Just breathe.

Have you noticed your breath lately? It’s not something we often think about, but it has lasting effects on so many aspects of our overall health. Dysfunctional breathing can affect not only our physical health, but our mental health as well.

So many of my clients breathe in a very shallow manner, barely filling the lungs and rarely challenging the diaphragm with a strong exhale. This shallow breath keeps our bodies stiff and our brains foggy (among many other issues).

Breath is one of six Pilates principles that guide our practice and create structure in each session. Without the ability to breathe properly, clients miss out on the major grounding effect connecting to the breath has. They lack the ability to use their breath to enhance and control movements as well as create a strong mind-body connection.

So what can we do? While it’s not the most exciting way to start a session, I can’t stress the importance of ensuring proper breathing is occurring with every client. I take the time to create a foundation of strong, efficient breathing in order to see my clients progress in all other aspects of their practice.

Focus on breath and see the wonderful changes that can unfold.