How to Breathe in Pilates: Lateral Breathing Explained

By Katherine, Lead Instructor, Certified Pilates Instructor

Pilates is typically taught with lateral (ribcage) breathing: you breathe in through the nose and let the ribs widen sideways and into the back, then breathe out through the mouth as the ribs draw in, usually timing the exhale with the effortful part of a movement. The one firm rule is to keep breathing and never hold your breath.

Key takeaways

• Lateral breathing means directing the inhale into the sides and back of the ribcage rather than lifting the shoulders or pushing the belly out.

• A common teaching pattern is to exhale on the effort and inhale on the preparation or return. These are teaching conventions, and your instructor may cue them differently.

• Holding your breath is a common mistake, especially when a movement feels hard. In heavy lifting studies, breath-holding (the Valsalva manoeuvre) is accompanied by high pressure inside the chest and abdomen, so steady breathing is a sensible habit.

• One small randomized trial suggests Pilates may improve respiratory muscle strength in healthy women, but the evidence is limited and short-term (Vieira et al., 2022).

• Diaphragmatic breathing may lower stress, though the evidence is limited and not specific to Pilates (Hopper et al., 2019).

Why does breathing matter in Pilates?

Breath is one of the commonly cited principles of the method, alongside concentration, control, centring, precision and flow. Our complete guide to Pilates explains where those principles came from. In practice, breath sets the rhythm of a movement and gives you something to attend to, so that effort does not turn into tension.

What is lateral breathing?

Lateral breathing, also called ribcage breathing, is the pattern usually taught in Pilates. A Pilates trial describes it as favouring sideways expansion of the ribcage while limiting how far the abdomen pushes out on the inhale (Jesus et al., 2015).

Your diaphragm is a thin, dome-shaped muscle attached to the bottom of the ribcage and the spine. When you breathe in, it contracts, flattens and moves down toward the abdomen; when you breathe out, it relaxes and curves back up (Cleveland Clinic, 2021). Lateral breathing directs your attention to where the ribs move while that happens.

One caution: "never let the belly move" is a cue, not a rule of anatomy. Your belly will move a little, and trying to force it still can create tension.

How do you practise lateral breathing?

Try this lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat, or seated tall in a chair.

1. Rest your hands on the sides of your lower ribs, fingertips pointing toward each other.

2. Breathe in slowly through your nose and feel the ribs widen into your palms, and if you can, around toward your back.

3. Keep your shoulders soft and away from your ears. If they lift, you are breathing into the upper chest.

4. Breathe out through your mouth, as if fogging a mirror, and feel the ribs glide back together.

5. Repeat for five to ten breaths, then try it again with a small movement, such as sliding one foot along the mat.

When do you inhale and when do you exhale?

A widely taught pattern is to exhale on the effort and inhale on the preparation or return. In a pelvic curl, for example, you inhale to prepare, exhale as you peel the spine off the mat, inhale at the top, and exhale as you roll back down.

Exercises and teachers differ, and some cue the inhale for the effort. These are teaching conventions rather than proven rules, so use them to help you move with rhythm, and follow the cue in the room.

What are the most common breathing mistakes?

• Holding your breath. It is an instinctive response when a movement feels hard. Studies of breath-holding (the Valsalva manoeuvre) come mostly from heavy lifting: a systematic review of 16 studies measured high pressure inside the abdomen and chest during high-intensity lifts (Blazek et al., 2019), and a review of resistance exercise notes the manoeuvre alone can challenge the regulation of blood flow to the brain (Perry and Lucas, 2021). That is not Pilates, but it is a good reason to keep breathing steadily. If you have a heart or blood pressure condition, ask your doctor about breath-holding and exertion.

• Lifting the shoulders on the inhale. This can add tension through the neck and shoulders. Think "sideways and back" instead of "up".

• Gripping the belly. Sucking the stomach in hard can make it difficult for the ribs to expand. Our post on what "engage your core" really means covers how much effort is needed.

How does breathing connect to your core and pelvic floor?

Research describes the diaphragm and pelvic floor as working in synergy. In a cross-sectional study of 64 women with pelvic floor dysfunction, the two showed the strongest coordination in a hands-and-knees position, with the abdominal muscles seeming to help maintain that link (Korkmaz Dayican et al., 2024). It was a small study in a specific group, so treat it as an idea, not a settled finding. For leaks, Kegels and prolapse, see our guide to Pilates for your pelvic floor.

Does Pilates actually improve your breathing?

