Just Breathe

NPR's "Morning Edition" program featured a terrific piece on breathing this week. Allison Aubrey interviewed a soprano and her breathing coach, an Alexander Technique instructor. One of the many interesting excerpts:

If you've ever been in your car when suddenly the person in front of you slams on the brakes, the typical reaction is to gasp — taking a quick in breath.

"It's a natural response," says Edward Bilanchone, a long-time instructor of breath and movement using the Alexander Technique. The quick inhale brings more oxygen in and sets off a flood of hormones that heighten our senses and help us respond quickly. "It helps us survive."

The trouble comes when chronic stress sets in. Under stress, a lot of interactions start to feel like near-collisions. "It becomes a part of us and we never release out of it," says Bilanchone. When we're stressed we may cheat the exhale or even hold our breath for moments. As adults, we can develop these bad habits that interfere with the natural rhythm of breath.

"Babies breathe easily, softly," says Bilanchone. Their backs and bellies move as their diaphragms move. "It's just happening." [emphasis mine]

Babies breathe naturally because they don't know to do anything else. Unfortunately as we become older we become simultaneously more aware and more disconnected from our breath. We try not to breathe too loudly, or to let our bellies expand too much in the process. Budding dancers and athletes begin to breathe higher in their bodies to avoid side cramps. Employees stuck in cubicles breathe more shallowly or even hold their breath as they sit in meetings. Particularly in these modern times, when we spend large parts of our day in front of a computer or hunched over a desk, it's easy to develop poor breathing habits which over time begin to feel "normal."

The first thing I typically do with a new student is ask them to breathe. Often, as they inhale I see their shoulders rise and their belly move up and in. Not only is this way of breathing inefficient, it also creates tension in the upper body that makes singing more difficult. Yet because it has become a habit for them to breathe this way, when they try a diaphragmatic breath for the first time it feels strange, even wrong. I tell these students to go home and lie on the floor, couch or bed and just take a few breaths: when you're lying down, it feels natural to allow the belly to move up and down as you breathe. For some students I have even conducted part of the lesson with them singing while lying on their back.

Another good way to feel the diaphragm is to bend at the waist and place your hands on either side of the spine, just above the hips. Taking in a deep breath, students can feel the diaphragm expand against their hands as they inhale and feel it relax as they exhale. With these small movements, they start to become aware of how their body naturally breathes. Combining this breath with proper abdominal support while singing, students find that they are able to produce a fuller, clearer sound with little effort.

I wish I could say that after one breathing lesson students never forget, but I'd be lying. The reality is that just as poor breathing habits develop slowly over time, developing healthy, efficient breathing takes time and practice. It also helps to have a teacher or coach there to remind you. But then again, I think we can all use that reminder. It's no coincidence that there are so many t-shirts around town printed with that simple instruction: "Breathe."

Link to the article here.
Link to animated demonstration of the diaphragm here. (found on NPR site)
Information about the Alexander Technique here.