The “Skin the Cat” is a classic gymnastics and fitness move that enhances shoulder mobility, core strength, and overall body control. It involves hanging from a bar or gymnastic ring, rotating your body through a full circle to pass through an inverted position, and returning to the starting point.
Here’s a simple overview of the main muscles you work when performing this move:
- Shoulders: Your deltoids and rotator cuff muscles work hard to stabilize and move your arms through a wide range of motion.
- Back: Muscles like the lats, trapezius, and rhomboids help control your movement and keep your back strong and stable.
- Core: Your abs—including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and deep core muscles (like the transverse abdominis)—are engaged to keep your body steady as you rotate.
- Arms and Forearms: Your biceps and grip muscles support the pull and hold you secure on the bar or rings.
In essence, the Skin the Cat uses your shoulders, back, core, and arms together, helping build strength, flexibility, and control throughout your upper body. Athletes from various disciplines—gymnastics, calisthenics, and even CrossFit—use this exercise as both a conditioning movement and a transition skill in routines.
Skin the Cat Progression: A Step-by-Step Guide
The Skin the Cat is not only an excellent exercise in itself, but it also serves as a stepping stone to more advanced movements like the Reverse Lever.
While it might seem intimidating at first, breaking it down into manageable steps can make mastering the Skin the Cat more achievable. Here’s a detailed guide on how to progress through this movement.
Step 1: Starting from the Dead Hang
The first step to performing the Skin the Cat is hanging from a bar or rings. Start in a dead hang, which means your arms are fully extended and your body is relaxed, hanging straight down. The goal is to engage your muscles into an active hang position, which involves slightly pulling your shoulders down and engaging your lats and core.
- Dead Hang: Let your arms fully extend with your body hanging loosely.
- Active Hang: Engage your lats by pulling your shoulders down and slightly lifting your body. This helps with control throughout the movement.
This active hang is the foundation of the movement and will help you build the strength necessary to progress.
Step 2: Bringing Your Knees Up
Next, bring your knees up towards your chest. This will engage your core muscles and start the rotation. At this point, it’s important to keep your legs together and your core tight to maintain control throughout the movement.
- From the active hang, bring your knees up towards your chest while keeping your arms locked and engaged.
- Make sure your feet remain underneath the bar during this motion to help with the rotation.
Step 3: Rotating Your Body
As your knees come up, the next part of the Skin the Cat is the rotation. You’ll start rotating your body backwards, attempting to pass your legs over your head and bring your feet underneath the bar. As you rotate, focus on keeping your shoulders and arms locked in place while letting your body move around.
- Rotate your body backward, keeping your legs straight as you pass over your head.
- Work on achieving a fully rotated position, where your body comes into a near-flat position.
It can be challenging to complete the full rotation initially, so don’t worry if you can’t go all the way around right away. Start by attempting a partial rotation and gradually build up to the full movement as your strength and mobility improve.
Step 4: Full Rotation and Shoulder Mobility
A key component of this exercise is ensuring that your shoulders are fully rotated throughout the movement. As you continue practicing, aim to complete the full range of motion with your shoulders, helping improve shoulder flexibility and strength.
- Practice rotating all the way around, making sure your shoulders get a full stretch and the movement feels fluid.
- It may take time to build up to the full rotation, so start with half reps or quarter reps before working towards a complete pass-through.
Step 5: Using Assistance for Progression
If you find the Skin the Cat difficult at first, you can use assistance to help with the movement. A great way to start is by using the rings set low to the ground. This provides more space for your feet and allows you to push off the floor slightly, helping you get into the inverted position.
- Set the rings slightly low to the ground to help your feet move more freely.
- Push off the ground with your feet to assist in the rotation if needed.
This assistance will help you gain confidence and strength, allowing you to progress to the full movement over time.
Step 6: Pulling Back Through
Once you’ve rotated all the way around, it’s important to be able to pull yourself back through. This part of the movement can be challenging, especially as you go further around the bar. Focus on using your core and shoulders to help you return to the starting position.
- If you only manage a partial rotation initially, pull yourself back through slowly and with control.
- As you build strength, aim to perform the entire motion in one fluid movement, pulling yourself through to the starting position.
Final Tips
- Start slow and work on mastering each stage before progressing to the next.
- Use assistance if necessary, especially if you’re just beginning or struggling with full rotations.
- Focus on keeping your arms straight and engaged throughout the movement to activate the correct muscles.
- With practice, you’ll gain flexibility in your shoulders and improve your core strength, making the full Skin the Cat movement easier over time.
Attempting the “Skin the Cat” without proper preparation can lead to injuries, especially in the shoulders and lower back. Progressing through the stages ensures that your muscles and joints adapt gradually, building the necessary strength and flexibility safely.
Skin the Cat: Bar vs. Rings Comparison
The Skin the Cat can be done on a bar or rings, but each option has unique benefits. Here’s a simple comparison to help you decide which is better for you.
1. Stability
- Bar: The bar doesn’t move, so it’s more stable. This makes it great for beginners because you don’t have to work as hard to stay balanced.
- Rings: Rings move freely, so they’re harder to control. They challenge your balance and require more strength, making them better for advanced practice.
2. Range of Motion
- Bar: Your feet might hit the bar when you rotate, which limits how far you can go. It’s good for practicing control but not as free-moving.
- Rings: Rings let you move more freely. Your feet won’t get stuck, and they’re better for practicing the full stretch in the German hang position.
3. Muscle Engagement
- Bar: Focuses on the main muscles like your shoulders, lats, and core. You can concentrate on strength without worrying about balancing too much.
- Rings: Works more muscles because you need to stabilize yourself. Your shoulders, core, and grip get an extra workout.
4. Difficulty
- Bar: Easier for beginners because it’s stable and simple to use. You can focus on learning the movement without worrying about balance.
- Rings: A bit harder for beginners since they move around. But if the rings are set close to the ground, you can use your feet to help.
5. Progressions and Variations
- Bar: Great for practicing basics like partial rotations or half reps. It’s easier to work on strength and control step by step.
- Rings: Ideal for exploring more advanced variations. You can also combine it with other moves, like muscle-ups or ring dips.
6. Comfort and Convenience
- Bar: Found in most gyms and parks, so it’s easy to access. However, the grip can feel harder on your hands and wrists.
- Rings: Portable and adjustable to different heights. They’re easier on your wrists because they move naturally with you.
Summary: Bar vs. Rings
| Category | Bar | Rings |
|---|
| Stability | Stable and easy to control. | Moves around, harder to balance. |
| Range of Motion | Feet might hit the bar. | Full freedom to move. |
| Muscle Use | Focuses on main muscles. | Works more stabilizing muscles. |
| For Beginners | Easier to learn on. | Harder, but can use feet for help. |
| Progressions | Good for basic practice. | Great for advanced moves. |
| Comfort | Tougher on wrists and hands. | Easier on joints. |
| Access | Found in most gyms or parks. | Portable but needs setup. |
| Best For | Beginners building strength. | Advanced athletes needing a challenge. |
Start with the bar if you’re a beginner. Once you feel confident, try the rings for a bigger challenge! Both are great tools, and switching between them can make your training more fun and effective.