Since breathing is automatic, most of us take it for granted. Nonetheless, there is a right way and a wrong way to breathe. Most of us hold our stomachs in and breathe into our chests, which creates shallow, inefficient breaths. Learning to breathe deep into the abdomen will give you stronger, fuller breaths for singing, exercise and any other activities which need a lot of air.
Reclined Abdominal Breathing
Lie down on your back somewhere comfortable and flat. The floor or an exercise mat will work well, but you can also use a firm mattress. Put a book on top of your stomach. Breathe into the bottom of your lungs so that the book rises while your chest stays level. Exhale and watch the book fall with your breath. Breathe in and out slowly several times, trying to effortlessly breathe into your abdomen.
Seated Abdominal Breathing
Try a sitting version of abdominal breathing. Sit up straight in a chair and put one hand on your chest and the other hand on your abdomen. Breathe deep into your abdomen so that the hand on it moves outward while the hand on your chest stays in the same position. Once you get the hang of it, try counting to extend your breaths. Breathe in for four beats, hold your breath for two beats and then breathe out for four beats. You can gradually slow down your counting or add more beats to extend your breath. Try to maintain abdominal breathing throughout the day.
Yoga Breathing
Try a complete yoga breath. Lie on your back as in the first exercise and breathe into your stomach. Once you have filled the lower part of your lungs, breathe into your chest. Hold your breath in for a moment, then breathe back out. Your chest should lower first, followed by your abdomen. Practice breathing in this way as slowly as possible. With practice, you will increase your lung capacity, which will make your abdominal breathing more effective. This is also a great exercise for relaxation.
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