Pilates breathing exercises activate the deep muscles of the abdomen, increase oxygenation of the blood and improve concentration. Your muscles relax when they get more oxygen from proper breathing. Pilates exercises always have a breathing pattern for when to inhale and exhale with each movement -- making it difficult to focus on the exercise and how to breathe at the same time. Practicing breathing on its own makes correct breathing reflex.
Zip and Hollow
Zip and hollow is a Pilates term for tightening the abdominal muscles. This exercise strengthens the abs so that you can do Pilates breathing exercises correctly. The zip and hollow maneuver begins a Pilates breathing exercise too. Unlike ab exercises that have you squeeze your abs to tilt your pelvis and flatten your lower back using your ab muscles, the zip and hollow tightens the abs without moving the lumbar spine out of its neutral curved position. Take a deep breath in and then pull your belly button up and back toward your spine as you exhale so that your abdomen hollows inward slightly.
Wringing the Breath Out
Wringing the breath out is a Pilates breathing technique that uses your fingers to monitor your breathing. By placing your fingers on your ribs, you can see and feel if you're breathing correctly into the front of your ribcage. Sit or stand up straight to begin the exercise. Put your index and middle fingers against your lower ribs below your sternum. Zip and hollow your abs. Inhale so that your fingers spread apart. Pause for a moment and then exhale, wringing the breath out, so that the gap between your fingers shrinks.
Ribcage Breathing Exercise
Pilates breathing is three-dimensional, meaning your rib cage expands. The wringing out exercise teaches you to breathe into the front of your ribs. Ribcage breathing has you use your hands to make sure you breathe into the sides and back of your ribcage so that the entire thing expands. Begin sitting or standing up tall and place your hands against the sides of your ribs. Your thumbs are on the back of your ribs with your fingertips on the front. Then, inhale and push out against your hands so that your ribs expand into your palms and thumbs. Exhale completely and zip and hollow to push more air out.
Flexion/Extension Exercise
During Pilates classes you need to breathe and use your arms for other exercises. The wringing out and ribcage exercises teach you the technique to breathing into the proper place. The flexion/extension breathing exercise does not use your hands as feedback. Instead you pay attention to your spine, which you do during Pilates anyway. When you inhale into your ribcage, feel your upper spine extend backward slightly. When you exhale, feel your upper spine flex forward slightly. Zip and hollow so the lower back does not move.
Member Comments