Pilates breathing involves deep inhalations, full exhalations, and awareness of posture. Benefits include better circulation and oxygenation. Proper posture is key, and breathing is divided into inhaling and exhaling. Pilates breathing strengthens core muscles and increases concentration, and is a fundamental principle of the exercise routine.
Pilates breathing is one of the main foundations on which Pilates exercises are based. Pilates breathing focuses on deep inhalations, full exhalations, and awareness of the position and posture of the body during the breaths. Proponents believe that this technique offers many benefits, including better circulation and oxygenation of the blood. Pilates classes emphasize the breathing technique to get the most out of the exercises, and instructors also encourage students to employ the breathing technique in daily life for maximum benefits.
Proper Pilates breathing begins with the posture. Sitting, lying down, or standing up straight with your shoulders relaxed and your chin level provides optimal breathing posture. Take special care to have a straight ribcage that is not hunched over. Observing yourself in a mirror helps to achieve these posture goals.
Pilates breathing is divided into two focus areas: inhaling and exhaling. To properly inhale, imagine filling your lungs, abdomen, and back with air. A deep enough breath will lift the shoulders slightly, extend the chest, and push the diaphragm downward. These movements help the lungs fill more with air. Raising the arms together with the inhalation allows more air to enter.
Pilates exhalation breathing focuses on expelling each breath from the lungs; doing so will cause a subsequent deep inhalation and the pattern will repeat. The complete expulsion of the breath causes the diaphragm to push up and the chest to deflate. Lowering the arms on the exhale helps make the movement more forceful. The breathing technique contracts the abdomen, thereby strengthening core muscles that might otherwise get little exercise.
This technique is also known as side breathing because the ribcage must move to the sides. Breathing exercises engage underused muscles between the ribs to accomplish this. The physical breathing encouraged by Pilates is believed to increase circulation due to full inhalations and exhalations. Adherents also say that Pilates breathing increases oxygen levels in the blood, which aids in muscle relaxation. Proponents also claim that the breathing method increases concentration due to increased awareness of posture and breathing pattern.
Pilates breathing techniques are part of the basic principles of the exercises. Other principles include concentration, control, flow, precision, and centering. Pilates followers believe that proper breathing helps lay the foundation for these other principles. Joseph Pilates, the creator of the exercise routine, was such a believer in the physical breathing technique that he was quoted as saying that “even if you don’t follow other instructions, learn to breathe correctly.
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