Practice Breathing!

Do you want to know the one piece of homework I give my students the most? Practice Breathing! It sounds rather silly. We all breath every day effortlessly without thinking about it.

Here’s the difference and issue. Most of us take very shallow breaths and fail to fully use our diaphragm, intercostal muscles, fill our lungs, and get all the benefits we can get from breathing.

I consider myself fortunate. When I did my Pilates training - first go around - I was living in Cincinnati. I trained at a studio that really emphasized the breathing. I didn’t know any different. I assumed every studio everywhere did the Pilates breath. Sure it felt funny at first and conspicuous and challenging at times to figure out but I was in a room full of students inhaling and exhaling along with me. Then I moved to TN.

I took classes at a few different studios … and no one was doing the Pilates breath! I was the ‘weird loud breather’ in class! So I let self consciousness get the best of me and I silenced my breathing and took smaller breaths. It felt weird but I fit in. The problem was I realized my workouts weren’t nearly as good. I wasn’t feeling the same things or getting the same results. It didn't take me too long to go back to my Pilates breath and embrace being that person in class until I could buy my own reformer and eventually open my own studio.

So when I tell you to practice breathing - it’s because I know it matters. It makes a difference. When I hear women say they want to lean out and trim their midline … I know they need to be doing that Pilates breath! When I have students who want to increase their stamina and strength, I know they need to be doing the Pilates breath. For folks who want to improve their posture … you guessed it - they need to be doing the Pilates breath. Pelvic floor issues … once again - Pilates breath!

In my opinion, next to what the core is doing - its the second most important aspect of your workout. At my studio in Lexington our building shared thin walls with other offices so I used to challenge my students to breath loud enough to ge our neighbors to complain!

Next time you are stuck in traffic, or waiting somewhere - how about practicing that Pilates breath. It has a calming effect, too, as an added benefit!