Hello,
Over the Christmas period it might be nice to spend 5 minutes for yourself doing some simple breathing exercises. Time to engage your mind and body by controlling your breathe to help calm your mind. You can’t beat a few breaths to help re-focus.
Alento: To Breathe
Above all, learn to breathe correctly. Joesph Pilates
Let’s start by finding a long and open posture, either sitting, standing or lying down, then for a warming breath, breathe only through your nose, trying to keep the speed consistent. To begin, focus on breathing quietly for the count of 5 as you inhale and 5 as you exhale. Quiet is control. This feels deeper, more at the back of your nose. Next think about where your breath is heading, where do you feel it? Is your chest rising, are your shoulders lifting, is it in your belly?
The breath we use in Pilates is Lateral Thoracic Breathing, this means breathing into your lower lungs, inhale expanding your ribcage out to the side and into your back, stretching those intercostal muscles (in between each rib) and using your diaphragm (in between your belly and ribs). As your diaphragm pushes the air out, you’ll feel the lower ribs and waist narrowing. This is your Transverse Abdominals adding sixpence to the movement. Your TA wraps around your mid section from your spine and across your stomach, helping to keep it all flat. But here we are heading into the Centring principle of Pilates, let’s save that for another day…back to breathing…
A little Christmas challenge for you…
Continue breathing in the above style, and let’s see how much focus and control we have. Can you place your hands on the side of your ribs, and sitting still (no leaning) can you take your breath to one sideand use only the right lung…?
What about the left side?
It is possible, it might take a bit of practice, but what a beautiful mindful exercise it is.
Now, too much deep breathing may make you feel light headed so break this down into the 3 paragraphs and practice each step individually, just 5 minutes, taking a few days to repeat each one. Once you have mastered the quietly controlled breath through your nose, move on to feeling it in the ribs, and then practice the individual lung breathing, just for fun! Be sure to relax your shoulders each time you exhale.
Breathing is the first act of life and the last. Our very life depends on it. Since we cannot live without breathing it is tragically deplorable to contemplate the millions and millions who have not mastered the art of correct breathing.
JP
If you would like some On Demand Sessions to keep you moving at home over the Christmas holidays, drop me an email. emma@alentopilates.co.uk
Wishing you all a Wonderful Christmas with the simplest of celebrations.
Emma x
Alento Pilates New Year Choices