Breathing Mechanics
Let’s figure out how our bodies are designed to breathe during activity!
Take a minute to notice your breath. Try not to control it, as tricky as that is. How does it feel to breath? What do you notice moving? Maybe your stomach, your chest, your back, or the sides of your rib cage? You might even feel your pelvic floor responding to your inhales and exhales.
Breathing is something we do naturally, but in Pilates, how you breathe makes a world of difference! Can you take a guess at what kind of breathing Pilates instructor’s might encourage during class?
Why be mindful of your breath pattern during exercise?
to avoid tension
to gain focus
to power your movements
to stabilize your lower back and pelvis
When should I start becoming aware of my breath?​
Before starting your exercise
3D Breathing
We breathe 3-dimensionally, expanding our rib cage in all directions. For many of us, at first, when we try to inhale three dimensionally, we mostly expand our chest and stomach. So it's helpful to think of sending the breath into the sides of our lower ribcage (lateral rib cage breathing) and to your mid-back.
PELVIC FLOOR
Often, it helps to add a light lift of the pelvic floor during our exhales. This helps to activate a deep abdominal muscle called the TA, which can help support the lumbar spine. If you're prone to tight pelvic floor muscles, however, we usually don't layer this practice onto your exhales.
In Pilates, before moving, we become aware of our breathing and, in time, our deep stabilizing muscles.
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How do I become aware of my transversus abdominis and multifidus?
When you're active, and slightly lifting your pelvic floor, your transversus abdominus might automatically tighten just a little...so will your multifidus. So you just need to maintain a little pelvic floor lift.
If you take your fingertips to the lower sides of your tummy, when you lift your pelvic floor, you might feel your TA (transversus abdominis) hardening.
How do I become aware of my pelvic floor?
When you're active, feel your pelvic floor slightly lifted up...it's like a reverse pee.
Do I need to focus on the air coming in and out of my nose?
Nope!
Focus on your breathing muscles
Focus on your ribcage
What are my breathing muscles?
diaphragm
pelvic floor
transverses abdominis
multifidus
How do I become aware of my diaphragm?
When you're active, and breathing in, feel your diaphragm contracting and flattening down to your stomach 5-6cm. When you're active, and breathing out, feel your diaphragm relaxing, and doming up toward your heart 5-6cm.
Time to Practice!
OBSERVE YOUR BREATH
Lie on your back and just observe your natural breath pattern without trying to change anything. Practice this for a minute.
MINI KEGEL
Now add a gentle pelvic floor lift as you exhale. Your pelvic bones shouldn’t move. Think a mini kegel. Practice this light lift for a minute on your exhales, releasing on your inhales.
3D BREATHING
Next, visualize your rib cage expanding out to your sides as you inhale, and narrowing inward as you breathe out. Practice this mindful breath exercise for a minute as well.
TIPS!
SPINAL FLEXION
If you exhale while flexing your spine, you’ll find a rounder c-curve
SPINAL EXTENSION
If you inhale while extending your spine, you’ll arch your back with greater ease
Why breath three-dimensionally?
Breath-awareness helps us avoid over-breathing, which enhances oxygenation
It also helps reduce stress when we zone in on our present-moment experience of our bodies undulating
3D breathing (opposed to chest breathing) can help us avoid unnecessary tension, especially in the neck, shoulders and mid-back
Deep exhales will activate trunk muscles, like the obliques, that help protect the lower back, which comes in handy during more strenuous movements
WHAT TO AVOID
Shallow breathing
This can lead to dizziness, and is often related to chest breathing, and tension
High volume breathing
This will over oxygenate the blood which may lead to dizziness and reduce the amount of oxygen carried to your cells
Holding your breath
This can lead to tension and fatigue
Chest breathing
This can lead to chest, shoulder, neck and head tension, as well as over-breathing, not to mention stress
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This type of breathing isn’t just for Pilates. It can be beneficial in other athletic activities too! It might feel a bit unusual at first, but with practice, it becomes second nature.
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Breathing is more than just a reflex. It’s a powerful tool that can enhance your Pilates practice and other athletic activities!
Reach out, if you’d like help mastering your breath in Stratford, ON, with one-on-one or duo Pilates practice.