Tips Guides Resources

Correct management of the breath is of first importance to the student of elocution, and for all those wishing to speak publicly. Below are a number of breathing and relaxation exercises which will greatly enhance your ability to speak well.

When the voice is not in use, breathe exclusively through the nose so that the air may be warmed and purified before reaching the lungs. This habit will, in large measure, obviate the disagreeable effects of dry mouth and sore throat, so common to public speakers. Practise as much as possible in the open air. Be enthusiastic and in earnest.

The correct position for practising the exercises is as follows: Stand easily erect, chest active, shoulders equal height, chin level, one foot slightly in advance of the other, heels at an angle of forty-five degrees, knees straight, weight of the body on the toes, arms a dead weight at sides.

BREATHING EXERCISES

Gentle abdominal breathing.

Inhale through the nose gently and slowly.

Expand first the abdomen, then the chest, filling the entire breathing capacity.

Exhale quietly and evenly until these parts are wholly contracted.

Repeat, inhaling.

Then exhaling through the mouth.

Sipping and packing the air.

Slowly sip the air until the normal capacity is filled.

Increase the expansion by firmly packing in more air.

Exhale slowly on aspirated ah (the sound of a in father).

The exhalation should be deep, smooth and sustained as long as possible.

Nostril breathing. Gently close the right nostril with the thumb of the right hand. Inhale slowly and deeply through the left nostril until the capacity is filled, then change the thumb to the left nostril and exhale slowly through the right nostril until the breath is exhausted. Then with the thumb still closing the left nostril, inhale and repeat.

Holding the breath. Inhale deeply. Hold the breath while mentally counting five. Exhale slowly. Increase the count to ten, fifteen, etc. Stop at the first sign of dizziness.

Muscular expansion. Inhale deeply. Hold the breath and expand the lungs with a muscular effort. Exhale slowly. Again inhale and force the air down into the lungs. Also move the chest up and down, keeping the air in the lungs all the time.

Counting in a whisper. Inhale deeply. Count one to fifty in a loud whisper, in tens.

Whispering continued. Inhale deeply. Count in a projected whisper to fifty, one at a time, completely exhausting the air upon each figure.

Raising the hands above the head. Clasp the hands and while inhaling deeply raise them slowly above the head, endeavoring to reach as high as possible without raising the heels from the floor. Exhale while the arms gently fall to the sides.

RELAXATION EXERCISES

The arms. Relax the arms at sides. While inhaling, slowly raise the arms above the head with as little tension as possible. Hold the breath, make the arms tense and reach as high as possible with the hands, hold a few seconds, then relax and exhale as the arms slowly descend.

The hands. Repeat, clasping the hands above the head and swaying from side to side.

Walking. Relax the entire body and walk in imitation of intoxication.

The body. With head and neck thoroughly relaxed, shake the body vigorously.

The breath. While inhaling, raise the arms to horizontal position, then hold the breath and stretch as far as possible.

The feet. With weight on forward foot, the back ward foot lightly touching the floor, slowly raise one arm while inhaling deeply and reach out as far as possible. Relax and reverse.

Position. Relax the head and drop the arms down as if reaching to the floor. The knees should be straight. Slowly assume an upright position and inhale deeply. The head should be raised last.

The waist. Relax the head and revolve at the waist. Reverse.

Yawning. While inhaling, slowly raise the arms as in yawning, then stretch and relax.

The above breathing and relaxation exercises will undoubtedly give you the edge for improving your public speaking!

How To Give A Demonstrative Speech In Public And Never Have Another Attack Of Nerves!

Click here for FREE online Ebook

http://www.demonstrativespeech.net/

We all know that public speaking is one of the most feared endeavors for many, many people especially when we are not called on to do it very often. There are many ways to combat public speaking nerves but for some reason the very people who are the most scared do the least to get over this fear. There is one main thing we have to remember when we have this type of fear. It does not allow us to think straight because all or most of our brain activity moves to the rear of the brain where out ‘fight or flight’ reactions belong. There is minimal activity left in the frontal parts of the brain where our fine thinking skills are located. And what do you think will happen if we do not have access to fine cognitive processes, yes, our speaking will deteriorate even more.

The answer is first to realize that this happens physiologically for a reason and the next step is to discover how to put this activity back where it belongs, in the frontal or neocortex as it is known, so a clearer thinking mind is available to you when you need it.

Lets look at a few ways to do this then. Doing it in stages or smaller chunks will make this much easier. Firstly I really recommend that you do some slow deep breathing for a while, at least ten minutes, getting control of your breathing is a crucial first step to taking back an empowered mental state. Make a conscious effort to go somewhere quiet and breathe in to a count of seven using your diaphragm or belly (not chest breathing) and breathe out to a count of eleven seconds, After ten minutes you will find yourself calming down tremendously. It is the slow exhalation that lets your autonomic nervous system know it can calm down now and will begin to take your body away from a fight or flight response.

