In my video this week, you will learn two breathing exercises that you can use to help strengthen your diaphragm. Here, I will share with you more about breathing and developing diaphragmatic strength.
When it comes to singing, it is important to initiate sound on the support of your exhalation, which is sustained by the efficient use of your diaphragm. In other words, you always want to be singing on the out breath. The source of your exhalation is the diaphragm muscle, which connects at the base of the rib cage just under the lungs. When you exhale to initiate or sustain a tone, the diaphragm moves up from a place of rest at the base of the ribs, quickly, into the rib cage, helping air to leave the lungs from the bottom up. Imagine squeezing toothpaste from the bottom of the tube: the diaphragm action is the energy at the bottom of the tube!
The best way to begin to feel this coordination is to exhale, through your mouth, as much as you can with one exhalation. You will feel a little uncomfortable as you empty yourself of all of your air. Then relax and keep your throat open. The air will rush right back into your body, filling your lungs. You will notice that your lower belly will suddenly extend. That is the result of the diaphragm moving downward, quickly, to allow the empty lungs to fill with air and return the proper air pressure within the body.
Here is the most important tip about breathing (and it may seem counterintuitive): Before you begin to sing, relax. Don’t take a big breath! The most efficient way to breathe while you are singing is through your mouth, not your nose. Allow yourself to begin each phrase with an exhale, using all your air. When you need your next breath, you simply relax again, and let the body refill with air on its own. You don’t need to actively take an inhalation. Focus primarily on the exhalation. When you end a phrase, you end it by relaxing the diaphragm, stopping the flow of air to the sound. You don’t need to squeeze your throat to stop the tone. You keep your torso open. The relaxation brings the air back into the body for your next phrase.
The trick is to train the diaphragm to relax quickly, to turn around and flex quickly when you begin a phrase, and to stay flexed while you sustain a long phrase.
Be sure to watch the video for the exercises to help you to strengthen your diaphragm!
