Supplement Effective Presentation Technique

A Breathing

How we breathe

1. The human breathing mechanism may be likened to a bellows which expands to admit air and contracts to expel it.

   1. When we inhale, two things happen.

1. Muscles attached to the collarbone and shoulder bones pull upward and slightly outward.

2. Muscles in the abdominal wall relax, allowing the diaphragm – a sheet of muscle and tendon lying immediately below the lungs – to fall.

2. This permits the spongy, porous material of which the lungs consist to expand.

   1. A vacuum is created.

   2. Air rushes in.

3. When we exhale, two things happen also.

   1. Gravity causes the rib cage to move downward.

   2. Muscles in the abdominal wall contract, squeezing the diaphragm upward.

4. The space available to the lungs is thus reduced.

   1. The lungs are squeezed.

   2. Air is emitted.

   3. Just as increasing the size of the bellows bag allows air to rush in, so increasing the space available to the lungs allows them to admit air.

   4. Just as squeezing the bellows bag forces air out, so contracting the space the lungs can occupy forces air to be emitted.

Keep in mind that the proper development and use of breath are basic to good voice and speech – breath is the foundation of good voice and speech.

For humans, there are two functions of breathing. Whether we breathe for survival or for speech, the action of the muscles ought to be the same because breathing is a natural process.

In vegetative breathing the inhalation is active, whereas the exhalation is passive. In speech both inhalation and exhalation are strong and controlled and hence are active processes.

In vegetative breathing, exhalation and inhalation usually take about the same time for all breaths. However, in breathing for speech, inhalation is usually of relatively short duration, whereas the duration of exhalation depends on the thought being expressed. In addition, breathing for speech is usually much deeper than breathing to sustain life.

Types of Breathing

There are three major types of breathing: (1) diaphragmatic (abdominal), (2) clavicular, and (3) upper thoracic.

1. Diaphragmatic breathing (abdominal breathing) is recommended for career speech by most trained voice and speech specialists. In this type of breathing, a downward movement of the diaphragm is accompanied by an expansion of the lower ribs. This technique provides greater control over exhalation.

2. In clavicular breathing, the speaker raises the shoulders and collarbones (clavicles) while inhaling. This can be a very exhausting habit. Because it adds tension to the laryngeal area, the resulting voice is often harsh and high-pitched.

3. In upper thoracic breathing, the sternum (breastbone) is elevated during inhalation and often pulls in the lower rib cage.

Breathing for life is involuntary and is dictated by the individual’s brain stem. Inhalation is active, whereas exhalation is passive. The amount of air in each of a person’s vegetative inhalations is about the same. In speech, inhalations and controlled exhalations are active, voluntary, and dependent upon the desired message of the speaker. We voluntarily take in the amount of air necessary to speak a complete thought. Thus the depth of inhalation for shouting “Olé!” at a bullfight is significantly different from the amount of air necessary to impress friends with a lengthy tongue twister. This process is closely allied to the psychology of speech, which is a major subject in itself. Inhalation is basically involuntary. However, the professional communicator sometimes takes a deeper breath voluntarily to achieve a desired effect. It is important that the depth of a breath be sufficient to support the intent, thought, or emotion to be conveyed.