Breath 101 Part 1

BREATH 101: PART 1 (BREATH IN MOVEMENT CLASS)

Breath is the foundation of life and health (or lack of). How exactly should one breath during a movement class? During life? Let’s begin to examine these questions.

“Pilates Breath”

The classical Pilates breath is, “in through the nose, and out through slightly pursed lips,” Along with lateral breathing, “expand the sides and backs of your ribs.” These are both great ways to breath, but NOT breath patterns for 90% of your daily breathing (more on this latter). Exhalation through pursed lips ideally would engage your front pelvic floor or contract it up and in. Traditional Pilates classes with lots of “ab exercises i.e. the 100s” use this breath a lot as the goal is to contract the core from the pelvic floor to the transversus abdominis to the obliques and maybe rectus abdomins (phew!). So this is a great breath when moving a heavy load (picking up your squirmy child/fur baby) or when you are trying to engage the core. (Spoiler alert, the core doesn’t always need to be consciously engaged).

As a society we tend to breath mainly in the upper chest and neck, a great breath for increasing stress and adrenaline (and when vey pregnant!), but we don’t want to be permanently stuck in any of those situations. Pilates classes often focus on the “lateral” breath to promote relaxation, specifically the parasympathetic system, to retrain the body to use other breath patterns and to mobilize the thoracic (rib cage) area.

Breath and the Ribs

Inhalation expands the ribcage. Exhalation closes the ribcage. (Ideally). We use this to help facilitate our movements. When one extends the spine (back bend, swan, cobra, ect.), an inhalation could naturally help as the ribs expand when the spine extends. Inhalation can also help expand the rib cage in an area that is stuck, like a scoliosis curve.

“Exhale and feel your ribs drops” is a common cue to help contract those “popping” ribs as the exhale closes the ribs. When the spine flexes (i.e. a sit-up), the ribs contract towards the hips, hence the cue to exhale on the “up” phase.

In the DartPro! class linked below the breath is used to unstick and mobilize the rib cage.

Breath and Life

We covered “Pilates Breath,” but what about the other 23 hours a day one is not in a movement class? How to breath then?!? Short answer: in through your nose out through your nose, slowly, inhale 1-2-3-4-5 exhale 1-2-3-4-5. Part II will cover the diagrams (not just one! we have three), breathing practices from outside of Pilates and get closer to answering the “other 23 hour question.”

Full disclosure, this whole article is only mostly true. For simplicity(?) a LOT was left out and I have exceptions and additions to the guidelines above.

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