TALKPOWER TIP OF THE WEEK

WHY DEEP BREATHING DOES NOT WORK

Whenever I meet a new Group of students in a Talkpower Workshop I am amazed to learn that 95%of them do not know how to breathe correctly. Most people think that “Take a deep breath’ “will calm their anxiety. When they do this, using the chest to   do the pumping and they feel even more anxious, they think they are doing it wrong. The fact is that when you breath using your chest to do the pumping   and not your abdominal muscles you activate a body chemistry that triggers the “Fight or flight: response to prepare you for very strong physical activity. Since you are sitting or standing still waiting to face the audience take a deep breath will make you even more anxious.  At this time what you want to do is Diaphragmatic breathing

(DIAPHRAMATIC BREATHING)

1.        Sit a very relaxed position.

2.        Try to keep your chest as still as possible.

3.        Pull your bally in and hold it that way for the count of five. (try not to move your chest).

4.        Release your stomach muscles and take in a very small bit of air. (You don’t need large gasps of air), Hold for the count of 5.  Then go back to number 1.

At first this will be difficult but try doing this in bed for twenty breaths before you fall asleep and soon when your brain becomes familiar with this new way of breathing you will be able to make yourself feel much calmer every time you have to face an audience. This will work even sitting in a meeting.

At first this will be difficult but try doing this in bed for twenty breaths before you fall asleep and soon when your brain becomes familiar with this new way of breathing you will be able to make yourself feel much calmer every time you have to face an audience. This will work even sitting in a meeting.