There is a lot of focus on the Pilates breathing technique in our sessions, and I’d like to explain why we practice it, and how it can also help you relieve stress.

The Pilates breath can also be referred to as Lateral Thoracic Breathing. The focus on the movement in the rib cage can help you close and compact your core muscles on your outward breath, which in turn helps your body use the core muscles much better to support your posture.

We also talk about the engagement of the core muscles, and it’s important that we physically switch them on. You can imagine that your core is a cube – you have stomach muscles at the front and sides, pelvic floor at the bottom, your back muscles at the back and your diaphragm at the top. When you breathe out, the diaphragm lowers. The breathing technique that we practice is that when the diaphragm lowers, the rib cage closes, the pelvic floor lifts and the stomach muscles engage. This can take a while to feel more natural, but keep practicing and you’ll get there!!

The idea is that you always Exhale on the Effort – so you breathe out on the toughest part of the exercise. As you take on that tougher movement, the core muscles support and stabilise. Even when you are working a different area of the body, for example arms or legs, a stronger and tighter core will help you perform the exercise better, and help you avoid putting stress on your back.

There is an element of stress relief with the Pilates breath too. The focus on a longer outward breath is practised widely as a calming technique. From experience, I can vouch that when I start to feel overwhelmed I can place my hands on my ribs and take a few deep breaths, and that can help me focus.

The next time you start to feel stress levels rise, see if you can take a few Pilates breaths to help ground yourself. It could just be some deep breaths without the core engagement, or you could take the time to add that in. See how you feel – and don’t feel silly if you are around other people. I do this often in supermarket queues!

Aside from all the physical benefits of regular Pilates practice, Pilates can also have a huge impact on mental health.

As an instructor, I have seen and felt the physical benefits of Pilates and love how much stronger I have become over many years of practice. I also hugely enjoy seeing my clients improve over time. The first effect seems to be improvement in muscle tone and flexibility, and then over time it becomes apparent how much Pilates can help you find a clearer mind, inner serenity, and calm focus.

In the busy world that we are in, which doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, I feel that Pilates practice is not just a good idea, but an essential. When else in our day do we take 2 whole minutes to stand still and focus on our posture, feel our inward and outward breath, or take note of how our body feels in each moment?

When Pilates brings you ‘into the moment’, and you take the time to focus on these details, this can be classed as mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is a technique that can help you calm your mind, particularly if you have a lot to think about.

I try to talk as openly as I can about my mental health, and as someone who lives with anxiety I find Pilates and Mindfulness practice have a huge impact on my day-to-day calmness. Admittedly, some days I feel like I don’t have the time to be calm, or I feel too impatient for the practice, but regardless, I try to do it. It also means that not every practice is perfect (far from it!!), but I always have the sense of accomplishment once I’ve completed it.

In your next class, see if you can take note of how your body feels in each exercise. When you lie down for your stretch, see if you can take note of how your mat supports you, and how your body feels when you take that full body stretch.

I hope this has helped you, if you have any experiences to share then I would love to hear them! Please do let me know by dropping me a message, or writing a post in the K Fit Fam Facebook Group.