Whisper Soft

We do exercises to strengthen our entire body.  From legs and arms, to bi’s and tri’s, to traps and lats.  Our gluts to our abs.

Through the years of this nonsensical blog, I have offered up pointers to develop many of the near 700 muscles in yer bod.  Heck, I even showed you how to tighten the muscles of your grill (“Exercise Your Face Off” Nov 2013).

 

But there is one muscle/organ I have neglected…..the diaphragm.

 

This thin, little gem sits nestled below your lungs and just above your belly.

Think of the diaphragm as a north/south border wall, keeping your upper innards separated from your lower ones.

The diaphragm helps with your breathing, eating, posture…even your voice!

Have you noticed as you’ve aged your voice getting thinner?  Weaker?  It takes more effort to speak louder?

Well, it could be a weakened diaphragm.

So let’s toughen that puppy up!  You can do it.  It’s easy!

One, don’t slouch when you jabber.  Sit up tall.  Keep your belly firm when you speak.  Push your voice down into your gut when talking.  A weak, breathy voice comes from your upper chest.  Push, push your words down into and from your tightened gut.  You’ll sound stronger.  More confident.  Not meek…and mild.

 

Two, another good way to strengthen your diaphragn (and voice) is reading out loud.  Not reading out loud to yourself.  Project.  Read out loud like you are speaking to someone in the next room.

Read out loud as though you are giving a speech.  And keep that belly tight!

Read a paragraph.  A page.  A chapter.  It doesn’t take much to reap the benefits.

Lemme grab a book here…and we can read along together.

(Read with me now, out loud)…

“An elephant makes a big poop.

A mouse makes a tiny poop.

A one-hump camel makes a one-hump poop.

A two-hump camel makes a two-hump poop.

Fish poop.

And so do birds.  And bugs too.”

Okay, okay, you get the jist, everyone poops.

You sound ridiculous…but you DO sound better!

 

Let’s try again but this time we’ll read something a bit more age/intellect appropriate.

Here is a recent rant from yours truly at My Odd Sock.

(Read out loud with me)…

“Sotyktu, Vabysmo, Opzelura.

These are REAL names of medications advertised on television.

How do you pronounce them?  Who the hell knows.

Do drug companies think we are all idiots trying to say AND spell these words?

 

Leqvio, Breztri, Arexvy.

I swear they come up with med names by reaching into a bag of Scrabble tiles.  (Scoring extra points with an ‘X’ or ‘Z’)

How am I suppose to ask my doctor about Veozah if I have no f-ing idea how to pronounce it?”

 

Sorry, I digress.

If you want to toughen up your diaphragm, might I suggest reading something more enjoyable…like the edge-of-your-seat science fiction thriller “The Price of Rebellion” by my friend Michael C. Bland.  Or the romantic love story “Shelter of the Moment” by Yvonne deSousa, also my friend.  (Can’t believe I know two authors!)

Whatever you choose to read, sit up, keep your belly tight and speak loudly from the gut.

It all works together to strenghten and improve a whisper-soft voice.