Welcome to the Pilates Recovery Program! This is a great way to start your healing process whether you were ill or didn't workout for a while and want to get back in shape.

Below I've detailed information on the breathing process as it is an essential part of the healing and it is also an essential part in the Pilates workout for an effective, controlled and precise workout.

If you were recently ill, especially with the Corona virus, read the guidelines below.

If you are healthy, you can skip this part and continue to the next section about the Breathing.

Guidelines for those who recovered from an illness:

Start this program when you are already a few weeks into recovery. Everyone recovers differently and it is personal and depends on how severe your symptoms were, but there are few ways to know you may be ready to try exercise again:

• You have had no fever for at least 72 hours (without the use of fever reducers), and

•  All other symptoms have improved such as cough, or shortness of breath, and

•  At least 10 days have passed since your symptoms started

 

• Start slowly and gradually increase your workout

• Listen to your body and rest when you feel tired. Give your body time to readapt to exercising again.

• The program is designed for a full week, but if you need to, take a rest in between the workout days and come back when you are ready

 

 

 

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In Pilates, breathing leads the movement and encourages awareness of core mobilization and body organization in preparation for movement. The ability to breathe during practice is acquired and learned through the experience of repeated practice, with the goal of becoming a second nature for you.

Breathing consists of two stages: inhalation action and exhalation action.

It is recommended to:

•  Inhale through the nose, in order to control the amount of oxygen inhaled

• Exhale through the mouth. During the exhalation you can allow a dose and control the duration of the movement.

When we inhale, we expand the chest in three dimensions: anterior, lateral, and posterior, to increase the volume of the ribs / lungs and increase the movement between the ribs and the spine.

When you breathe imagine that you are embracing an imaginary midline that passes through the body between the bottom of the pelvis and the top of your head.
 

The breathing is the starting point for an effective and precise workout by creating awareness on how we position our body and how we exercise.

The breathing awakens the movement and creates a rhythm in the movement making it more dynamic, long or short. So, the breathing provides the movement a dimension of quality and rhythm.

 

The pelvic floor in regards to breathing
The pelvic floor is comprised of muscle groups all the way from the pubic bone to the tail bone, for both men and women. This group of muscles resembles resemble a hammock.
This group of muscles support are internal organs.
The Pilates method uses exhalation to tighten and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support the internal organs by contraction and relaxation of the muscles.
After inhaling, when exhaling the breath, you need to engage those muscles in and up, like zipping up a zipper in your pants.