Projecting your voice in a strong, clear manner doesn’t just make your speech easier to understand; it also gives your listener the impression that you are confident in your message and that you are a natural leader. Warming up properly before speaking can go a long way towards developing a strong, dynamic voice. Take a look at our three basic steps to warming up your voice and getting ready to speak like a leader!
- Loosen Up Your Neck And Shoulders: You use more of your body when you speak than you realize! Tension in your shoulders and neck can affect the way you speak and make it difficult to relax and project your voice. Roll your shoulders forward slowly five times, then backward five times. Tip your head from side to side and then forward and back. Do each movement in a slow, deliberate manner, going through your entire range of motion.
- Warm Up Your Facial Muscles: Warming up your facial muscles decreases tension and can improve the quality of your speech. Start by relaxing your cheek muscles by massaging them gently with your hands. Then, open your jaw as widely as possible. Retract your lips into a wide smile (as though you are saying “eeeeee”), then pucker them as tightly as you can; go from puckering to smiling several times as quickly as you can. Finally, open your mouth and stretch your tongue beyond your lips in all directions.
- Warm up your Voice: Once your body and face are relaxed, it’s time to warm up your voice. Breathe in on a count of five, and exhale on “mmmmmmmmaaaah” alternating between “mmmm” and “ahh.” Take a deep breath and gently release it on “aaaah” going from your highest note to your lowest in a long sigh. Lip and tongue trills are another great way to gently warm up your voice.
Are you ready to transform your speech into your most powerful professional tool? You may benefit from the services of a corporate speech-language pathologist! For information on the New York Based Speech and Accent Reduction services offered by Corporate Speech Solutions please give us a call at 212-308-7725 or visit us on the web at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com. Not in NYC? No problem! We also provide Skype and video conferencing services.
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