How to Breathe for Singing: Kung Fu Panda Breath

You've heard it milllion times... "Breathe into your diaphragm."  "Breathe into your belly."  "Your belly should expand first, then your chest."

Well, what if you JUST CAN'T GET IT TO WORK THAT WAY? What if, no matter how you try, you can't breathe into your belly first?
 
Here are some more ideas for how to get the feeling of what your voice coach is talking about when they try to teach you to breathe for singing!  

Kung Fu Panda Breath

Thanks to singing teacher Monica Augustine for this one.

Wide stance, feet farther than hip width apart. Bend knees quite a bit. Palms of the hands together in front of your chest, like you're going to pray. Elbows out. Push your hands together. Take a breath and feel your belly AND your back expand. I don't know what it is about this stance, but it worked for me!

Floppy Used Car Balloon Breath

You know those huge tubular balloon-people they have at used-car lots? The ones where the air is constantly being pumped in, so the tube-balloon-people body and arms constantly fold over and bounce up and wave around as the air rushes upward?
 
Imagine you are one of those balloon-people in slow motion. Expel your air and let yourself slump over. Then imagine the air being pumped into you from the bottom up, and let the air straighten up your posture.

Dog Breath

Get on all fours. See if you can breathe into your belly rather than into your chest first. You're going with gravity here, so that may help.

---

(c) 2009 Adrienne Osborn

Adrienne Osborn is a vocalist and performance coach based in Colorado.   For more free articles and tips, visit http://PerformanceHigh.net.