Pilates Technique Thursday: Breathing and Body Position
- Michael King
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Breathing is not only a function of the lungs. It is also influenced by posture. The position of the spine, the direction of gravity, and the movement of the diaphragm all affect how easily the lungs expand.
Research in respiratory physiology shows that body position alters lung volumes, breathing mechanics, and diaphragm function. This means that breathing while standing, lying on the back, lying on the side, or lying face down are mechanically different experiences.
Understanding these differences is useful in Pilates because many exercises move the body through multiple positions, each creating a slightly different breathing challenge.
Standing or sitting upright generally produces the largest lung volumes and the most efficient breathing mechanics. Imaging studies and pulmonary function tests show that total lung volume is greater in the standing position than in the supine position. This happens because gravity pulls the abdominal organs downward, allowing the diaphragm to descend more freely. The lower lobes of the lungs expand more fully in this position and these lower regions contain a large proportion of the lung tissue responsible for gas exchange. In practical terms, breathing tends to feel easier when the spine is vertical. This is one reason why pulmonary function tests are normally performed in seated or upright positions.
When someone lies on their back, lung volumes decrease slightly. Research shows that functional residual capacity and other lung volumes reduce when moving from upright to supine. The mechanical reason is simple. When lying on the back, the abdominal organs shift toward the diaphragm. This limits how far the diaphragm can descend during inhalation. At the same time, the posterior regions of the lungs experience more compression from body weight. Despite this slight reduction in lung volume, the supine position often increases the contribution of the diaphragm to breathing. This is why it is frequently used in rehabilitation and teaching situations to help people learn diaphragmatic breathing. In Pilates, supine work often allows clients to feel abdominal expansion and rib movement more clearly.
Side lying introduces another factor because gravity acts differently on each lung. In this position, the lung that is closest to the floor receives greater blood flow and can contribute differently to ventilation. Studies comparing body positions show that some lung volumes such as expiratory reserve volume may decrease in lateral positions. Mechanically, this position can feel more restrictive. However, it is also useful because it highlights asymmetry. In Pilates, side lying can encourage lateral rib expansion and help clients develop awareness of breathing into the upper ribs.
Breathing in the prone position, lying face down, is often the most unusual mechanically. The abdomen presses against the mat or floor, which limits anterior expansion of the rib cage. As a result, breathing tends to shift toward posterior rib movement. The back of the rib cage becomes more involved in expansion during inhalation. In clinical settings, prone positioning is sometimes used to improve ventilation distribution in certain lung conditions. In movement training, it can help develop awareness of breathing into the back of the thoracic cage. For many people, however, prone breathing initially feels more restricted because the front of the body cannot expand easily.
If we compare positions purely from a respiratory mechanics perspective, standing or upright positions allow the greatest lung expansion. Supine positions reduce lung volumes slightly but increase diaphragmatic contribution. Side lying introduces asymmetry and changes ventilation distribution between the lungs. Prone positions often restrict anterior expansion and encourage posterior rib breathing.
In Pilates practice, none of these positions are inherently better than the others. Each position simply challenges the breathing system in a different mechanical environment. Standing allows the greatest expansion of the lungs. Supine positions often help clients learn diaphragmatic breathing. Side lying can develop awareness of lateral rib movement. Prone exercises encourage expansion into the back of the rib cage and mobility through the thoracic spine.
Understanding these positional changes helps explain why Pilates uses such a wide variety of body orientations. Each position changes the mechanical relationship between gravity, the diaphragm, the rib cage, and the lungs. The result is not just movement of the body, but a different breathing strategy for each posture.
References
Katz S, Arish N, Rokach A, Zaltzman Y, Marcus E. The effect of body position on pulmonary function. BMC Pulmonary Medicine.
Mezidi M, Guérin C. Effects of patient positioning on respiratory mechanics in mechanically ventilated patients. Annals of Intensive Care.
Yamada Y, Yokoyama K, Noriyasu R. Differences in lung and lobe volumes between supine and standing positions measured using computed tomography. Respiration.
Albarrati A, Zafar H, Alghadir A, Anwer S. Effect of upright and slouched sitting posture on respiratory muscle strength in healthy young males. BioMed Research International.
Decker S, et al. Influence of body position on breathing patterns and respiratory muscle activation. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/13/24/7825
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