Useful Exercises and Tips

Useful Exercises and Tips

Training with Frances Parkes

Breathing Exercises
All voice exercises involve using the breath. It is best to do breathing exercises during breaks when working. Thinking about how you are breathing when you are actually talking is not good. If you find yourself in difficulties with breath when you are talking, breathe out quickly and completely using the muscles in your lower ribcage and diaphragm. On your consequent breath in relax the diaphragm and tummy so the breath goes deeper into your lungs without over-expanding your chest.

Too much breath is unnecessary. Just take in enough so that you can speak without having to let go of any breath before you speak.

Warming Up Exercises
Sitting or standing. Humming. With the right arm hanging by your side produce the hum in your lowest note. Gently raise the arm pointing outwards and in front, as you do this go up the scale until your hand is pointing to the ceiling and you are in your highest note. Breathe in and then lower the arm back down to your side while humming from your highest note back down into your lowest note. If you feel the vibration in your throat but not your lips stop and say: muh muh, muh muh, muh muh – multiple times with your lips moving quickly until you feel the vibration in your lips and then repeat the humming exercise. You should feel a strong vibration or tickle on your lips on the hum.
Do this five times.

The siren sound (the old police siren). With a relaxed jaw and open mouth imitate the siren sound in high note and then a low note.
Do this 3 times

Sitting. Place the fingertips of both hands on the spot just above the navel, the nails of the middle fingers of both hands should be touching. Keeping your fingers in place, allow your elbows to open out so that they are pointing outwards and away from your body like open wings. First breathe out completely emptying your lungs and then breathe in through the nose for a count of five. Gently ease back and down with your elbows until they are touching the top of your waist at your back like closed wings. While your doing this action, release the breath out through the mouth for a count of eight. Raise the elbows again back to the first position while breathing in through the nose on a count of five.

Do this three times.

Get in touch via Skype if you need any help with these exercises.
Our Skype address: maxvox1