Breathing Exercises for Singing

A big part of your breathing is that it is very shallow in nature. Surprisingly we only use a small portion of our lung volume with our regular day breathing. The key here is to fill it up completely and there is a specific exercise for this.

Diaphragm Exercise

This is a visual exercise, but it will change the way that you take in air. Basically you start by letting out all your air and start to slowly breath in air. I want you to focus directly on your diaphragm and push it out as you start to fill up with air. Try and have it come out as far as you can. Visualize it in your mind that the air is coming deep into the lower areas of your longs and your torso is starting to push out.

This is really the only way to get the full use out of your lungs. It will change the way that you take in air, so you are capable of pulling in much larger volumes of air all the time.

Laying Leg Raise

This will seem like something that you would be doing at the gym as an exercise (seriously you can do it there), but it is designed to condition a specific type of breathing pattern.

First, lay down on the floor and bring up your right leg to a 90 degree position. If you can’t get the leg up to 90 degrees, than just get it as close as you possibly can. At this point breath in as much air as you possibly can and hold it for a period of 5 seconds. Exhale. Next, do the same thing with your left leg. The idea here is that you’re going to strengthen the very muscles that will help you breath better.

Long Notes

This is another one of those breathing exercises for singing that will help you with very long notes. Let’s assume that you have to sing a note for a count of 8. You can practice this by breathing air in over a count of 8. Holding that air in for a count of 8 and exhaling for a count of 8. That is a total of 24 seconds and after you do this a few times you’ll find it easier and easier.