The Art of Breathing in Pilates - Part 1: “…learn to breathe correctly”
“ Above all, learn to breathe correctly”
Joseph Pilates
This quote, from Joseph Pilates’s book “Return to Life Through Contrology” shows the importance that he placed on the role of breathing in a healthy way of life.
In “Return to Life…” Joe states…
“Lazy breathing converts the lungs, figuratively speaking, into a cemetery for the deposition of diseased, decaying and dead germs, as well as supplying an ideal haven for the multiplication of other harmful germs.”
Within the book he talks about the importance of getting all the sunshine and fresh air that you can, walking briskly with arms swinging, and ensuring the room you sleep in is well ventilated.
Former clients recall in their memoirs the clear instructions Joe gave to them regarding the breath, and how bringing the breath under conscious control during exercise made their breathing more efficient and therefore helped them perform the exercises better with less fatigue. You can read more about this in part 2 of this blog: “Bringing breath work into the studio”.
It is clear that, according to Joseph Pilates, for the mind and body to be well we must start with learning to breathe. So how do we “learn to breathe correctly”?
““To breathe correctly isn’t just telling someone to inhale and exhale””
We don’t just need to remember to breathe, we need to ensure that we are placing ourselves in a position that facilitates full, effective breathing.
Joe often used the analogy of the lungs being like bellows with his clients. A full exhale pushes the air out of the lungs, like pushing air out of the bellows, and facilities a full inhalation of air as the lungs reinflate drawing air in.
Our posture can impact the effectiveness of our breathing. Slouching compresses the lungs and the space around them. Allow yourself to slouch and then try to take a full breath in - it’s not very easy is it? Sometimes, in an attempt to correct a slouched posture we will throw the shoulders back, but this also creates restriction and stiffness around the thoracic area so is also not conducive to effective breathing. Instead relax the shoulders wide, allow the chest to feel open and create space in your body for your breath to flow.
Now we have thought about our posture, let’s look at some breathing techniques that can help you.
Breathing Techniques
Various breathing techniques that are used in modern day exercise have come from the Pilates method and its evolution. Let’s explore two of them that I sometimes use with clients:
1. Lateral Thoracic Breathing: This breathing technique helps us mobilise the ribcage to maximise breathing capacity, whilst still allowing our abdominal muscles to work as needed. I find this breathing technique a helpful starting point for those who struggle with shallow breathing, or have what I call “sticky ribs” where there is little to no observable movement of the ribcage with the breath. I see this a lot in my postnatal clients, especially if there is a bit of rib flare post pregnancy. I also see this in some clients dealing with chronic pain or stress, as the breath becomes shallow and the body tense. Let’s try this technique together:
Sitting tall with your shoulders relaxed, place your hands onto the lower part of your ribcage with the tips of your middle fingers gently touching
Take a breath in and then take a deep exhale allowing the ribs feeling as if the ribs are softening and sinking under your hands
Now take a full breath in, sending the breath out into your hands so that the expansion of the ribs sends your hands apart
Exhale and allow the ribs to feel as if they are softening down again bringing your fingertips back together
Repeat this 3-5 times
2. 360° Breathing: This is an evolution of lateral thoracic breathing and is what we are ultimately aiming for. Once you have the hang of lateral thoracic breathing and the movement of the ribcage with the breath try expanding this to your 360° breath
In our 360° breath we think of sending the breath to the front, side and back of the ribs as we inhale rather than the lateral (sideways) movement in our lateral thoracic breathing.
I like to imaging a circle around the lower part of the ribcage. As you inhale, imagine and feel this circle expanding to the front, side and back
As you exhale imagine and feel the circle closing in
You might find it helpful to place the hands around the lower ribs gently. Or if you feel it difficult to find the breath in one direction, you can adjust your hands to bring your focus there. For example if you struggle to find the breath at the front you could place a hand on your chest, or if you struggle to find the breath at the back of the ribs you could place the back of your hand there.
Using a visual aid to guide 360 degree breathing during a recent breathing workshop at the studio.
A note on scoliosis: If you have scoliosis you may notice a difference in how this feels on one side to the other. The rotation that often accompanies a spinal curvature can result in compression or restriction on one side. Use your hands for feedback and see if you can feel a restriction on one side or the other. Try the front of the chest and the back. Practice breathing into the shallower or more restricted side. Be aware of this difference and try to breath into the restricted side in your exercise on the mat or apparatus. It can be an important part of your toolkit.
As Pilates has evolved over time, so has the breath work. Some of the Pilates Elders - first generation teachers who were taught by Joe and have gone on to train a new generation of Pilates teachers - have developed their own breathing techniques.
For example, Kathy Grant had many breathing techniques and cues she would use such as Accordion Breathing, the Straw Breath and the Ball Breath. Some of my clients recently explored these in the mat studio with me and loved how this focus on the breath during their work made them feel.
In Ron Fletcher’s method, he goes a step further with a trademarked Fletcher Pilates Percussive Breath that is used throughout his work.
So you can see, breathing is not just about the act itself but how we do it.
In the second part of this blog we will explore how we bring breathing into the Pilates studio to assist with movement and energy, helping us move better and feel stronger. You can read it here.
Further Reading:
Return to Life Through Contrology, Joseph Pilates
Caged Lion, John Howard Steel
Get to Know Joe Pilates, Cathy Strack