How To Harness The Power of Breath

How often do you think about your breathing? Breathing is something you do all the time, so you might take it for granted. You don’t have to think about it, so you probably don’t. You might have too many other things to think about, like making the kids lunch, getting to work on time and not forgetting the teen’s football game Thursday night. If you give yourself time and space to focus on breathing, you might find yourself less stressed, so the things you must think about are less overwhelming. So many things can be solved or at least improved with a little deep breathing. If you have teenagers, like I do, you know the power of a deep breath. 

I teach Pilates and breathing is a big part of this exercise practice. There are some exercises that focus on breath and others encourage natural breathing. Pilates gives you permission and time to coordinate your movement and your breathing. I always notice a difference in my clients when they allow themselves time to breathe. Sometimes it’s as simple as coming in to a session stressed about work, then feeling more relaxed when the session is over. Other times I’ve seen people learn how to change their approach to stress over time so there’s more deep breathing and less stress in the first place. 

As a parent you’re overloaded with media, stresses from work and trying to get everything done at home. So many of us float through our lives in auto pilot mode, until aches, pains or serious injuries stop us in our tracks. What if you could learn to connect to you breathing and prevent aches and pains from stress and overwhelm developing in the first place? 

I see the main problem with breathing is it’s often shallow. Most people go through their lives not using their full lung capacity. Learning to breathe more deeply can help your lungs stay healthy. You might notice a tight upper body from spending too much time on your computer or phone. You might carry stress in your neck and shoulders from life in general or carrying a heavy bag. Confining your breath into the upper body creates a vicious circle. The shoulders elevate and the chin pokes forward. Once this pattern of shallow breathing is formed, it’s very difficult to let that go. Working with your breath can help release some of that tension. 

Breathing in Pilates helps you be more present. The coordination of the limbs moving in unison with the breath focuses the mind on the here and now, rather than allowing worries to take hold. You might think Yoga is the only mind body exercise method, but Pilates is too. Pilates encapsulates a method of moving mindfulness. If you have trouble staying focused in Yoga because your mind is too busy, you might find more success with concentration in Pilates. There’s a lot to think about in Pilates and you’re constantly moving. You don’t usually have time to think about what you need from M&S or what you’re going to eat for lunch. 

Another breathing exercise I find helpful is box breathing. You can do this anywhere, anytime. Simply breath in for the count of 4, hold for 4 and exhale for a count of 8. Then repeat. This method enables you to stay present with your breath. You’ll feel more grounded and less anxious. 

If you have trouble with this exercise, you can work up to it by building your lung capacity. If your breathing is usually shallow you can start by focusing on breathing deeply. Lie on your back and take the deepest breath you can, trying to breathe into your back ribs and down toward your hips. Take the deepest breath you can without judgement and slowly let it out. Once you feel more comfortable with this breathing, add in the holding and counting of the breath. 

Sometimes your breathing is restricted by tightness in your chest. You might find opening your chest gives you more space in your body for better breathing. You can do the following stretch with a prop right behind the tips of your shoulder blades. You can use either a foam roller or a rolled up towel. Sit with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, prop vertically behind your back at the tips of your shoulder blades. Take your hands behind your head and take a deep breath. As you exhale gently lower your head over the prop keeping your elbows wide and supporting your head with your hands. Take another deep breath in and return your head and shoulders to the starting position on the exhale. Repeat as needed and move slowly. This is the perfect exercise for the end of a long day spent at the computer and then driving the kids around to after school activities. Lying on a foam roller enables the chest muscles to open and lengthen, which is a good antidote to rounded, tight chest and shoulders. You’ll feel your body naturally release. 

Breathing is the most important part of your body’s natural functions. You don’t have to think about it but when you give it some attention it can make everything else better. Pilates is a helpful way to incorporate breathing into exercise in a functional way. The coordination of breathing and movement helps you to move with ease and release stress. Try these exercises and let me know in the comments how they are helpful for you! 

_

Sara Ellis-Owen traded her law practice for a career teaching Pilates in her mid 30s. She's based in Bristol, U.K. where she runs a successful equipment based studio, the House of Pilates. After witnessing the effects of lockdown on her teens, she created Next Generation Pilates, a bespoke Pilates service for teens. Next Generation Pilates offers in person sessions using equipment and an online course so teens around the world can take advantage of the benefits of Pilates. She holds a Level 3 Pilates certification through Alan Herdman Pilates along with a Body Control Pilates certification to teach Pilates to children through young adults. Sign up for her newsletter at nextgenerationpilates.com and get a free video with the top three exercises to share with your teens! You can also follow her on Instagram @thehouseofpilates and @next_generation_pilates.com.