For those passionate about Pilates, you’re likely familiar with the must-have athleisure, accessories, and self-care routines that enhance your practice. However, you might not yet be aware of a breathwork technique that can elevate your practice and help you feel more centered.
Introducing hypopressive breathing—a deep breathing practice that focuses on fully emptying your lungs. This technique bears similarity to the uddiyana bandha in yoga, often referred to as an “abdominal lock.”
“This breathing method creates a vacuum effect in the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic regions by lowering pressure, which results in a lift and toning of the pelvic floor,” explains Anouska Shenn, a certified Pilates instructor and the founder of The Office Yoga Company.
Before diving into the practice, it’s essential to clarify that breath-holding should be avoided during Pilates, as the discipline emphasizes fluid breathing alongside movement.
Nevertheless, incorporating hypopressive breathing into your routine—whether before, after, or independently from your Pilates sessions—can enhance your overall practice.
What is Hypopressive Breathing?
Hypopressive breathing involves a technique of completely expelling your breath and holding it to create a vacuum effect. This serves as a core exercise with significant benefits for pelvic floor health.
Picture your abdomen as a closed pressure system: whenever there’s a change in pressure—through coughing, deep breathing, or heavy lifting—your abdominal structures must effectively handle that shift. This is where pelvic floor exercises, including hypopressive breathing, come into play.
“When pressure isn’t managed properly, gravity applies downward force on the pelvic floor,” states Blair Mauri, MS, OTR/L, a pelvic floor therapist. “Continuous downward pressure not only weakens the pelvic floor but can also lead to increased tension.”
Such tension may result in issues like incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, painful intercourse, back pain, or chronic constipation. “Hypopressive breathing is a valuable method to enhance pelvic floor function, offering a natural lift to these tissues without adding tension,” Mauri adds.
Strengthening your pelvic floor can alleviate pelvic and back discomfort, boost oxygen flow and energy, aid digestion, and support your movements during Pilates sessions.
A recent study confirmed that an eight-week series of hypopressive exercises notably increased pelvic floor muscle strength and reduced urinary incontinence symptoms among women aged 18 to 60 who experienced pelvic floor dysfunction.
Additionally, hypopressive breathing enhances lung function, benefiting your Pilates practice. “Improving rib mobility is essential for effective diaphragm work and maximizing breath capacity,” Mauri notes.
How Do You Practice It?
Start by taking a few deep breaths and observe where you feel pressure (specifically in your breath):
Is the pressure centered in your chest or abdomen?
Are your ribs expanding outward as you inhale?
You should experience movement in all these regions—not just one. “Rib mobility is crucial for executing hypopressive breathing correctly,” Mauri advises. “Spend some time retraining your breath so that everything expands upon inhalation and contracts during exhalation.”
Once you’ve mastered that, you can proceed to the hypopressive breathing exercises outlined by Mauri:
1. Gently exhale as if you were fogging up a glass. Avoid forcing pressure down into your lower abdomen or pelvic floor.
2. After exhaling, pinch your nose, close your mouth, and simulate inhaling without actually drawing in air, focusing on widening your ribs, which will make your stomach appear concave.
3. Maintain this position for 3-5 seconds before inhaling.
How Does It Enhance Your Pilates Practice?
This technique serves as an effective enhancement to your Pilates routine. While breath-holding should not occur during Pilates movements, hypopressive breathing exercises can be ideal prior to or after your workout.
“Hypopressive breathing can be practiced independently, but it’s also excellent as a warm-up or ending to your Pilates session,” Shenn explains.
Strengthening the pelvic floor is already a central focus in Pilates. A small study revealed that a 12-week Pilates program targeting pelvic floor strength significantly alleviated stress urinary incontinence in women aged 45 to 70, with lasting results evident six months after the program.
“Hypopressive breathing complements Pilates, strengthening and retraining both the deep core and pelvic floor,” Mauri highlights.
A strong and coordinated deep core paired with a healthy pelvic floor enhances stability during Pilates and throughout daily activities.
“Our pelvic floor muscles work in sync with our deep core muscles to stabilize the spine—bolstering posture and providing a solid base for all movements,” Shenn points out.
Tips for Getting Started
As you weave hypopressive breathing into your Pilates practice, Shenn offers these helpful reminders:
Begin with 1-3 sets of 3 repetitions, allowing rest between sets.
If you’re new to this practice, start with your breathing exercises lying down or seated before attempting more challenging positions such as side-lying or four-point kneeling.
Practice hypopressive breathing on an empty stomach. It’s advisable to refrain from eating at least two hours prior, since the technique involves suctioning the abdomen inward and upward.
Avoid tight clothing—particularly around the collar, waist, and hips—as it can restrict your breath.
Research regarding breathwork during pregnancy is limited, thus it’s best to avoid hypopressive breathing if you’re expecting.
Finally, consult your doctor before starting hypopressive breathing, especially if you have preexisting conditions like high blood pressure. Consider seeking guidance from a trained professional to ensure your form is accurate.
