How To Breathe Correctly When Speaking
Proper breath control will give your voice more power!
Of course, breathing is necessary for survival, but did you know that most of us do it incorrectly?
This may be an English scenario, but have you ever been in a crowded lift when someone says, "breathe in"? This always irritates me because it's the wrong thing to do, and because I'm English, I always wince at this uninformed person's ignorance.
Of course, 'breathing in' implies that you are expanding your lungs and filling them with air, thereby making yourself larger, which is not what you want to do if you want to appear thinner.
As a Public Speaking Coach, I frequently encounter people who are not breathing properly!
In fact, the majority of us breathe incorrectly... When we inhale, we raise our upper body/shoulders and exhale, we lower them. This can lead to a variety of issues, including anxiety, shortness of breath, and unnecessary tension.
Proper breathing helps to keep the mind open, allowing you to think about who you are, what you're doing, and why you're doing it. But, more importantly, if you breathe correctly, you will have better digestion, better balance, and develop an optimal posture."
Here's how to properly breathe: (Diaphragmatic breathing)
Inhaling (breathing in)
Sit in a chair, with your back straight and your feet flat on the ground. Relax your upper body by wrapping your hands around your belly.
Let your belly out completely (and without dignity) as you breathe in. To allow your chest to expand and your lungs to take in air, your diaphragm will drop and contract.This can also be done while lying down on the floor, knees up (feet flat on the floor), and a couple of books under your head for support.
You want to feel the entire middle section of your body expand, including your chest, middle back, and rib cage sides, similar to a corset.
Exhaling (breathing out)
As your diaphragm relaxes, it moves up towards your chest cavity, and as your intercostal muscles between your ribs relax, air is pushed out of your lungs, windpipe, and mouth and nose.
It's worth noting that this inhalation and exhalation action is your body's normal daily respiratory function, and unless you have a lung condition or breathing problems, only excessive physical activity or sometimes stress levels (anxiety, fear, etc.) will change the rate at which you breathe.
The muscles of the abdomen
The abdomen houses the digestive system and contains muscles necessary for posture, balance, and breathing.
How will this help me improve my public speaking abilities?
Well…
The vocal folds are a muscle that, when connected, resonates to produce sound, and you can control the amount and rate of air that flows over them by strengthening and engaging the abdominal muscles (particularly the transversus abdominis).
And being able to control that will give your voice more power, resonance, dynamic range, and tonal variety, giving you more confidence to speak with more presence and authority.
I've created 5 simple exercises to help you engage your abdominal muscles, control your airflow, and gain more support and control over your voice.
'Silent laugh'
Consider a time when you were giggling uncontrollably, perhaps at school, or the last time you were in fits of laughter... Can you recall how that felt, especially around your stomach? Did it hurt?
Try not to laugh right now, with your hands on your belly. You should feel a tightness in your abdomen and possibly around your midsection towards your back.
These are your abdominal muscles contracting, and by using them correctly, you will have control over the amount of breath you take, how powerful that breath is, and, most importantly, you will be able to relax the rest of your body (and mind).
"Sh" - Fingers on lips...
Still on the subject of school, do you recall the expression 'fingers on lips'? Ironically, I was made to stand outside the music block with my entire hand over my mouth.... nothing has changed.
Make another short but firm' sh' sound while holding your belly, as if you were shushing someone or shooing away a cat.
You can now precisely control how much and how quickly the air leaves your lungs. This will help to emphasise specific syllables, expand your dynamic range, and make your speeches more expressive.
Focus on the recovery...
Repeat the previous exercise, but this time keep your breath going.
Maintain the pressure and support for x8 slow beats (approximately 1 per sec) or as long as you feel comfortable.
Allow your belly to drop once you've expelled all the air from your lungs. Your chest will expand again, filling the lungs with air in preparation for the next exhale.
This ‘recovery' when you breathe in (diaphragm drops) strengthens the abdominal muscles, giving you less restriction on the length of your phrasing and more control over the pace of your speech.
According to legend, Frank Sinatra used to practise holding his breath while swimming in the Hudson River...
Accented Syllables
By controlling the airflow with shorter but 'in time' bursts, you can simulate accented syllables in speech production, giving you a larger dynamic range, better projection, and overall more control over your speech.
The previous exercise is repeated, but this time we add a pulse to the airflow. Begin with four pulses in time (approximately one per second), then double the tempo to eight and finish with a long breath. 1>2>3>4>, 1>2>3>4>5>6>7>8>, >...........
Remember to let your belly drop and fill your lungs again before repeating the exercise.
This will give your voice a rhythm. Controlling when and what syllables your accent uses will aid in timing and phrasing.
Making a sound
We've only been pushing air over the vocal folds so far...
Let's make a noise.
To do so, we must contract the vocal folds. Surprisingly, this is an excellent way to begin singing...
In fact, if you place your fingers on either side of your throat, you should be able to feel the vibration as you transition from 'sh' to 'zh'. This is your vocal folds contracting to make a "sound."
This sound is used in words like "Asia", "decision", "regime" and "beige".
Try the previous exercise again, but this time use a 'zh' sound instead of a 'sh' sound.
This will bring you closer to actual speech as opposed to just air. By removing the stabilisers, you will be able to feel the resonance in your voice as well as the natural pitch of your voice.
You may notice that your pitch changes as you practise the exercise; this is normal; in fact, increasing your pitch range will give you more tonal range and, as a result, more variety in your speech.
When the time is right, allow me to guide you in becoming a more captivating and self-assured speaker. Whether you're aiming for a raise, a promotion, or simply the respect you deserve, I'm here to help.
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