New Breathing Exercises

So, MORE about breathing…at least a few more breathing exercises to try.  You can never have too much breath support or control, and you should always be on the lookout for more and different and better ways to expand, challenge, and develop your ability to be in control of your breath, rather than your breath controlling you.  I read something very interesting that I want to include here before I detail the actual exercises.  Most of the time, when we think about taking a deep breath, we think of taking the breath VERTICALLY, when we should be thinking of it HORIZONTALLY, too.  By this I mean that when you draw in a strong inhale, yes, your lungs fill vertically, from the bottom to the top but they also fill horizontally, expanding the rib cage, the lumbar spine, and all of the abdominal muscles surrounding these areas, so that the lungs can fully inflate.  When you take ANY breath, your shoulders or chest should NOT rise, other than the minor effect that spreading the mid-section and ribcage will have.  The idea needs to be to FILL the lungs, both vertically AND horizontally, without causing tension in the shoulders, holding the breath at any point, or tightening any of your abdominal muscles.  Here are three more exercises to work on for strengthening that control:

·      Breathe in to a count of 4, then, exhale to a count of 4.  Repeat this exercise a few times.  Next, inhale to a count of 8, and exhale to a count of 8.  Repeat this exercise several times.  Lastly, inhale to a count of 16, and exhale for the same count of 16.  Repeat until this length of time is comfortable to negotiate with frequency.  The purpose of these exercises is to build up and strengthen your control over whatever amount of air you have at a given time, and practicing working and training your muscles to carefully control the exhale, so that it lasts the fully allotted time.

·      This exercise should only take 2-4 seconds each time it is executed.  Inhale, and as you do, recognize the movement of your diaphragm, ribs, Lumbar Spine, shoulders, and throat.  As you begin to exhale, say the syllable, “Ah.”  As your exhale is running low on air, stop saying the “Ah” and simply finish breathing.  You can repeat this several times, altering the Vowel Syllable you sing but always allowing some time without phonation, only breath.  It is important to consciously recognize what is happening in your body between the inhalation, the phonation, the air exhalation, and the overall feeling upon completion.

·      Exercise #3 – Inhale as in Exercise #1.  Begin inhaling to a count of 4.  Once your inhale is complete, hold your breath for 2 seconds, and then, begin your exhale on a “Hiss” but a CONTINUOUS Hiss.  It is of optimal importance that you do not progress to longer inhalations and exhalations until you have been able to perfect the lesser inhalations.  There should be NO tension in your upper body, especially your throat, face, and shoulders, and NO tension heard in your voice.  If the exhalation sounds “Staccato” at all, like little “bursts” of air or popcorn, lower the count for the inhale and exhale.  This is about BUILDING control.  You can additionally try this exercise at a Soft volume level, and then, at a Loud volume level.  Lastly, after the inhalation and pause of a couple of seconds, sing a “High” but comfortably High note.  Again, this exercise is ALL about control, about the QUALITY of your control, NOT the QUANTITY of air you are able to inhale or exhale.

It may also be helpful to run in place, use a portable trampoline, Hula Hoop, or jump rope for a few moments, in order for your brain to adapt to deeper inhalations.  When you finish your aerobics, re-start the breathing exercises and note your improvement.

Thanks so much for reading!  As always, I treasure your comments, questions, and suggestions for new posts.  Check out my website at www.SingitForward.net.  Sing it Forward!