Last week I was unloading my trolley in Aldi (other supermarkets are available) and I noticed the lady behind me staring.  It was only when I had finished that she came up to me and said: “Do you know that you didn’t breathe once the whole time you were unstacking your shopping”.  I gave her a big smile and started breathing again!!

It goes without saying that breathing is essential and even more so during exercise.

Pilates practises thoracic or lateral breathing, focusing on breathing out to the sides of the chest. Breathing in this manner helps to keep the abdominals engaged during exercise, protecting the spine and the trunk.   It also helps maximize lung capacity.

There are other benefits of lateral breathing, including improving circulation, reducing stress and boosting digestion. 

If you want to find out more about the power of breathing I highly recommend a book called Breath - The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor which goes into great detail about how our breathing habits have adapted to the change in shape of our skulls over centuries of evolution.

Many breathing techniques help you sleep, relax, reduce anxiety and give you energy.  If you can recommend any, please feel free to share them in your next class.