Pilates: Core Breath and Awareness

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Pilates: Core Breath and Awareness

by Lori Batcheller http://www.disaboom.com

" Physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly

developed body with a sound mind, fully capable of naturally, easily,

and satisfactorily performing our many and varied tasks with

spontaneous zest and pleasure. " -- ph Pilates from his book,

Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology

Pilates is an innovative system of mind-body exercise that evolved

from the principles of ph Pilates. Its roots go back to World War

I when ph developed a system of exercising with springs attached

to hospital beds, which enabled patients to exercise against

resistance.

ph emigrated from Germany to New York in 1926, where his form of

exercise became popular among dancers and later throughout the

country. After his death in 1967, Pilates spread through several

different venues, resulting in some variations between instructors.

All Pilates, however, focuses on the breath and the core of the body,

making it an ideal exercise for people of all abilities.

" Since Pilates focuses more on the breath and the core, which is the

energy center of the body, it is highly beneficial for people with

disabilities, " says Deborah Iole, a Pilates wellness coach who

teaches out of Pat Guyton Pilates in Boulder,

Colorado. " Traditionally, Pilates is an art and dance form and was

designed to be studied like tai chi or yoga. As a physical, mental,

and spiritual discipline, Pilates helps develop an attitude and a

lifestyle that is conducive to achieving whole body health. "

Unlike many other forms of exercise, practicing Pilates involves a

whole body commitment. For example, instead of focusing simply on the

biceps muscle during a biceps curl, the focus starts with the breath

and moves to the core, which includes the deep pelvic and abdominal

muscles, before moving to the arm. The quality of movement, smooth

and flowing, is emphasized more than the quantity of repetitions.

Focusing on the breath brings improved oxygenation and removal of

toxins from the body.

To begin to reap Pilates' many benefits, including improved quality

of breath and posture, increased strength, and gracefulness and ease

of movement, try these basic breathing exercises from a chair.

1. Core Breathing

Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and notice how you are breathing.

Notice the unique length of your inhale and exhale, where the breath

goes in the body, whether it is quiet or audible, and whether it

feels spacious or tense. Become aware of your diaphragm, the major

muscle of breathing. Bring your attention to your low back and notice

if the breath moves there or not. If it doesn't, imagine breathing

into the back of your body.

2. Buddha Breath

Sit towards the front of your chair, with a 90-degree angle at your

hips, knees, and ankles, feet touching the floor or other raised

surface. Lengthen up through your spine and place your hands on your

belly just below the rib cage. Breathe into your belly, expanding it

as if it were a large balloon. Exhale, allowing an audible sound by

gently constricting the back of the throat, and tighten the core

muscles of the belly and pelvis (as if you were stopping the flow of

urine). Repeat two times.

3. Lateral Rib Cage Breathing

Place your hands on either side of the rib cage. As you inhale,

imagine the breath moving through your rib cage as if gills were

opening up into the armpits. Notice the lift of the ribs off the top

of the hips. Exhale audibly and gently engage the core. Repeat two

times.

4. Back Breathing

To enhance breathing into the back of the body, place a strap around

your rib cage. As you breathe first into the belly, then the rib cage

and up into the chest, focus on breathing into the back of the body.

Exhale audibly and gently engage the core. Repeat two times.

Core Awareness

In the Pilates method, two triangles make up your core. One begins

with the pubic bone, expands out to the top front of both pelvic

bones, and includes the solar plexus. To help envision this, place

the tips of your middle fingers on your pubic bone, with your hands

spread and the wrists touching the front of your pelvic bones. The

second triangle incorporates the back half of the solar plexus, back

of the pelvis, the two sits bones, and the tailbone. To gain more

awareness of this, place the palms of your hands on your love

handles, with the middle fingers pointing towards your tailbone.

Spend five to 10 minutes a day engaging core awareness and core

breathing and make a mental note of the changes you experience in

your body and mind. To learn more or to find a Pilates instructor

near you, visit the United States Pilates Association and Pilates

Method Alliance.