Well done, the next step is to start rubbing your hands together for a few minutes and then suck your cheeks in hard whilst continuing to breathe. this may sound strange but the reason for this is that it moves activity back to your frontal brain area. Then you can look straight ahead and let your eyes move gently outwards so you become aware of the peripherals of the room you are in. this feels a little different at first but try it again, just move each eye outwards to observe the periphery of the place you are in. When you are in peripheral vision there is no ‘internal voice’ in your head saying things like ‘i’m nervous’. You will be aware that there are no pictures in your mind either (of the large audience for example) that could further unnerve you.

The peripheral vision technique actually quietens your mind right down to a still point. Practice all the above before you actually do the speaking, at least a few weeks before and they will really help enormously.

Lee James Heather is a counselor and the webmaster of http://www.growthjunction.com - a large and ever expanding depository of personal development information ranging from public speaking skills to meditation and work/career information.

In considering how best to deliver a speech, it is desirable that a speaker should have some knowledge of the people he is to address. It will be to his advantage to know something of their range of thought and their likes and dislikes. He should also know something of the occasion, such as: Who will be there? What is expected of him? How long should he speak? Will there be any other speakers? What will be the spirit of the audience?

THE BEGINNING

The first impression made by a speaker will often determine the success or failure of his undertaking. He should assume a natural and easy standing position and begin in a quiet conversational voice. His face should be cheerful and somewhat animated, and his bearing should be modest. By modesty is not meant timidity or an attitude of subservience, for lack of self-confidence is destructive of successful effort. It means rather a sinking of self, or a merging of self into the subject in hand. Modesty is not incompatible with leadership, and a public speaker must be a leader.

PROGRESS

There must be evidence of substantial progress being made as a speaker advances in his subject, otherwise the audience will soon become weary and disinterested. A speech should have an onward rising tendency, marked by gradually increasing volume of voice, earnestness of feeling, intensity of facial expression and greater breadth and variety of gesture. Once having secured control of his audience the speaker must keep them so to speak “in his grasp” for should he loosen his hold upon them, even for a few moments, it is doubtful if he could again gain control of them. There should be special strong points in the address, upon which the speaker has particularly prepared himself, all leading up, however, to the great climax which will close his speech.

THE CLIMAX

In every speech there is a summit to be reached, and it is the duty of the speaker to lead his audience to it step by step. If the subject matter has been arranged in climactic order, as it should be, little difficulty should be experienced in working up the vocal climax. Here the highest powers of the speaker are brought into play, voice, gesture, facial expression and body movements, all are summoned to aid him in this final appeal. The man’s soul seems on fire as he sends these last burning shafts of eloquence into the minds and hearts of his hearers.

THE CLOSE

Frequently the climax closes the address, although a few words may be added in a quieter style should it be found desirable. These words should be very few, however, and straight to the point. They should be concise, important and dignified. Nothing is more distressing than to have a speech “flatten out” toward the end. The closing argument should be put, as Emerson says, into concrete shape, some hard phrase, round and solid as a ball, which the people can see and handle and carry home with them.

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS

1. Let your first efforts be simple.
2. Do your work under immediate inspiration.
3. Be bold, but not too bold.
4. Make up your mind to accept the risk. Failure should lead to more persistent effort.
5. Prepare twice as much matter as you intend to use. The memory is sometimes treacherous.
6. Cultivate the extempore style as soon as possible.
7. Learn to select your words and cast your sentences accurately and fluently.
8. Be natural, not artificial.
9. Enunciate, deliberately.
10. Regulate the pitch and force of your voice by talking to your farthest auditors.
11. Conceal the bones in the skeleton of your address.
12. Avoid hurry.
13. Be yourself at your best.
14. If you bow, do so from the waist, not from the neck.
15. If your audience appears cold, warm them up.
16. Cultivate concentration.
17. Never let your words overshadow your thought.
18. Better stop too soon than too late.

These suggestion, if carried out, should provide the speaker with a high-quality speech every time.

How To Give A Demonstrative Speech In Public And Never Have Another Attack Of Nerves!

Click Here For Free Online Ebook

http://www.demonstrativespeech.net/

The student of public speaking will do well to confine his first efforts to simple forms of speech-making. Plain narrative and clear statement of fact should be his primary objects. The ornamental graces of rhetoric and oratory may advantageously be left for subsequent consideration.

