In perfoming various Pilates exercise, one must always practice proper breathing. There must be a unity between body movements and passage of air in as much as oxygen participates in the process of initiating strength and bringing support to every Pilates procedure. Proper breathing however is very difficult to carry out for many people, one main reason of which is negatively developed breathing habits. Upon enrolling in an Exercise training program, it is a requirement to learn the Pilates techniques of lateral breathing. Through this, one can know how to use air properly in order to maximize the benefits of each body movement.
As we all know Pilates is all about developing core strength. Core refers to the muscles of the abdominal area and its back portion. When one is in full control of this area, one can definitely execute exercises easier, and one can only take full control of this area if one knows the Pilates technique of breathing laterally, contracting and releasing muscles in proper sequences of exhaling and inhaling.
No Pilates equipment is needed in learning lateral breathing; one just have to prepare an exercise band long enough to hug the lower ribcage area. To begin, one should place the hands in front of the chest in order to feel the passage, vibration, and exit of air. Then one should take in air deeply, let the air move into the chest and feel the back and sides widen and expand, and then let air flow down to the abdominal area and the pelvic bone. The goal of this Pilates technique is to increase the strength and stability of the chest by letting the breath explore the upper torso horizontally before going down to the abs. Through this, much support can be given by the area in Pilates exercise drills that require intensive pulling and pushing of muscles.
