Definition

• Lateral breathing is also called ribcage breathing. It is defined as a type of breathing technique that keeps the abdominal muscles in use, while you breathe in and just expand your ribcage.
  
  

Purpose

• The purpose of lateral breathing is to keep your spine straight while engaging in various exercise positions. Doing this allows you to still breathe in fresh air by expanding your ribcage laterally.
  
  

How to perform Lateral Breathing

• According to the Corporate Wellness Solutions "Strength through Length" article, one way to perform lateral breathing is to hold a towel around your ribcage and cross it in front of you. Then you breathe in deeply feeling the towel expand, then squeeze the towel as you exhale.
  
  

Benefits

• Breathing deeply and properly will increase circulation and refresh you. It allows for greater oxygen intake. Joseph Pilates himself believed that this deep breathing technique essentially cleansed the body of toxins.
  
  

The Core

• Using lateral breathing in Pilates develops core strength, as it relates to the abdominal muscles and its back portion. When you are in full control of this area, you can perform all the Pilates exercises with greater ease.