Proper breathing technique for pilates.

Brussels Sprout

I started a pilates class tonight. The instructor didn't have a great command of english and even after asking a question i was a bit confused, so what is the proper way I should be breathing?

Is it that I'm meant to be clenching my abdominal muscles and making sure that I'm not "belly" breathing?

stphgry

You should breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth in Pilates.
That helps you to connect to your abdominal muscles as they are involved in your breathing / respiration anyway.
Try to encourage your breath into the back and sides of your ribs rather than your belly or your shoulders.
The breathing in Pilates can be a little confusing at first - but as long as you breathe as opposed to holding your breath initially that's good
And try not to think of clenching - think more activation. You don't want to lock everything down
The more you do it the easier it gets - the same as everything!
Hope that helps - but if you want any more info you can PM me.

PTPilates

Great advice by previous poster!
Correct, you do not belly breathe in Pilates, you breathe laterally into the ribcage. There are some great videos online for lateral thoracic breathing or you can pm me :-)