Dear Reader: It’s time to inhale. 

Remember to breathe.

Do you forget to breathe?

I do. Constantly. Stressful day? Not breathing. Getting stuck in your thoughts? Definitely not breathing.

One of the best things about when I arrive in the Pilates studio is it’s often the first time in the day that I remember to breathe. It’s a visual and physical cue to check-in on whether I’ve been breathing that day.

And not just breathing to live, like – really breathing. Can I feel my ribs expand and fall when I breathe in and out? Can I feel my belly relax as I inhale? Am I clenching, or holding anywhere in my body? Can I breathe all the way up my spine? What’s my jaw doing?

Why do we care so much about breathing in Pilates?

• Breathing naturally helps to cleanse your body, through stimulating the heart and increasing blood flow.
• Breathing deeply connects mind and body, and helps you to be present in the studio. Ever tried doing a pilates exercise, trying to remember when to breathe while mentally running through your to-do list? Not possible.
• It lowers your stress response. Breathing naturally lowers your stress response. Deep breathing helps to activate your parasympathetic system, naturally lowering heart rate, increasing digestion, improving mental health, sleep and gut health.
• Combining breath with movement plays a critical role in core muscle activation.
• It also helps to keep you safe in the studio through increased core stabilisation.

Next time you drop into a Pilates class, start with your breath. Try to stop thinking about what the instructor thinks about you, the others in the class or whether or not you’re doing the moves/exercises correctly.

Breath is the basis of all exercises. You might get hung up on when you need to breathe during an exercise but the reality is, if you’re breathing (like, really breathing), you’ll get so much more from your practice.

Get started with breathing:

Try these exercises to get started with breathing in between your next class.

Box Breath

• Find a spot where you can be alone for 5 minutes.
• Close your eyes.
• Breathe in slowly for a count of four.
• Hold your breath for a count of four.
• Breathe out slowly and steadily through your mouth for a count of four.
• Hold your breath again for a count of four.

Play with the exhale and extend it to 10.

To do that, adjust the Box Breath as follows –

• Find a spot where you can be alone for 5 minutes.
• Close your eyes.
• Breathe in slowly for a count of four.
• Hold your breath for a count of four.
• Breathe out slowly and steadily through your mouth for a count of ten. Try exhaling with pursed lips.
• Hold your breath again for a count of four.

Dear Reader: It’s time to exhale.

Kat Shoobridge