Five to Eight Minute Daily Breathing Warmups


Here is one last BREATHING post for you.  This was originally titled a “Five-Minute Breathing Warm-up” but, truthfully, it takes more like 7 or 8 minutes to complete.  You can also PICK and CHOOSE a few of the individual exercises after you’ve done all of them a number of times.  The goal, of course, is to increase your overall breath.  Let me emphasize again at this point, in case I haven’t made it clear enough up to now, the important thing is NOT so much increasing your inhale; increasing your EXHALE IS OF THE MOST OPTIMAL IMPORTANCE!  Okay, so here are the actual exercises:
·      Slowly Deep Breathe.  Your GOAL is to inhale for a count of 10 and exhale for a count of 10.  HOWEVER, this may be WAY too much to start with.  Once again, the MAIN GOAL in all this is increasing your breath and breath CONTROL BUT NOOOOOOO TENSION!  Seriously, NO TENSION!  Therefore, start this exercise with a COMFORTABLE inhale and exhale count, such as 4 or 5, and then, move up to a count of 10.  It is also good to begin this exercise LYING DOWN with books on your “belly” (mid-section where your Diaphragm is), to “isolate” your Diaphragm mentally, and inflate your “balloon” (Diaphragm).
·      Repeat Slow Deep Breathing 3 More Times (or more, if desired)
·      Extend Tongue Fully, and deeply inhale and exhale.  Repeat 3 more times.
·      Take a Deep Breath and Begin an Even, CONTROLLED LAUGH to a Count of 10 on “Hee, Hee, Hee, Hee…Hah.”  One hand should be either ON the Diaphragm or at the waist.  If the Diaphragm does NOT extend when you take your breath to laugh, STOP, and repeat STEPS 1 and 2.
·      Repeat Laugh Step, at least once more.
·      Hiss like a snake…”S”, “S”, “SSSSSS”…
·      Take a Deep Breath and Laugh on “Hee, Hee, Hee, HAAAAAAAAAAAH.”  Hold the Final “Hah”, but only for a comfortable period of time.  You should experience NO tension!
·      Hiss like a snake…”S”, “S”, “SSSSSS”…
·      Standing, Begin to Slowly RUN in Place.  Place hand at waist to ensure Diaphragm movement.  After 10-15 seconds, begin to sing a comfortable “Lah”, and breathe as needed.  Do NOT wait until you feel “tension” to breathe.  Your speed should be slow enough that you can COMFORTABLY sing and breathe.  Continue 2 to 3 minutes (or longer, if desired and able).  If running is too difficult, lie down and do the “bicycle”, continuing for 2 to 3 minutes.
·      STOP but Slow to Walking First.  Then, Take 2 Deep Cleansing Breaths.  Always check that the Diaphragm is extending and contracting.

Repeat this exercise routine daily or nightly until Diaphragmatic Breathing is controlled and controllable.  Counts can be added to individual exercises to extend and continue to strengthen Breath Control and Capacity.  Thank you for reading and, once again, please record your comments, questions, and post suggestions BELOW RIGHT.  You can also contact me through my website at www.SingitForward.net.  Thank you and Sing it Forward!

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