Lateral Breathing and Core Engagement
October was a great month for new clients! I thought it might be a useful reminder/recap for regular clients as well as newbies to Pilates, to do a Post on the importance of the breath work that we use within class…
The traditional Pilates method encourages ‘lateral breathing’, which is where we inhale into the lower back and lateral area of the rib cage and exhale through the mouth whilst activating the core. Sometimes lateral breathing is referred to as costal breathing.
As you breathe in the diaphragm goes down. Shortening the gap between the transverse abdominal muscles. This causes the tranverse abdominals to increase intraabdominal pressure. By drawing in the naval towards the spine this causes the Tranverse abdominal muscles to tighten and draw in like a corset towards the Multifidus (The multifidus muscle spans the whole length of the vertebral column but is most developed in the lumbar area. It plays an important role in both static and dynamic spinal stability)The pelvic floor engages by lifting up, also encouraging the transverse abdominal muscles to close up.
All of these muscles form what we call the Core Unit and when they work together in this concertina way- intra-abdominal pressure is created to activate the core.
By doing all of this correctly you have a solid structure to support the spine- taking the load off the ligaments/intervertebral discs.
Why is it important to do this type of breathing in Pilates?
It facilitates correct muscle activation, and increases the safety of the exercises. The reason why it is important to focus on directing the breath into the sides of the ribs (rather than the lower stomach) is that this helps to keep the abdominals activated when performing exercises.