a stream in the Yorkshire Dales

Forthcoming classes >

For appointments or enquiries please call

Suffolk - Tel: 01728 638604

Katharina Hesse

Pilates Foundation Accredited Instructor

Lebed Method Certified Instructor

London - Tel: 07958 412 386

Alessandra Margarito

Pilates Foundation Accredited Instructor

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How Pilates can help with breathing

Focus on Healing Through Movement and Breath

  • Why are breathing techniques so important?
    • Deep breathing has been shown to reduce tension, anxiety, stress and depression. It is also beneficial for your lymphatic flow and your circulation. Some yoga instructors claim that regular practice of yogic breathing helped their clients to reduce their varicose veins! Certain breathing techniques have also been shown to lower blood pressure and strengthen the immune system.
    • Learning to breathe correctly can also help with respiratory problems, such as asthma or bronchitis.
  • How do I learn to breathe correctly?
    • A great way to breathe naturally is to blow bubbles. We do this at the beginning of every Lebed class and it is a great way to relax, have fun and breathe deeply and naturally.
    • There are also a number of good books on breathing. Try Donna Farhi ‘The Breathing Book’, for example. Or visit the web pages on breathing of the University of Missouri for some simple exercises.
  • I have just had a baby and I find it difficult to feel if my abdominal muscles are engaging.
    • This is very common. Please be patient. Blowing the air out through pursed lips will help fire the abdominal muscle up and hence you will begin to feel them. Imagining yourself blowing up a balloon as you breath out.
  • I am a Pilates-beginner and find the breathing instructions given by my Pilates instructor really confusing. What is the point?
    • Don’t get too worried about following the instructions exactly at this stage. It is most important that you breathe! Learning new exercises, as you are doing in your Pilates class, requires a lot of concentration and when we concentrate we often forget to breathe.
    • Being reminded to breathe regularly is therefore good. Once you get the hang of the exercises you can concentrate more on the in- and out-breath.
    • Basically, at beginners’ level, we try to instruct the out-breath when we carry out a movement that requires the stomach muscles to work, such as a pelvic curl or a sit-up. When your stomach muscles fall back, you will develop flatter abs and your back is more protected.
  • I have been diagnosed with bronchitis, can I still do Pilates?
    • Yes. Studies have shown that those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders (COPDs), such as chronic bronchitis or emphysema, benefit even more from exercise than those without.
    • Patients with COPD who exercised said that exercise improved their quality of life, that they experienced less shortness of breath and needed fewer visits to their doctors.
    • Regular exercise also reduces depression, which is also often associated with chronic breathing disorders.
    • "Learning to breathe" is one of the principle teaching aims of Pilates. Although we generally work with the lateral breath, that is, breathing into the side of the ribcage rather than the belly, this type of breathing still expands the lungs more than shallow chest breathing.
    • Many qualified Pilates instructors will nowadays also teach the ‘three-part-breath’, which refers to belly-breathing, lateral breathing and chest breathing. Chest breathing is often the type of breathing that we do when we are anxious and is very restrictive on its own. Three-part-breathing will teach you how to fill the whole of our lungs with air.
    • Pilates will also make you more aware of your breathing patterns. Always check with your medical practitioner before beginning a new type of exercise and give details of your condition to your instructor.

  • The above information does not replace medical advice. If you suffer from any of the above medical conditions you should always seek the advice of a suitably qualified practitioner.
 
 
    
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