Reference Nº 03
How you
breathe.
The first thing you are taught at Coconut is not an exercise. It is the breath the exercises are built on — and it is the thing people forget fastest at home. Here it is plainly, with a five-minute practice you can do on the floor.
Why it comes first
Classical Pilates treats the breath as the foundation the exercises sit on, not a warm-up. Your teacher will help you find it from your very first session.
In classical Pilates we usually ask you to breathe wide into the sides and back of the ribcage, rather than lifting the chest. It can feel unfamiliar at first, and becomes easier with practice.
Three things to hold
The shape
of the breath.
- 01
Into the ribs, not the chest
The breath goes sideways and into the back of the ribs, the way an accordion expands. The shoulders stay quiet. Lifting them at the collarbones is how most people breathe when they are rushing, and it tells the body to hold on.
- 02
In through the nose, out through the mouth
Usually a nasal inhale and a longer exhale through lightly pursed lips — as if breathing through a straw. Let the exhale be a little longer than the inhale, without forcing it.
- 03
The breath belongs to the movement
In a classical session the inhale prepares and the exhale carries the effort — you breathe out as you press the carriage away, or as you fold forward. Your teacher will guide the pattern for each exercise; the main thing is to keep breathing.
Five minutes, lying down
A practice
for the floor.
No apparatus, no mat class, no music. Do it once before your first lesson and once the evening after, and you will feel the difference in the next session.
- 01
Lie down with your knees bent
On your back, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart, legs relaxed. If lying flat is uncomfortable, a cushion under the head or knees can help. Nothing needs to be perfect yet.
- 02
Put your hands on your lower ribs
Fingertips resting on the bottom edge of the ribcage, one hand each side, elbows on the floor. This is the only equipment the practice needs — your hands are there to tell you what the ribs are doing.
- 03
Breathe in sideways
Draw the breath in through the nose and feel the ribs widen into your hands, and into the mat behind you. The belly softens, the chest stays still, the shoulders do not visit the ears. Six breaths like this.
- 04
Let the exhale be longer
Breathe out through lightly pursed lips, slowly, until the ribs knit back down and the lower belly gently draws in. Aim for an exhale a little longer than the inhale. Do not force the last inch out.
- 05
Add a small movement
Keep the same breath and slide one heel along the floor until the leg straightens, then draw it back. The ribs keep moving while the leg works.
Worth knowing
If you feel light-headed or uncomfortable at any point, stop and breathe normally. Slower, gentler breaths are better than forcing them. If it keeps happening, mention it to your teacher or GP.
This is general teaching about the classical method, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, recovering from surgery or managing a condition, tell your teacher before you begin and we will adapt what you do — that is what the private session is for.
Try it with someone watching
Breathe it
in the room.
An Introduction is a 50-minute private session, then a small group class. The breath is the first thing we sort out together.