The other day I spent five hours in my car, not all at once but it was enough that by the end of the day I felt it, I really felt it.
And after so long in the car it’s easy to forget the things you know e.g. if you sit better you might not feel so terrible when you get out!
And then I go to my Pilates class and remember all the things I should have done - it helps me to reset my bad habits and look after my body better in the week ahead.
You see, from Pilates, I know that by lengthening my body and spine I will improve my posture and alignment and, believe it or not, it all starts by breathing in.
Let me explain.
Breathing is the sixth Principle in Pilates and plays an important role in strengthening the body and improving posture.
Joseph Pilates said “breathing is the first act of life and the last – our very life depends on it”. And he used this philosophy within his workouts.
Breathing in the right way can accentuate movements and help with the flow of an exercise. Most of us, when performing a difficult or heavy movement instinctively hold our breath.
Breathing in the right way sets up your Powerhouse (or core) to be as strong as possible. Breathing the wrong way (or holding your breath) can, in fact, weaken your Powerhouse and consequently slow or stop your movement and affect your posture.
And that brings me back to remembering when I step into that car, a little bit of thought and setting myself up in the right way can ultimately save me from issues later on.
Breathing may sound easy but it can take time and practice to co-ordinate breathing correctly with your movement.
To learn the fundamentals and to gain more from the movements you make, it’s worth talking to someone who can break things down into easy bite sized chunks for you and make subtle changes to the things that you do to make the biggest impact.
To learn more and speak with an experienced Authentic Pilates instructor give us a call at Momentum Pilates Tauranga today 07 578 7870.