Breathing exercise

1. Stand in an easy position with your feet one pace apart, with the knees ‘unlocked’ and not rigidly pushed back.  Keep spine straight, head balanced and face muscles relaxed.
   

2. Breathe in to a slow count of three, then out to a slow count of three.
   

3. Try not to raise your shoulders as you breathe. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Consciously think of your breath 'filling down' to the bottom of your lungs.
   

4. Put the palm of your hand flat against your abdomen and feel the movement. Push slightly against your hand as you breathe in and out.
   

5. Repeat this exercise ten times.

     Depending on how you feel after several days of doing this exercise, extend the count of the out-going breath from three to four, five and six gradually building up to ten before you need to take another breath.  Then count out loud on the out-going breath from one to ten. Repeat five times.

     By building up your control of out-going breath, you will never sound ‘breathy’ or feel you are 'running out of breath’ when you speak to a group or a meeting.