Inhale….Exhale!

“Why do we both inhale and exhale through the nose in Yoga but inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth in Pilates?”

Great point!

Here are my thoughts on it based on my training in both disciplines.

YOGA

Inhaling through the nose can help cleanse/filter the air ( due to the tiny hairs called Cilia ) inside the nose.

The air is also warmed and humidified causing what’s called a purification process in Yoga.

In Yogic philosophy, breathing through the nose is associated with balancing the flow of prana ( life force energy ) and maintaining a harmonious balance in the body and mind.

Nasal breathing often encourages diaphragmatic breathing, where the diaphragm is engaged. This deepens the breath and promotes relaxation.

Also Yogic breathing can help create heat in the body.

PILATES

I believe we inhale through the nose for the same reasons mentioned above.

Controlled exhalation through parted lips is emphasised to support the engagement of the core muscles and enhance control during movements.

Control is one of the Pilates Principles.

Exhaling through the mouth can help achieve a more controlled and deliberate release of breath.

Ribcage Connection - exhaling through the mouth is thought to facilitate the connection of the ribs to the abdominal muscles, enhancing the integration of breath & movement.

While it is acceptable to ‘reverse’ the inhale & exhale in some Pilates exercises it is simply not practical for others where the exhale plays a big role in the purpose & benefit of the exercise…..

Example - when performing The Saw one of the key benefits is to clear the lungs of stagnant air so we always ‘exhale’ through the mouth as we do the sawing action.

When performing the original version of The Swan Dive it would be very tricky to ‘inhale’ as we are lowering our body to the floor with momentum. It feels much more instinctive to exhale.

When performing The 100 not only do we consider the points made above re abdominal engagement but the impracticality of exhaling through the nose for 5 beats if we have a cold!

I hope this has been helpful.