Breathing Exercise

This breathing exercise is part of the basic Pilate moves.

Many people do not realize that there is a right way to breathe and a wrong way. The majority of people breathe the wrong way. Many of us tend to breath in a shallow fashion, only using the upper part of our lungs.

Proper breathing techniques help the lungs function efficiently and help our body get the oxygen it needs more effectively. Breathing the correct way is especially important when it comes to exercising.

Proper breathing is a key part of many exercise programs such as yoga and Pilates.

Pilates actually teaches you how to breath with each of the different moves. It is important, to get the full benefit of Pilates that you are breathing the proper way.

Your breathing should move all the way down your lungs and into your lower abdomen. It should feel as though you are filling the pelvic bowl with air. Expanding the ribs out sideways to allow for more air is also important.

If you are watching a Pilates video or in a Pilates class and you're told to expand laterally with your breathing, what they want you to do is fill your lower ribs with air as you breathe.

The proper breathing exercise and techniques will help you with the Pilates moves that simply want you to pull in your front muscles.

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The proper way to breathe is as follows:

   -  Relax your shoulders, let them drop below you ears.

   -  Let your spine be naturally straight. Our spine has a natural curve to it, allow that curve to be there. As you sit there with relaxed shoulders and naturally straight spine it should feel as if your weight is falling on the bones where you are sitting and that your head is afloat towards the heavens.

   -  Allow your throat to be open and relaxed.

   -  Now begin to breathe in slowly. Feel the air fill the upper part of your chest and lungs, keep inhaling feeling the air fill the lower ribs and expanding the sides of your rib cage, filling the diaphragm, through to the back, the lower back all the way down to the pelvic bowl.

   -  Now exhale, breathing out in a reverse manner of how you inhaled. Let the air move out from the lower abdomen, to the belly, pull your ribs in, in the front and then let your chest drop as you completely expel the air you have taken in.

Repeat this process a few times, so that you are familiar with the sensations of properly filling your lungs and breathing the right way.

This is how we should be breathing, everyday, regardless of what we are doing. It is especially important during Pilates.

Spend a few moments a couple times a day practicing the Pilates breathing exercise until it becomes second nature to you. You will begin to feel the difference by having proper oxygenation for your body.

Winsor Pilates

What is Pilates?

Benefits of Pilates

How to Learn Pilates

Pilates Abdominal Exercises

Pilates C-Curve

Pilates Neutral Spine

Pilates Balls

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