Joseph Pilates once said: “Breathing is the first act of life and the last. Our very life depends on it.” Breath is one of the six key principles of Pilates, alongside concentration, centering, control, precision, and flow.

In his book Return To Life Through Contrology Pilates advocated, “long deep breaths to expand the upper chest to capacity while drawing the abdomen in, holding the breath for a short time, then exhaling and always trying very hard to ‘squeeze’ every atom of air from the lungs.” Pilates had asthma as a child so was very aware of the importance of breathing. He felt that getting all the air out of your lungs was a way of improving blood flow and re-energising the body. 

There is a lot to take in when you first start Pilates, but with time teachers will help you concentrate on and be more aware of your breathing. Lateral breathing is about not relying on shallow chest-breathing, but instead as you breathe allowing the ribs to expand into your back and sides while pulling your abdominals in.

Belly Breathing

With normal breathing the stomach tends to expand on inhalation and contract on exhalation. You can feel this by lying down and placing your hands on your stomach or even placing something like a bag of rice on your stomach to note the movement. This can be known as “belly breathing” or “belly puffing”. This type of breath can reduce stability during movement.  

The aim of Pilates lateral breathing is to work your core and for your breath to expand and contract sideways through the torso, exercising not just the abs but the oblique muscles as well. You should feel the inhale through your entire ribcage. The basic technique is to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth while blowing out gently, all the time keeping abdominal muscles engaged. On exhaling your ribs will move towards your hips, closing rather like a corset. 

Steady Flow

Your breaths don’t have to be loud, just try to maintain a steady flow instead. Typically you inhale during the lengthening phase of an exercise and exhale during contraction. Your shoulders should be relaxed and down, not rising on the inhale and try to breath through pursed lips.

Breathing well will help with spinal mobility and general movement. It will also release tension and make the exercises feel more achievable. Common breathing mistakes include breathing only into the chest, over-bracing and holding your breath while exercising, which can be tempting during exertion. 

No One Rule

However, no one rule applies to every Pilates exercise. Breathing in Pilates is about more than just breathing in and out at certain times. Your breath can be adapted to each exercise. Doing restorative work might involve more relaxed breathing, but doing an exercise like the hundred will require a more controlled breath pattern. Some exercises can use specialized rhythmic breathing patterns.  

Concentrating on something you normally do without thinking can seem daunting. But thinking about how you use those breaths can help promote stable movement and improve the mind-body connection. As Joseph Pilates once said, “above all learn how to breathe correctly.” 

If you would like our newsletter you can subscribe on the Home page. Follow us on social media:
Facebook | Instagram | X | Linkedin.

The Pilates Central Team

(Image credit: Leila de Haan, unsplash.com)