"College Corner" by Bailey Woods
Diaphragmatic Breathing
WHAT IS IT?
Diaphragmatic breathing is not in any way “better” than the breathing you are used to, instead, it’s the breathing your body is made for.
Deep breathing is the natural state of human breathing- technically we’re supposed to breathe through our Diaphragm. That’s why we have one. Society has taught us, in multiple ways, to breathe through our chest. We’re taught to keep our stomachs flat and thin, often wear clothing specifically restricting our stomachs, and are only taught to breathe the natural, CORRECT, way when we pursue a specialty utilizing it. Diaphragmatic breathing is the first thing taught in vocals, and if a singer cannot master it they will never succeed in the field. When singers learn to breathe in the right place, they can hold their breath longer, efficiently use the air they do have better, sound clearer, expand the range of notes they can hit, and most of all project astronomically louder than before.
WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH MENTAL HEALTH?
From a mental health standpoint, the breathing we are used to is shallow breathing, and this can and often does create higher levels of anxiety, as short, shallow breathing is very active, and can trigger or worsen the fight-or-flight response (which is what Anxiety is in our bodies). That is a large part of the reason why deep breathing in meditation, yoga, et cetera, are so effective. If someone can re-teach themselves how to breathe right, then their body is taking in more air, slowly. When we ask ourselves to deep breath, we usually switch to Diaphragm for a few breaths, and in that a lot of the effectiveness of deep breathing happens.
DOES THIS REALLY WORK?
I personally have been Diaphragm breathing for probably about 5-6 years. After it “clicked” for me in vocal training and with my meditation process, I haven’t reverted back to shallow breathing, with the exception of the rare extended anxiety attack
SO HOW DO I DO IT?
Easy thing to do, put your hands on your chest and stomach. Now when you breathe in, try to only let your stomach hand rise and fall. After doing this a couple minutes, you might feel lightheaded. Like, really lightheaded. Good! You did it. Now keep doing it. Keep in mind that the diaphragm is actually a right under your ribcage, i.e. a bit above your stomach. If you feel your breath here, perfect. If you don’t yet, that’s ok, this is a skill that does take some time and effort to learn, as most skills