Proper Breathing and Pilates
by Krysia Bock
Join me October 18 from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm for my workshop, “A Breath of Fresh Air.” You can learn more and register here.
According to experts, we breathe more than 20,000 times in one day. It is both the first and last thing we do in life. Yet, when forming goals for our fitness, health, careers, and personal lives, breathing never makes the list. Perhaps it should.
When we optimize our breath, we reduce stress, oxygenate tissues, and give the body and mind the opportunity to loose restrictions and become more open. Conversely, “Lazy breathing converts the lungs, literally and figuratively speaking, into a cemetery for the deposition of diseased, dying, and dead germs as well as supplying an ideal haven for the multiplication of other harmful germs,” Joseph Pilates, in his book Return to Life through Contrology, observes.
Is it any wonder that correct breathing is foundational to Pilates and other art forms?
Although it may seem mundane because we are constantly doing it, breathing, when done correctly to facilitate oxygenation of the tissues and overall wellness, is an art. “To properly deflate the lungs is an art in itself and this final step in correct breathing is least understood,” Pilates points out in Your Health. “It is seldom, if ever, taught unless the individual is privately coached by one who understands what it really is all about.”
In Pilates, we learn to use our breath to deepen our connection with the core muscles of our body. In yoga the breath is used to create space within the muscles, joints and tissues for efficient flow of energy. In meditation practices, the breath is used to focus the mind, leading to a calmer disposition.
Exploring your breath through different practices will help you discover new insights about yourself. And bringing awareness to how you breathe firmly links the connections between body and mind.
Join me on October 18, from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm at Studio BE for my workshop, “A Breath of Fresh Air.” In this workshop, you will explore and experience breathing from three different perspectives — the anatomical/mechanical perspective, the yoga perspective, and the Pilates perspective. I hope to see you there.