What do you do every second of the day and never give it a second thought until it doesn't work the way it's supposed to? Breathing. We can't live a minute without it, but there is a way we can use to enhance our life as well.

Pilates instructors are taught to observe the breathing of themselves and also their clients. They teach their clients to be aware of their breathing, because it will not only make exercising easier, but also much more enjoyable. In fact, one of the reasons people dread exercising is the distressing feeling of being breathless.

Try observing yourself as you go about your daily activities. Do you take full, deep breaths? Or are you like most people, and get by with shallow, quick breaths? As you become aware of your breathing, focus on really inflating your lungs with air and expelling a significant amount of it as you exhale. Getting comfortable with chest-opening breathing will not only help you feel better throughout the day, but it will allow you to reap more benefits from your exercise (Pilates or otherwise).

What are the benefits of breathing properly? Obviously, the main one we all know about is to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide and other waste from our bodies. The breath can also express our psychological state; for example when we are nervous, our breathing becomes shallow and rushed. On the other hand, oftentimes we can calm ourselves down in these situations just by forcing ourselves to slow our breath and inhale deeply. This beautifully illustrates the Pilates philosophy of the link between the mind and the body.

Being conscious of our breathing also helps us during exercise, for example to better engage our abdominals in a Pilates workout. Lateral ribcage breathing makes it easier to isolate the deep abdominal muscles, as we are utilizing them to expel the air from our lungs. While we exhale, we can use the "wringing" sensation to further engage those abdominal muscles deep in the core.

While breathing may seem so simple, it can quite difficult to grasp, and to remember being aware of its power. However, once you make the transition in your mind, it will be like a light bulb going off. You will derive so much more out of your work-outs both mentally and physically. Hopefully, you will take this newly learned skill out of the studio or gym and use it in your daily life as well. Then you will truly be living in accordance with the Pilates philosophy of balance between the physical and spiritual self.