Melissa Cross (Zen Of Screaming) breathing exercises (for singing and relaxing) :
So i watched this excellent "Zen Of Screaming" DVD from singing teacher Melissa Cross and made a kind of transcript of the breathing exercises she gives for singers (and it helps relaxing too ! great after workout/physical exercise/stressful situation/shitty jobday), and which you can do in bed before sleepong for instance (except for exercise 4 for which you have to stand up and that's not really relaxing at all).
It helps to have seen her DVDs but i did my best to translate it and i think you can get the picture.
And for those who have seen the dvd some time ago, it's a great reminder (without having to watch the dvd again).
Note : it's better to watch those DVDs really
So here we go (sorry in advance for the ghetto English, i wrote those as reminder notes at first) :
.:: melissa cross breathing exercises ::.
EXERCISE 1 : diaphragm/ribcage independence mouth wide open
lay down on your back, with your legs standing on your feet (as if you were on a rooftop watching the stars in the sky or something)
one fist on the lower ribcage on the side, the other hand flat on the belly
-blow all your air with your mouth wide open
-inhale through the nose expending your "strapless bra" (ribcage "barrel" extension) only during 8 seconds and no other kind of inhalation !
-then hold for 4 seconds ("floating"/relaxed)
-then open up jaw/mouth wide and exhale during 4 seconds deflating the diaphragm ("belly") first...
-...and then 4 seconds deflating the ribcage ("strapless bra")
repeat 2 times (3 times total)
EXERCISE 2 : diaphragm/ribcage independence mouth hardly open : "whistle"
same as EXERCISE 1 but exhale with a hardly open mouth/jaw (you're only blowing air in a whistling fashion)
repeat 2 times (3 times total)
EXERCISE 3 : endurent unconscious diaphragm/ribcage independence mouth hardly open : "feather"
same as EXERCISE 2 but exhale with a almost shut mouth/jaw (you're only blowing air in a whistle fashion) thinking that you're blowing a feather (keeping afloat in the air) for as long as you can
1 time only
EXERCISE 4 : ribcage reserve after "by the way" and quick back and forth "doggy breathing" :
standing straight
one fist on lower ribcage on the side, other hand flat on the belly
-do a "by the way" (sudden inhalation, triggering the "barrel" (lower/side ribcage) expansion)
-do ten reps of quick back and forth "doggy breathing" while maintaining your ribcage full and tight
-on the eleven count, let go of "strapless bra"
So i watched this excellent "Zen Of Screaming" DVD from singing teacher Melissa Cross and made a kind of transcript of the breathing exercises she gives for singers (and it helps relaxing too ! great after workout/physical exercise/stressful situation/shitty jobday), and which you can do in bed before sleepong for instance (except for exercise 4 for which you have to stand up and that's not really relaxing at all).
It helps to have seen her DVDs but i did my best to translate it and i think you can get the picture.
And for those who have seen the dvd some time ago, it's a great reminder (without having to watch the dvd again).
Note : it's better to watch those DVDs really
So here we go (sorry in advance for the ghetto English, i wrote those as reminder notes at first) :
.:: melissa cross breathing exercises ::.
EXERCISE 1 : diaphragm/ribcage independence mouth wide open
lay down on your back, with your legs standing on your feet (as if you were on a rooftop watching the stars in the sky or something)
one fist on the lower ribcage on the side, the other hand flat on the belly
-blow all your air with your mouth wide open
-inhale through the nose expending your "strapless bra" (ribcage "barrel" extension) only during 8 seconds and no other kind of inhalation !
-then hold for 4 seconds ("floating"/relaxed)
-then open up jaw/mouth wide and exhale during 4 seconds deflating the diaphragm ("belly") first...
-...and then 4 seconds deflating the ribcage ("strapless bra")
repeat 2 times (3 times total)
EXERCISE 2 : diaphragm/ribcage independence mouth hardly open : "whistle"
same as EXERCISE 1 but exhale with a hardly open mouth/jaw (you're only blowing air in a whistling fashion)
repeat 2 times (3 times total)
EXERCISE 3 : endurent unconscious diaphragm/ribcage independence mouth hardly open : "feather"
same as EXERCISE 2 but exhale with a almost shut mouth/jaw (you're only blowing air in a whistle fashion) thinking that you're blowing a feather (keeping afloat in the air) for as long as you can
1 time only
EXERCISE 4 : ribcage reserve after "by the way" and quick back and forth "doggy breathing" :
standing straight
one fist on lower ribcage on the side, other hand flat on the belly
-do a "by the way" (sudden inhalation, triggering the "barrel" (lower/side ribcage) expansion)
-do ten reps of quick back and forth "doggy breathing" while maintaining your ribcage full and tight
-on the eleven count, let go of "strapless bra"
