![\"Pilates](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Yoga-pose.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nI’ve been focusing on the breathing with my classes, using a resistance band gently pulled around the ribcage to act as a guide. Feedback has included:<\/p>\n
“It’s made me slow down and focus more”<\/p>\n
“I can feel my core working more”<\/p>\n
“It has made it harder”<\/p>\n
“It \u00a0makes me more aware of my body and what I am doing”<\/p>\n
When performing the Pilates exercises getting in touch with the \u00a0core muscles \u00a0is essential to doing the exercises correctly. \u00a0The core is like a house consist of the pelvic floor (floor), transverse abdominis (front wall), multifidus (back wall), and diaphragm (roof). Deep breathing is an essential part of maximizing this. When you breathe in, the diaphragm contracts downward drawing in air, allowing the lungs to inflate like balloons expanding in your ribcage, without the shoulders lifting or the abdomen being pushed outwards. It’s known as lateral breathing. When you exhale, the diaphragm returns pushing air out. Deep core muscles act as a brace around your spine to support and protect your back. Practise breathing with your core engaged, with every out breath feeling the strength of your core. Generally in Pilates you exhale on the hardest part of the exercise when you need the most core strength. So this would be when you push up in a press up or when you curl up in an exercise for example.<\/p>\n
To practise this breathing try placing your hands on your ribcage with your longest fingers touching. As you breath in focus on your fingers moving apart and your ribcage expanding whilst your shoulders stay still. As you breath out your fingers return to touch. Breath into your ribcage.\u00a0You may feel lightheaded when doing this, its deep breathing so takes some practise if you are not used to it but can be a very helpful practice in helping calm people and is used in meditation, showing the multiple benefits of Pilates.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Often when people start Pilates the breathing can be the bit that they struggle with the most. 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So we've some new Induction classes to help introduce people to Pilates and teach the basics before they join a class. 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In other exercises the aim is to go as fast as you can and as hard as you can for as long as you can. In Pilates it is the opposite. Before you can actually jump\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Alignment"","block_context":{"text":"Alignment","link":"https:\/\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/?cat=616"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pilates with Priya: Build on the rock, pilates foundations","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/BUILDONTHEROCK-683x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2159,"url":"https:\/\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/?p=2159","url_meta":{"origin":1175,"position":2},"title":"Can pilates help with mental health?","author":"Priya Tew","date":"24 April, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 People normally start doing pilates with us because they have a bad back, want to gain more core strength or are pregnant. However Pilates has more benefits than just the physical ones. Joseph Pilates believed mental and physical health were closely connected and I think this is one area\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Core"","block_context":{"text":"Core","link":"https:\/\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/?cat=964"},"img":{"alt_text":"Breathing Quote","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Breathing-Quote-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1159,"url":"https:\/\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/?p=1159","url_meta":{"origin":1175,"position":3},"title":"5 mistakes you could be making in Pilates","author":"Priya Tew","date":"6 January, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"1. Not using your breathing: The breathing is often the tricky part for people as it feels back to front! However it really is crucial to breath correctly to get your core really activated. When you breathe in, the diaphragm contracts downward drawing in air. When you exhale, the diaphragm\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Exercises"","block_context":{"text":"Exercises","link":"https:\/\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/?cat=6"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pilates with Priya: Neutral Spine","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/DSCF9797-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2730,"url":"https:\/\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/?p=2730","url_meta":{"origin":1175,"position":4},"title":"Top Tips from our Teachers","author":"Priya Tew","date":"3 August, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Priya Do some practice at home. Pilates is like learning a new language, the more you practice, the more you learn. Now it is common sense that the more often you practice something the better you become at it. Therefore doing some Pilates practice between classes will help you massively.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Studio News"","block_context":{"text":"Studio News","link":"https:\/\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/?cat=10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2887,"url":"https:\/\/www.pilateswithpriya.co.uk\/?p=2887","url_meta":{"origin":1175,"position":5},"title":"Exhale on Exertion","author":"Priya Tew","date":"18 March, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the most complicated things in Pilates can be the breathing. It is not uncommon for people to say that it feels back to front. They want to inhale when the teacher is cueing them to exhale. 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