Singing – Breathing Exercise
What is more elemental to singing than the breathing in and out of pure air into your hard-working lungs? Projecting sound and sustaining a note is the hallmark of strong breathing muscles just as a lean, firm body is the sign of healthy, fit living. With singing, just as in breathing, the diaphragm and abdomen take lead roles and this exercise will help you master their use.
While standing up straight, feet 10 inches apart, place your left and right hand fingers on bottom ribs with thumbs gently probing below bottom rib. Now slowly draw in a full, deep diaphragmatic breath while feeling your abdominal movements with all fingers. Hold your breath for 5 seconds, now slowly exhale . . . but don’t just “breathe out”, instead, you should “sing out” the air. So, as you slowly let your breath out, softly sing a sustained note, as in
“aa-hhh” or “oo-hhh”. Note the abdominal movements with your fingers, again. Repeat exercise 3 to 5 times. This helps you extend your control over the flow of sound and breath and helps you master your breathing machinery.
Candle – Breathing Exercise
In this version of the singing exercise, instead of holding your sides you hold a candle in front of your mouth. Again, slowly sing out your breath as evenly as possible – and thus exercise mastery of your breathing by controlling the candle flame.
Arm Pumping – Breathing Exercise
Stretching up spine, stand tall, legs relaxed with feet 10 inches apart. Drop arms down at sides. Now gradually pump arms up and down bird-style, breathing in through your mouth until your arms are up above your head. Grasp hands, stretch up, hold breath for 5 seconds. Now slowly breathe out as you bend down, relaxed, dropping arms and head below your heart. Repeat twice.
