皮拉提斯的《呼吸》原則

These exercises induce the heart to pump strong and steadily with the result that the bloodstream is forced to carry and discharge more and more of the accumulated debris created by fatigue. Contrology exercises drive the pure fresh blood to every muscle fibre of our bodies, particularly to the very important capillaries which ordinarily are rarely ever fully stimulated once we have reached adulthood. As a heavy rainstorm freshens the water of a sluggish or stagnant stream and whips it into immediate action, so Contrology exercises purify the blood in the bloodstream and whip it into instant action with the result that the organs of the body, including the important sweat glands, receive the benefit of clean fresh blood carried to them by the rejuvenated bloodstream.

這運動能誘導心臟強壯及平穩地作功，致使血流強力地攜帶和排放更多的疲勞物質。控制運動攜帶了純淨新鮮的血液到身體的每個肌肉纖維，特別是非常重要微細血管，這些微細血管在我們達到成年後，很難被完全刺激到。就像強烈暴風雨洗淨了河流的停滯阻塞，並促進立即地流動，所以控制運動淨化了血流中血液，以激勵了身體器官，包含重要的汗腺，因為它們接受乾淨有益的新鮮血液。

True heart control follows correct breathing which simultaneously reduces heart strain, purifies the blood, and develops the lungs. To breathe correctly you must completely exhale and inhale, always trying very hard to "squeeze" every atom of impure air from your lungs in much the same manner that you would wring every drop of water from a wet cloth. When you stand erect again, the lungs will automatically completely refill themselves with fresh air. This in turn supplies the bloodstream with vitally necessary life-giving oxygen.

真正的心臟控制來自於正確的呼吸，能同時地降低心臟緊張、淨化血液，和發展肺部。為了呼吸正確，你必須完全地吐和吸，總是以擰乾溼毛巾的方法，儘量從你的肺部〝吐盡擠壓〞廢氣出去。當你再一次站直後，肺部將會自動及完全地回填新鮮空氣。這將依序地令血流，很有活力獲得生命必需的氧氣。

Lazy breathing converts the lungs, figuratively speaking, into a cemetery for the deposition of diseased, dying, and dead germs as well as supplying an ideal haven for the multiplication of other harmful germs. Therefore, above all, learn how to breathe correctly. "SQUEEZE" EVERY ATOM OF AIR FROM YOUR LUNGS UNTIL THEY ARE ALMOST AS FREE OF AIR AS IS A VACUUM.

有個比喻，懶洋洋地呼吸會把肺變成墓地，滋養著不健康、要命的，和至死的細菌，並提供理想的溫床給其它有害的細菌來繁殖。因此如上所述，學習如何正確地呼吸極為重要－從你的肺部〝吐盡擠壓〞每個氣體，直到猶如真空般

　　　截取翻譯自 Return to life through control　by Joseph H. Pilates

　　　從上面所截取的文章，我們不難發現到，Joseph Pilates已經意識到呼吸對心臟功能的影響，所以才會強調正確呼吸的重要性，而且，他還非常重視吐氣的完全性(踓然我對於他吐氣的用詞詮釋，備感緊張)，我個人認為，與瑜珈的完全式呼吸之精髓，是相當吻合的－著重廢氣的有效排出，增進肺部含氧的空間量，提高氧氣的攝取，達到體內最經濟效應的氣體交換率。
    就我多年的經驗，我早前的練習經驗，偏重耐力持久性，富含挑戰性，卻易使身體過度負荷，呼吸滯礙難行，現今的練習，改變了對目標次數的強調，著重過程的呼吸順暢及調整，融合了太極哲學，順應當下的身體感受及經驗，詮釋出肢體動作的優雅細緻，回饋神經訊息至大腦，沉浸出安穩輕盈的效應，助益身體覺察的深入，不斷地練習，直到能感知細微的呼吸律動，就能放開僵硬的控制思維，整體動作將提升到行雲如水，借力使力的境界。我非常獨鐘這樣的練習境界，很妙地是，越想體驗越難進入，或許是強烈的「想要」，導致難以放鬆腦袋，當下切入點的時機，就難以去覺察到。
       有時候，等到學生熟練皮拉提斯的動作，我會試圖引導他們安靜地去體驗，體內的呼吸律動，幾分鐘地留意著，再請他們放開目標取向，並意識到呼吸律動的現象，來重新實施原本的動作,我觀察到他們，動作的質感增添了輕巧，神色也略為自在了。為了引導學生去領略－「呼吸引領動作」的技巧，課堂間，我會差入一小段「舞動復甦」的練習，協助他們從自身的體驗中，藉助身體經驗的回饋去教會自己。