How to do the Skin The Cat
Skin The Cat is a beginner multi-joint compound pushing exercise targeting the Upper Back in the Back region. Performed using bodyweight, it falls under the strength category. Secondary muscles engaged include Shoulders and Core.
Skin The Cat demonstration · © GymiaFit
Skin The Cat at a glance
- Primary muscles
- Upper Back
- Secondary muscles
- Shoulders, Core
- Equipment
- Body Weight
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Compound (multi-joint)
- Force
- Push
Skin The Cat step by step
- 1Start by hanging from a bar with your arms fully extended and your body relaxed.
- 2Engage your core and lift your legs up, bringing your knees towards your chest.
- 3Continue to lift your legs up and over your head, allowing your body to pass through the arms.
- 4Once your legs are fully extended over your head, begin to lower them back down towards the starting position.
- 5As you lower your legs, allow your body to pass back through the arms until you are hanging with your arms fully extended again.
- 6Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Skin The Cat — questions
What muscles does the Skin The Cat work?
The Skin The Cat primarily targets the Upper Back. It also recruits the Shoulders, Core as secondary movers.
What equipment do I need for the Skin The Cat?
None — the Skin The Cat uses your bodyweight only, so it works at home with nothing but floor space.
Is the Skin The Cat suitable for beginners?
Yes. It is classed as a beginner movement: the pattern is simple enough to learn in a session and easy to scale by adjusting range of motion or load.
What can I do instead of the Skin The Cat?
Elevator, Standing Archer, Upper Back Stretch train the same muscles and make good substitutes when the equipment is taken or the movement does not suit you.
Log it, don't guess it.
The GymiaFit app has the Skin The Cat demo, form cues and set logging built in — plus a muscle map that shows what you have actually trained this week. Free on iOS and Android.