Pilates and Breath

Joseph Pilates, who founded Pilates over 100 years ago, stressed not only the importance of a healthy spine, he also stressed the importance of breath in executing Pilates’ exercises. In Pilates we are mindful of controlled body movements and concentration on our breath. At the start of a Pilates’ class, we begin with the Hundred, an exercise which requires deep inhaling and exhaling to warm up the body. When you exhale fully, you are expelling old stale gases from deep within your lungs. You are then able to fill your lungs with fresh air and fully oxygenate your blood stream. Throughout class your instructor will remind you to breathe. This will help you flow through your exercises more easily and work smarter using breath to help you achieve movement and connect to your core.

Interesting Facts about Breath:

·         Posture can affect our breathing and in return breathing will affect our posture

·         80% of all our metabolic energy production is created by oxygen.

·         Breathing Detoxifies and Releases Toxins

·         Breathing Releases Tension. Think how your body feels when you are tense, angry, scared or stressed. It constricts. Your muscles get tight and your breathing becomes shallow. When your breathing is shallow you are not getting the amount of oxygen that your body needs.

·         Breathing Relaxes the Mind/Body and Brings Clarity

·         Oxygenation of the brain reducing excessive anxiety levels.

·         Breathing Relieves Emotional Problems

·         Breathing will help clear uneasy feelings out of your body.

·         Breathing Relieves Pain.

·         Breathing Massages Your Organs

·         Breathing Increases Muscle. Breathing is the oxygenation process to all of the cells in your body. With the supply of oxygen to the brain this increases the muscles in your body.

·         Breathing Strengthens the Immune System. Oxygen travels through your bloodstream by attaching to haemoglobin in your red blood cells. This in turn then enriches your body to metabolise nutrients and vitamins.

·         Breathing Improves Quality of the Blood

·         Breathing Increases Digestion and  Assimilation of food

·         Breathing Improves the Nervous System

·         Breathing Strengthen the Lungs

·         Proper Breathing makes the Heart Stronger.

·         Proper Breathing assists in Weight Control. If you are overweight, the extra oxygen burns up the excess fat more efficiently. If you are underweight, the extra oxygen feeds the starving tissues and glands.

·         Breathing Boosts Energy levels and Improves Stamina

·         Breathing Improves Cellular Regeneration

·         Breathing Elevates Moods

·         Breathing increase pleasure-inducing neurochemicals in the brain to elevate moods and combat physical pain