Most of us don’t think much about how we breathe when we exercise. We focus on the stretch, the form, or the pace – but not the breath that carries us through it.
Often, that means we end up holding our breath when we work out – or taking shallow breaths that barely reach the core. That’s why Pilates – and mastering the right Pilates breathing techniques – can help you move with intention, find stability, and connect body to mind. And it’s why, at Vaura, breathwork is at the heart of all our workouts.
Read on as we break down breathing for Pilates in simple terms. We’ll provide our top 6 Pilates breathing exercises, explore how you can integrate them into your practice, and provide a few practical Pilates breathing tips to help you get started.
Why breathing matters in PilateS
Breath is one of the most important principles of Pilates.
In Pilates, breathing activates your core – the muscle group that acts as the foundation of every Pilates movement1. Each inhale creates space, and each exhale helps you move with strength and control.
Pilates breathing techniques support your practice and everyday movement by:
- Activating your core: each exhale engages deep stabilizing muscles, helping you hold steady in planks, roll-ups, or balance work while supporting posture and balance. ²
- Creating rhythm: steady breathing links one movement to the next, keeping transitions between sequences – like from a bridge to a leg lift – smooth and connected.
- Improving focus: mindful breathing keeps you centered and calm, even through challenging holds. ³
- Reducing tension: controlled breath helps soften the shoulders and neck during upper-body lifts or reach sequences, promoting ease through your upper body.
- Enhancing alignment: exhaling through effort helps you stabilize during lunges, reformer presses, or roll-downs, keeping every movement grounded and precise.
The Pilates breathing method explained
Unlike everyday breathing, which can be shallow and lift the chest and shoulders, the Pilates breathing method uses lateral breathing – guiding air into the sides and back of the ribcage. This engages your center, while keeping the upper body soft and steady.4
Breathing for Pilates (and yoga) is different. While yoga breathwork focuses on expanding through the belly to promote relaxation, Pilates breathing stays higher in the ribs – supporting strength and precise movement.5
To picture it, imagine your ribcage like segments of an accordion:
- As you inhale through your nose, your ribs expand outward and into your back.
- As you exhale through your mouth, they draw gently inward, wrapping around your center.
6 Pilates breathing techniques to try
Whether you’re a Pilates beginner or a long-time member of your local Vaura studio, understanding how to regulate your breathing for Pilates is key to better performance.
So read on – the following six Pilates breathing techniques are designed to help you build inner strength, improve focus, and move with control.
1. LATERAL RIBCAGE BREATHING
This technique teaches you to breathe into the sides and back of your ribcage, rather than lifting through the chest.
The lateral ribcage breathing method for Pilates creates a 360-degree expansion through your ribcage and tones your core, while keeping your shoulders and neck relaxed.
To try it:
- Place your hands on your ribs.
- Inhale through your nose, feeling your ribs expand outward and into your back.
- Exhale through your mouth – allowing your ribs to draw back in.
2. Exhale with core engagement
A key part of Pilates breathing, this exercise connects your breath to your deep stabilizing muscles. Try it in just three simple steps:
- Inhale through your nose – letting your ribs expand out and back, keeping your shoulders relaxed.
- Exhale through your mouth slowly, drawing your navel gently toward your spine, as if zipping up through your lower belly.
- Stay steady, keeping your spine long and avoiding ‘sucking in’ or tensing.
Practice this lying on your back, seated tall, or during movements like roll-downs and planks. Each exhale activates your transversus abdominis – the deepest layer of abdominal muscle – helping support posture and protect your spine.
3. Breath and pelvic floor
This technique connects your breath to your pelvic floor – the muscles that support your bladder, bowel, and core.
Practice this while lying on your back, seated upright, or during gentle core work to help improve balance and core control, as well as support pelvic strength and recovery – both during and after pregnancy6. Here’s how:
- Exhale through your mouth – lifting through your pelvic floor gently, as if drawing upward from within.
- Inhale through your nose – release and soften.
4. Coordinating breath with movement
This Pilates breathing method focuses on pairing your breathing rhythm with your physical effort. It’s designed to create precision, prevent overexertion, and help every transition from one move to the next feel smooth and mindful. To explore it for yourself:
- Inhale to prepare for movement.
- Exhale as you perform the effort – for example, during a curl-up, press, or leg lift.
5. 4×4 breathing pattern
A steady, rhythmic Pilates breathing technique that brings focus and calm, use it at the start of class to ground yourself, or between sets to reset your breath and steady your focus.
The 4×4 Pilates breathing pattern is also a great way to slow the heart rate and reconnect with your rhythm during challenging sequences. Experiment with it in three steps:
- Inhale through your nose for four counts.
- Hold for four counts.
- Exhale through your mouth for four counts.
6. 4-7-8 breathing
A grounding, counting-based Pilates breathing technique, the 4-7-8 method helps you relax and reset your body at the end of a challenging Vaura session.
Exhale completely.
Inhale through your nose for four counts.
Hold for seven counts.
Exhale through your mouth for eight counts.
This gentle pattern releases tension and clears the mind – helping you leave your reformer or mat feeling calm, focused, and re-energized.7
Tips for practicing Pilates breathing
With practice, Pilates breathing exercises become effortless – a rhythm that supports every movement. Try these tips to help you build awareness and confidence:
- Relax your shoulders and soften your jaw when breathing to avoid retaining tension.
- Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth – slowly and steadily.
- Refocus by coming back to your breath whenever your mind wanders.
- Expand through your torso instead of sucking in your stomach.
- Unwind before bed by practicing gentle Pilates breathing – it helps relax your body and improve sleep quality.8
Now that you know how to align your breathing for Pilates with your movement, discover how often you should practice Pilates each week.
1 https://www.movesportsphysio.com.au/post/the-breathe-why-do-i-stop-breathing
2 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0330874&utm
3 https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-quell-errant-stress-response
4 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360859222000791
5 https://journals.lww.com/hnpjournal/citation/2011/09000/pilates_and_yoga__holistic_practices_that_are.2.aspx
6 https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/13/6995
7 https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2005.11.189
8 https://www.makesomebreathingspace.com/blog/benefits-of-breathwork