Muscle exercises

Muscle exercises are a fundamental part of public speaking training. By strengthening and improving the control of the muscles involved in speech production, we can enhance our oral expression and convey our ideas more effectively. In this session, we will explore a series of muscle exercises designed to help you develop a clear voice, accurate diction and an impactful facial expression.

Strengthening the respiratory muscles: The respiratory muscles play a crucial role in speech production. Strengthening them will allow you to have greater control of airflow and improve your voice projection. Some exercises to strengthen these muscles are:

• Diaphragmatic breathing: Practice deep inhalation using the diaphragm and slow, controlled exhalation. This will strengthen your diaphragmatic muscle and help you develop more efficient breathing when speaking.
• Exhalation holding technique: Fully exhale the air out of your lungs and try to hold the exhalation for a few seconds before inhaling again. This will strengthen the intercostal muscles and allow you to have better control of the airflow.

Articulation and diction exercises: Clear articulation and diction are critical for effective communication. Here are some exercises to strengthen the muscles responsible for speech articulation:

• Repeating sounds and words: practice repeating sounds and words that involve precise articulatory movements, such as consonant sounds. Try to emphasize and pronounce each sound clearly.
• Tongue and lip exercises: Perform specific movements with the tongue and lips, such as licking the lips, moving the tongue from side to side or vibrating the tip of the tongue. These exercises will strengthen the muscles and improve your articulatory coordination.

Facial stretches: Facial muscles also play an important role in speech. Stretching and relaxing them before speaking can help you avoid tension and improve your facial expressiveness. Here are some face stretching exercises:

• Facial Massage: Gently massage your face with your fingertips, focusing on your jaw, cheeks and forehead. This will help relax your facial muscles and release tension.
• Lip and jaw stretches: Make stretching movements with your lips, such as opening and closing them in exaggeration. You can also make circular movements with the jaw to relieve tension in this area.

Resonance and vocal projection exercises: Resonance and vocal projection are key aspects of good speech. Here are some exercises to develop these skills:

• Repeating words and phrases with emphasis: practice repeating words and phrases, e