With the end of week 2 of the lock-down, you might find yourself still feeling torn between becoming used to this situation and feeling stressed about what the future will hold.

Today, I will guide you through another stretching exercise as well as the next deep breathing techniques to help you manage feelings of stress.

As before, the breathing exercises also prepare you for a better speaking voice.

Here is stretching exercise for your shoulders: 

  • Lie on a mat on the floor, or on your bed or couch.
  • Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
  • Rest your shoulders on the floor.
  • Float your arms upwards directly above your shoulders, perpendicular to the floor.
  • Keep your arms relaxed and straight.
  • Now, lift your right arm out of its shoulder socket, and then drop it back into its shoulder socket.
  • Repeat with the left arm – lift it out of its shoulder socket, then drop it back into its shoulder socket.
  • Keep breathing in and out deeply all the time.
  • Again: lift the right arm out of the shoulder socket and drop it back
  • Left arm: lift it out of the shoulder socket and drop it back
  • repeat
  • Lower your arms onto the floor and rest.

Next, I will guide you through the second deep breathing exercise. This exercise is a crucial one both for overcoming tension that settles in the stomach and preparing you for an effective speaking voice.

Remain in a lying position. Before you start, imagine the area just above your navel to be the centre of the breathing process. Focus on filling air up and emptying from this area. By focussing on this area, you will be able to use the full capacity of the lungs, as well as how to use your diaphragm more effectively.

  • As you are lying on your back, place your hands across your midriff and navel.
  • Imagine that the breathing process takes place at your lower abdomen, at your navel.
  • Now, gently sigh out any air you have, imagining that it exits through your navel.
    • In reality, you are letting this air out through your mouth.
  • Rest and wait for the impulse to breathe in.
  • Imagine air coursing in through your navel, in your stomach.
    • In reality, take this air in through your nose.
  • Then, imagine the air coursing out through your navel again.

Throughout, feel the gentle in-and-out movement of your lower abdomen under your hands.

Here is the audio file for this exercise:

I trust that this was a valuable and enjoyable. Remember that you can easily incorporate these exercises in your daily routine, as you are sitting at your desk and especially when you are preparing for speaking.

In our next session, I will guide you to through the first steps to warming up your voice.

Disclaimer
The author cannot be held liable for any damage, loss, illness or hurt to the reader’s voice or voice organs or any other part of my body and by undertaking the exercises herein contained is indemnified against such damage, loss, illness and hurt.

Picture credit: Pixbay street art 27204561920