Possibly, a little. In a randomized trial of 62 healthy women, 16 sessions of a Pilates protocol (twice a week) improved maximal inspiratory pressure, a measure of breathing muscle strength, and tidal volume, the air moved with each ordinary breath, compared with no exercise (Vieira et al., 2022). A smaller non-randomized trial of 21 healthy women found gains within the Pilates group but no significant difference between the Pilates and control groups (Jesus et al., 2015). The honest summary is promising, small and short-term, in healthy women only.

Can Pilates breathing help you feel calmer?

It may help, though the research is about breathing practices in general, not Pilates in particular. A systematic review of diaphragmatic breathing for stress found only three eligible studies, all reporting lower stress, but they were small and varied, so the authors called for more research (Hopper et al., 2019). A review of 58 clinical trials of breathing practices for stress and anxiety found 54 of the 72 interventions tested were effective, and the effective ones tended to avoid fast-only breathing and to include guided training (Bentley et al., 2023). For the wider picture, see our post on Pilates for stress and sleep.

When should you check in with your instructor or doctor?

Safety note: This is general information, not medical advice. If you feel lightheaded or dizzy, return to ordinary breathing and rest; if it does not settle quickly or you faint, stop and seek medical advice. If you have asthma, COPD, a heart or blood pressure condition, or you are pregnant or recently postpartum, tell your instructor so exercises can be adapted, and ask your health care provider about anything you are unsure of. Chest pain, unusual shortness of breath or palpitations are reasons to stop and seek urgent medical care.

Learning to breathe in Pilates with us in Markham

Our Small Group Pilates Class (reformer, maximum 3 people, 55 minutes, drop-ins welcome) keeps the room small enough for individual coaching on your breath as you move. We welcome clients from across Markham and York Region; book a class online when you are ready, or read what to expect at your first Pilates class first.

Frequently asked questions

Should I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth?

That is the usual teaching cue. If your nose is blocked or the pattern leaves you short of breath, breathing through your mouth on both phases is fine. Comfortable, continuous breathing matters more than the route.

What if I can't coordinate my breath with the movement?

That is common at the start. Practise the breath on its own first, then add the smallest version of the movement. If you lose the pattern, keep breathing and rejoin on the next repetition.

Is belly breathing wrong in Pilates?

Not wrong, just different. Diaphragmatic ("belly") breathing is the type studied for stress (Hopper et al., 2019), and the diaphragm is working in both styles. Pilates simply directs more attention to how the ribcage moves.

Sources

1. Vieira KJV, Carvalho LC, Borges JBC, Reis CJD, Iunes DH (2022). The respiratory effects of a Pilates method protocol: Randomized clinical trial. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. 32:149-155. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36180142/

2. Jesus LT, Baltieri L, Oliveira LG, Angeli LR, Antonio SP, Pazzianotto-Forti EM (2015). Effects of the Pilates method on lung function, thoracoabdominal mobility and respiratory muscle strength: non-randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Fisioterapia e Pesquisa. https://www.scielo.br/j/fp/a/yhPYWBNZdBZ8CsTRKJT8SLv/?lang=en

3. Hopper SI, Murray SL, Ferrara LR, Singleton JK (2019). Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults: a quantitative systematic review. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports. 17(9):1855-1876. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31436595/

4. Bentley TGK, D'Andrea-Penna G, Rakic M, Arce N, LaFaille M, Berman R, Cooley K, Sprimont P (2023). Breathing Practices for Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Conceptual Framework of Implementation Guidelines Based on a Systematic Review of the Published Literature. Brain Sciences. 13(12):1612. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38137060/

5. Blazek D, Stastny P, Maszczyk A, Krawczyk M, Matykiewicz P, Petr M (2019). Systematic review of intra-abdominal and intrathoracic pressures initiated by the Valsalva manoeuvre during high-intensity resistance exercises. Biology of Sport. 36(4):373-386. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31938009/

6. Perry BG, Lucas SJE (2021). The Acute Cardiorespiratory and Cerebrovascular Response to Resistance Exercise. Sports Medicine - Open. 7(1):36. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34046740/

7. Korkmaz Dayican D, Keser I, Celiker Tosun O, Yavuz O, Tosun G, Kurt S, Baser Secer M (2024). Exercise Position to Improve Synergy Between the Diaphragm and Pelvic Floor Muscles in Women With Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: A Cross Sectional Study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 46(4):201-211. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38520441/

8. Cleveland Clinic (2021). What is the Diaphragm? https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21578-diaphragm