\u00a0so that your neck is the last thing to move.Your belly drops down, but keep your abdominal muscles hugging your spine by drawing your navel in.Take your gaze gently up toward the ceiling without cranking your neck.Exhale and Round\u00a0Release the tops of your feet to the floor.Tip your pelvis forward, tucking your tailbone. Again, let this action move up your spine. Your spine will naturally round.Draw your navel toward your spine.Drop your head.Take your gaze to your navel.Repeat the Cat-Cow Stretch on each inhale and exhale, matching the movement to your breath.Continue for 5 to 10 breaths, moving the whole spine. After your final exhales, come back to a neutral spine.BenefitsFlexing and extending the spine can help improve circulation in the discs in your back. It\u2019s a basic motion, but one that can be enormously beneficial in supporting the back and easing pain and maintaining a healthy spine, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting.Cat-Cow Stretch can help you\u00a0improve your posture\u00a0and balance. It is also believed to be a good stress-reliever and calming pose since you link the movements with your breathing."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Guided Yoga: Seated Heart Opener and Cat-Cow Pose","item":"https:\/\/www.youveda.com\/guided-yoga-seated-heart-opener-and-cat-cow-pose\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]