Breathing fundamentals

My clients frequently hear me reminding them to breathe, especially into the sides and back if their rib cages. This breathing is fundamental to traditional Pilates practice because it triggers deep muscle activations that stabilize the lumbar spine, but it is also becoming more widely used by strength and conditioning coaches and trainers. As Mike Reinold, head PT for the Boston Red Sox, posted in a recent blog:

"The diaphragm is the key component to core stability. The diaphragm has to contract first and then the abdominal wall and not the other way around. A too early or too strong contraction of the abdominal wall prevents the diaphragm from descending properly and is therefore counterproductive in stabilizing the spine."

You can read his whole article at:
http://www.mikereinold.com/2012/03/core-stability-from-the-inside-out.html