Breathing exercises that engage your abs are presented in the Pilates method of movement. This breathing and abdominal control requires concentration and deliberate body placement. The result is a satisfied feeling of well-being and a supple strong body.
Lateral Breathing
Lateral breathing is deep lung breathing in which you fill your lungs fully and empty them fully. Lie on your back and place your hand on your ribcage. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Inhale and feel your ribs expand outward like an accordion. Exhale and compress your abdomen and ribs inward toward your spine, completely emptying your lungs. Begin with a five-second inhalation and exhalation. Progress to eight seconds each. This is a slow deliberate exercise and is used during abdominal exercises.
Staccato Breathing
Staccato means short and distinct. Learn the breathing, then coordinate it with an abdominal exercise. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your palms on your stomach. Take six quick sniffs through your nose. Exhale six quick, short outward breaths through pursed lips. Notice your ribs and abdomen compressing downward. Try the staccato breathing again but keep your abdomen compressed down toward your spine. Your diaphragm and intercostal breathing muscles can work independently from your abdominal muscles.
The Hundred
The purpose of the hundred exercise is to increase circulation and to coordinate breathing with movement. It has a coordinated breathing of five quick inhalations and five quick exhalations up to 100 counts. Lie on your back with your arms by your sides. Raise your feet up and bend your hips and knees to 90 degrees. Compress your abdomen down into your spine and feel your spine remain in contact with the floor. Roll your torso up off of the floor while simultaneously extending your legs to an upward angle. Inhale five quick nose breaths while patting your straight arms downward like patting water. Exhale five short breaths through pursed lips and continue to pat downward. Continue these staccato breaths and coordinated patting motions until you have counted 100 total breaths.
Spine Twist
The spine twist helps cleanse the lungs, tone the transverse and oblique abdominis muscles, strengthen erector spinae and multifidi back muscles and increase flexibility. Start sitting tall with your legs together straight out in front. Rotate your thighs away from each other and keep them there throughout the movement. Raise your arms to from the letter T. Inhale through your nose. Exhale and rotate your torso and arms to the right. Inhale as you reverse the motion to the left and exhale as you arrive twisting left. Feel the muscles of your waist and back performing the work. Repeat 10 times.
References
- "Pilates"; Patricia Lamond; 2002
- "The Pilates Body"; Brooke Siler; 2000
- "YMCA Pilates Instructor Manual"; YMCA of the USA"; 2004
