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The Art of Breathing |
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The Art of Breathing
Six Simple Lessons to Improve Performance, Health and Well-Being
239 pages * 93 illustrations * paper * 4th Edition (Book) ISBN no. 1-58394-034-0 Price: $ 15.95
DVD 90-minutes with interactive Menu,
Recorded in World Wide Format (Book & DVD).
ISBN no.1-884872-80-8
UPC: 654268299555
Price: $ 29.95
Nancy Zi Sing:
Chinese Art Song Favorites (Soprano)
To order please call : 818-500-8084
The following are excerpts and exercises from the Book and Video
From Introduction - A Singer's Discoveries: My voice is my career. For more than three decades, much of my time has been devoted to singing and to voice instruction. I have [had] to make certain that my singing voice [was] always in good condition and that my speaking voice does not strain my vocal cords. To maintain the quality of voice I desire, effective controlled breathing is my most important tool.
My years of experience in training and maintaining the human voice have convinced me that the practice of the art of breathing is beneficial to the health of the whole person, regardless of career or activity...
The following challenges to the imagination are the first of several "imagery drills," which make use of mental pictures to help you experience specific sensations or feelings in the body. These mental pictures are metaphorical descriptions of particular movements that may be otherwise impossible to describe. They communicate a muscular process indirectly, through the use of images of movement. Such images are useful in elucidating invisible, internal movements and subtle adjustments of the body. This brief introduction to the awareness of inner energy merely suggests the energy source you will learn to tap in the exercises and applications that follow.
These imagery drills may be difficult for those who are unaccustomed to manipulating their breathing apparatus. Many athletes, singers, and musicians who play wind instruments, for example, are conscientious breathers, and will be able to handle the drills easily. Others will need to wait until they have practiced a good number of the exercises in Part Two before being able to complete the drills correctly and with little strain...
The first of these drills, the Eyedropper Imagery Drill, introduces you to abdominal breathing, an important step in learning to breathe to the core at will.
Picture yourself as an upside down eyedropper. Squeeze the bulb and air is squeezed out. Release the bulb, letting it expand, and air is drawn into the body. The complete exercise is animated in the video/DVD and explained/illustrated in the book.
