Gentle Tabletop Yoga: Cat-Cow and Thread the Needle

A slow tabletop yoga sequence linking cat-cow, hip circles, thread the needle, and child's pose, syncing each movement with the breath. It builds spinal mobility and relaxation after exercise.

How to play

1. On hands and knees on a yoga mat, hands under shoulders and knees under hips, with soft music playing.
2. Cat-cow: inhale and drop the belly while looking forward; exhale and round the back while looking at the belly button; 8 slow cycles (2 min).
3. Hip circles: trace a big circle with the trunk, 5 each direction (1 min).
4. Thread the needle: slide the right arm under the left and rest the shoulder and temple on the mat for 5 breaths; repeat on the other side (2 min).
5. Child's pose with arms forward for 1 min, then arms by the sides for 1 min; come up slowly (2 min).

Rules

• Each movement lasts one breath: no rushing.
• If your knees hurt, fold the mat underneath them.
• Don't force the twist in thread the needle.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: do seated cat-cow with hands on the knees and seated twists in a chair.
• Visual impairment: describe each pose using body landmarks and offer hands-on guidance if the student agrees.
• Wrist pain: rest on the forearms instead of the hands.

Learning goals

• Move the spine safely through flexion, extension, and rotation.
• Sync movement with breathing.
• Relax the back and shoulder muscles after activity.

Equipment for a class of 25

• yoga mats: 25
• music: 1

Teacher tip

Count the breath aloud for the first few cycles, then let students go on their own. This is a perfect sequence to teach so they can repeat it at home.

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