CHAPTER 4 VIDEO 2: COPING WITH NERVOUSNESS

Breathing Exercises
Measured Breath
(Repeat for a 3-5 minutes.)
Sit or stand, but be sure to loosen up a little before you begin. Make sure your hands are relaxed
and your knees are soft. Drop your shoulders and let your jaw relax.
Breathe in slowly through your nose and count to four, keep your shoulders down and allow your
stomach to expand as you breathe in. Hold the breath for a moment. Release your breath slowly
and smoothly and count to four.
Slowly increase the count to seven or eight.

Ujjayi Breathing
(Repeat for a 3-5 minutes.)
Gently constrict the opening of the throat to create some resistance to the passage of air. Slowly
pulling the breath in on inhalation and gently pushing the breath out on exhalation against this
resistance creates a well-modulated and soothing soundsomething like the sound of ocean
waves rolling in and out.
The inhalations and exhalations are equal in duration, and are controlled in a manner that mimics
the movement of slowly pouring oil.

Exercises to Stretch and Relax the Jaw, Neck, and Throat

(Repeat at least 12 times each when you do them.)
Jaw
Open the mouth and jaw as wide as you can, stretching the cheeks, lips, neck and jaw muscles
and tendons. Then relax and close the jaw and mouth easily.
Lips
Open the mouth and the jaw as wide as you can. Leave the jaw in the open position and close only
the lips down to a small O opening. Leave the jaw open and repeat the exercise.
Neck
Let the head hang forward exerting a downward pressure and allowing the muscles in the back of
the neck to stretch. Now roll the head to the left and all the way around to the forward position,
making sure that you stretch all of the neck muscles and tendons on the way around. Rotate six
times to the left and then six times to the right.
Note: This exercise is an excellent relaxant, not only for the neck and the throat, but also for the entire body, and
should be used prior to every speaking engagement if possible.