Pilates Basic Principles: Breathing, Pelvic & Rib Cage Placement

1. Breathing

The first basic principle of Pilates is breathing. Proper breathing:

• Encourages effective oxygenation of the blood.
• Helps relax the muscles and avoid unnecessary tension.
• Focuses the mind and allows for concentration.

Here's how to breathe correctly during Pilates:

• Exhale deeply to activate the deep abdominal muscles.
• Focus on breath and stabilization before initiating any movement.
• Breathe into the lower rib cage three-dimensionally.
• Expand laterally to open the back of the rib cage.
• Breathe into the lower lobes of the lungs for more effective gas exchange.
• Engage the deep stabilizers of the torso, particularly the transversus abdominis first and the oblique abdominals later.
• Simultaneously engage the pelvic floor and the multifidus with the transversus abdominis during inhalation.
• As you exhale, close the rib cage in and down while slightly flexing the spine.
• Inhale to encourage spinal extension.
• Exhale to encourage spinal flexion.

2. Pelvic Placement

The second basic principle is pelvic placement. Understanding the different pelvic positions is crucial:

• Neutral Placement: This is when the ASIS (anterior superior iliac spine) and the symphysis pubis lie parallel to the mat. Neutral pelvis is the most stable and optimal shock-absorbing position.
• Anterior Pelvic Tilt: This occurs when the ASIS is above the symphysis pubis.
• Posterior Pelvic Tilt: This occurs when the ASIS is below the symphysis pubis.
• Imprint (Flexion Bias): This refers to a slight posterior pelvic tilt with a slight lumbar flexion. Imprint is used to ensure stability of the pelvis if neutral cannot be stabilized.

Additionally:

• Open Kinetic Chain: Both feet are in the air.
• Closed Kinetic Chain: Both feet are on the floor.

3. Rib Cage Placement

The third basic principle is rib cage placement. Here's why it's important:

• The abdominal wall attaches to the rib cage.
• Abdominal muscles are recruited to maintain the rib cage and, indirectly, the thoracic spine in good alignment.
• When raising your arms overhead or inhaling, the ribs tend to lift.
• Maintaining abdominal engagement helps stabilize the rib cage.
• Utilize the breath pattern described earlier and maintain abdominal engagement to stabilize the rib cage.
• Emphasize breathing into the posterior and lateral aspects of the rib cage during inhalation.