Breathing Video 1: Lecture and Overview on Diaphragm and Support

Breathing is the most important part of singing. It's the origin of the physical act; it
creates the sound! In other words, breathing correctly while singing is nonnegotiable! It needs to be done correctly (from your diaphragm) and strategically
(with control and the correct amount of breath pressure and support).
Your diaphragm lives under your ribcage. It's a balloon-like muscle that wraps
360 degrees around you. It has no nerve endings (so you can't really feel it) but
it's crucial to the act of breathing efficiently and in a relaxed manner.
The way you gauge that it's working: your belly (and the rest of this cross section
of your torso) expands as you breathe in, and gets smaller, or compresses, as
you breathe out or exhale (a.k.a. sing!).
Why is it so important to singing? Aside from the control and breath support it
allows, it also ensures that you don't disrupt your alignment on the upper part of
your chest near your vocal cords. The WRONG kind of breathing results in
tensing of this upper part of your torso, tensing neck muscles, or even jerking
your shoulders upwards as you breathe in. Yes, your lungs expand as you
breathe, but your chest and shoulders should basically remain motionless.
Instead, the thing that's doing the heavy lifting is your DIAPHRAGM.
How To Practice Breathing From Your Diaphragm
If you're unfamiliar with the sensation, please lie down on the ground, facing up.
Pretend you're about to fall asleep and get as relaxed as possible. As you fill with
air, your stomach will gently rise. Then, as you exhale, your stomach falls. Don't
over-think it, just let the movement happen naturally (and it will).
Maximizing your breath capacity (i.e. filling yourself with tons of air) requires that
you work on making your diaphragm stronger and more flexible.
Next, transition into a squat stance, partially bent over with your hand resting on
your thighs. Really let your weight rest in your arms so you have no tension in
your torso. Concentrate on letting all the tension hang out, as your belly spills
forward with gravity. Build on this feeling and really witness your belly and sides

balloon as you breathe in. Then, as you breathe out, push your belly in -streaming the air out (perhaps with a slight hiss) as you try to get your
bellybutton to move upward and into your spine.
Five-Count Hiss Exercise
This exercise is very effective when performed when you first wake up, and then
again before you go to bed. Several passes through will do, sitting, standing, or in
our partial squat. Here's how it works.
1. Empty your belly out of all air.
2. On a slow inhale, expand your diaphragm all the way around and try to get this
to last for five slow counts. 1-2-3-4-5.
3. Then, on a slow exhale, make a hiss sound (like a snake!), feel your
diaphragm compressing or getting smaller, for five slow counts. 1-2-3-4-5.
4. Once you've got this down, try to increase your counts day by day. So maybe
on day one you can do it for five counts, and then a couple days later it's six
counts, then seven, etc.
Good luck!
--Felicia

Traducere
Video respiraie 1: Curs i prezentare general diafragm i suport
Respiraia este cea mai important parte a cntului. Este originea actului fizic;
creeaz sunetul! Cu alte cuvinte, respiraie corect in timp ce cantati este nonnegociabil! Ea trebuie s fie fcut n mod corect (de la diafragma) i cu un control
i cantitate corect de presiune i de respiraie de sprijin.
Diafragma triete sub cutia toracica. Este un muchi de balon care se
incadreaza in 360 de grade n jurul tu. Ea nu are terminaii nervoase (deci nu se
poate ntr-adevr simi), dar este cruciala in actul de a respira eficient i ntr-un
mod relaxat.

Felul in care functioneaza: abdomen tau se extinde n timp ce respiri/inspiri, i se

micsoraza/ devine mai mic, pe msur ce expiri sau expirati.
De ce este att de important s respiri? n afar de suportul de control i de
respiraie permite, se asigur, de asemenea, c nu perturbi alinierea la partea
superioar a pieptului n apropierea corzile vocale. Greseli rezultate din cauza
respiraie gresite: ncordarea superioar a trunchiului, ncordarea muchilor
gtului, sau chiar ridicarea umerilor n sus pe msur ce respiri. Da, plmnii se
extind pe msur ce respira, dar pieptul i umerii ar trebui s rmn practic
nemicat. In schimb, lucrul care face ridicarea grea este DIAPHRAGMA.
Cum sa practici respiratia din diafragma?
Dac nu suntei familiarizat cu senzaia, v rugm s va ntindeti pe pmnt, cu
faa n sus. Pref-te c eti pe cale de a adormi i de a obine o poziti relaxanta.
Pe msur ce se umple cu aer, stomacul va crete uor. Apoi, dup cum expirati,
stomacul cade. Lsai micarea sa se ntmpl n mod natural.
Maximiznd capacitatea de respiraie (adic, de a umple cu tone de aer
diafragma), este necesar sa lucrati exercitiul de mai jos pentru a face diafragma
mai puternic i mai flexibil.
n continuare, n poziie ghemuit, aplecat parial, cu mainile sprijinite pe coapse,
lasand greutate din trunchi in bratele tale, astfel nct s nu avei nici o tensiune
n trunchi. Se concentreaz pe a lsa toat tensiunea atrn afar, iar burta se
umpe si revarsa de aer. Construiti pe acest sentiment, burta balon, n timp ce
respirati. Apoi, pe msur ce expiri, impinge abdomenul in interior, Iar aerul (sa
iasa ca un uor uierat).
Cinci timpi exercitarea diafragmei
Acest exerciiu este foarte eficient atunci cnd se realizeaz cnd te trezeti
prima dat, i apoi din nou, nainte de a merge la culcare. Apoi se va face,
stnd, n picioare sau n ghemuit parial. Iat cum funcioneaz.
1. Golii burta de tot aerul.
2. Pe un inhala lent, extinde diafragma umfli balonul i ncercai s obinei acest
lucru in cinci timpi lenti. 1-2-3-4-5.

3. Apoi, pe un expirat lent, faceti un sunet uierat (ca un arpe!), a se simti

diafragma, comprimarea sau cum se micsoreaza, pentru cinci timpi lenti. 1-2-3-45.
4. Incercai s cresteti timpi de la zi la zi. Poate c n prima zi poi face pentru
cinci timpi, apoi peste cteva zile ase timpi, apoi apte, etc.
Mult noroc!
--Felicia