Breathing Exercises for a Better Voice

Pranayama is a series of meditation-like exercises for breathing and breath control in hatha yoga. In addition to a relaxing effect on the entire body, Pranayama is credited with other health benefits and effects that can be of crucial importance, especially for professional speaking professions (teachers & professors, consultants and coaches, lawyers, public speakers, PR and marketing consultants). Pranayama is said to improve the maximum vocalization time and the airflow in the larynx to enhance the so-called “central peak performance” and the frequency of the voice. Pranayama can thus serve as a daily voice training for general voice improvement.

The exercises can lead to a slight feeling of dizziness in beginners and people with previous health problems. So start carefully and pay attention to your body.
Heavy eating before the exercises can also have an adverse effect.

Exercises:

Nasal breathing

Breathe in and out through your nose.

Tetrazzini exercise

Stand up straight. Think of your lungs as empty sacks in front of your inner eye. Breathe in through your nose. Imagine how your lungs fill up with weight—first the lower, then the middle and then the upper parts of the lungs. Exhale through the mouth.
Then breathe in through the nose in small bursts. Breathe in little air each time you breathe in. Then hold the breath briefly and release it gently and lightly through your mouth, also in small bursts.

This exercise is named after the opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini, who performed it before performances as well as for practice purposes. It is officially not a Pranayama exercise but has nevertheless found its way into this overview in the course of its value.

Kapalabhati breathing

Breathe in abruptly and energetically through your nose and then out through your nose too, so that your belly rises and falls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1br9fUoPJbY

Breath of fire twist

Clasp your hands, raise your arms at chest level and give your torso to the left and right. Breathe through your nose.

Breathing without clasping your hands and swivelling your upper body is explained in the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCDfIXPq-P4

Blow out the candles on the cake

Imagine blowing out six candles on a cake at once with the fff sound.

Pipe breathing

Form your mouth to whistle, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.

Lion breathing

Extend your tongue, raise your chest and stretch backwards (similar to a camel pose from yoga) and breathe in and out several times with a “hahh-sound”.

Jalandhara Bandha

Rest your chin on your chest, but keep your spine aligned by lifting your chest slightly. Breathe in through your nose. Hold your breath. Exhale slowly.

Note: It is advised not to do this exercise if you have high blood pressure or heart problems.

Bee breathing

Close your ears with your thumbs while your other fingers touch your skull. Hum like a bee – just a little deeper.

As an alternative, you can also perform the following bee breathing:
Place your fingers over your eyes. Place your middle fingers on the bridge of your nose. The ring finger should touch the side nostrils and close them slightly. Take your thumbs and close your ears. Breathe in through your nose. Then hum with your mouth shut in a deep tone

Ujjayi breathing

Breathe in, make a little noise as you exhale (as if you were annoyed). Be careful not to create pressure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQrsJ-yZWV8

U breathing

Shape your tongue to the U. Breath in and out through your mouth.

Alternate breathing

Breathe in for 5-10 seconds. Hold your breath for as long as the inhalation took. Exhale evenly and calmly at the same pace.

Alternating nasal breathing

Breathe in through your left nostril while closing the right one. Keep breathing short by closing both nostrils and then exhale through the right nostril by opening it. Repeat this form of breathing several times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v = 8VwufJrUhic & list = PLXTTdcAZgh6G0W_03cnttaWjAClSVijmC & index = 51

18 seconds or Lampertis Appoggio exercise

Breathe in for 18 seconds. Keep your breath short. And then exhale for 18 seconds. You have to hold your breath a bit for this.

Note: The exercise is more natural if you stand with your sternum raised and your shoulders back.
You can also start with fewer seconds and increase slowly.

Breathe calmly

Just keep breathing in and out consciously.

Resources and further reading tips:

• Cranell, Kenneth C.- Voice and articulation
• Anderson, Virgil- Training of the speaking voice
• Kristin Linklater, Freeing the natural voice, Drama QSM, Hollywood, 2006
• Heather Lyle, Vocal Yoga
• Shewell, Christina, Voice, Work: Art and Science in Changing Voices
• MBG, Thyroid Yoga E-Course
• Patsy Rodenburg, The right to speak
• Cicely Berry, The voice and the actor