His subject may be anything from a personal experience, such as a visit to New York or London, to a discussion of some social or political question of the day. But whatever theme he choose to speak upon, it is important that it be timely and of probable interest to his hearers. The highest oratorical talents will not atone for an inappropriate choice of subject. There are hundreds of vital topics, in which most men are more or less interested. A selection may be made from these:

The Unemployed.
Woman Suffrage.
Convict Labor.
Sunday Closing.
Capital Punishment.
Coeducation.
Restricted Immigration.
The Theater.
Aerial Navigation.
Crime and Poverty.
Life Insurance.
Child Labor.
Vivisection.
Trial by Jury.
Free Trade.
Gambling.
Universal Peace.
The Negro.
Strikes.
Anarchy.
Bimetalism.
Free Will.
Degeneration.
Vegetarianism.
The Press.
Suicide.
Cremation.
Divorce.
Imperialism.
Trusts.
Socialism.
Pensions.
Evolution.
Opportunity.
Prohibition.
Success.

Before attempting to write speeches of his own, the student will find it profitable to examine those of others, a good selection of which is provided in this volume. Cicero says:

Since, all the business and art of an orator is divided into five parts, he ought first to find out what he should say; next, to arrange and dispose his matter, not only in a certain order, but with a sort of power and judgment; then to clothe and deck his thoughts with language; then to secure them in his memory; and lastly, to deliver them with dignity and grace. I had learned and understood also that before we enter upon the main subject, the minds of the audience should be conciliated by an exordium; next, that the case should be clearly stated; then, that the point in controversy should be established; then, that what we may maintain should be supported by proof, and that whatever was said on the other side should be refuted; and that, in the conclusion of our speech, whatever was in our favor should be amplified and enforced, and whatever made for our adversaries should be weakened and invalidated.

The mind once fixt upon a subject, that subject becomes a point of attraction, and material gathers around it with surprizing rapidity. These spontaneous thoughts should be committed immediately to paper, and only after the student has exhausted the natural resources of his mind should he have recourse to books. It is difficult to lay down hard and fast rules as to the choice of books, but in a general way the young speaker will be well advised if he confines himself to those which have stood the test of time.

It may be said in passing that the frequent and regular reading of standard books is not only useful far storing the mind with information, but is an essential part of practical training in extempore speaking. If much of this reading is done aloud, the results will be all the better, since many words and phrases will in this manner be actually fitted to the speaker’s mouth and made ready for instant use. Probably no exercise develops as this does the faculty of ready utterance. History, biography, philosophy, science, poetry and fiction should be laid under tribute, and each made to render its share toward forming the student’s speaking style.

To read more purchase the ebook Great Speeches and How to Make Them

Every effective speaker uses visual aids. Think back to the times you have been part of an audience. The best speakers used this even when you did not think of them. In church or temple, for example, the speaker wears certain robes, reads from a book of scriptural writings or is surrounded by religious symbols. Sacred music plays in the background before or after the talk.

As a speaker, you use visual aids to communicate better and help your audience understand and remember your message. It can be:

1. Provide support and emphasize main ideas
2. Facilitate understanding
3. Encourage emotional involvement
4. Aid with delivery
5. Add to your credibility
6. Decrease your nervousness, because they can give something to do with your hands
7. Draw audience attention away from you personally and onto your topic
8. Make it almost impossible to forget what you want to say.

Good visual aids also help listeners by sorting and organizing information. A well-organized text slide, for example, shows one main point with three to five supporting statements. This way, your audience can file the information away in their minds, in an organized fashion, and pull it up again whenever they need it.

Visual aids do more than just help audiences learn. They increase the entertainment value of your talk by adding interest and color. Actually, they cover more than just the visual. People learn better the more their senses are engaged. So if you are giving a talk about aromatherapy, you will want to use a lightly scented candle or other product to illustrate what you are talking about. If you are teaching a cooking technique for a small class, of course you will offer everyone a taste of the finished dish.

Some of them are distracting, annoying or simply too much. Here are some tips for creating and using effective aids:

Use some kind, even if you do not have much time to prepare. Even a simple article or picture helps anchor your speech in the listeners mind.

Keep it simple. Flip charts or PowerPoint slides with text should highlight just a few words or phrases per page. Just enough to help you and your audience remember the main points. If it takes more than a few seconds to understand the text, the audience will go into reading mode and stop listening.

Make sure ahead of time that your venue can accommodate your visual aids. Try to visit the room you will speak in before the big event. Make sure there is a stand for your flip chart or bring one.

If you use pictures or other artifacts, make sure they are directly connected to your topic. Enhance your audiences memory, not distract from it. It is useful to watch video of good speeches. Notice how effective speakers use it to emphasize a point, make a transition and remind themselves of their next points. You will see that what a person wears can be for good or bad.

Once you have chosen and created your visual aids, it is important to practice using them. This gives you a chance to make your transitions smooth and ensure that you have all the supplies you need. Practice in front of family or friends and let them tell you whether it is useful or distracting.

Developing good visual aids is just one creative aspect of effective public speaking. Using them well can make your presentation more enjoyable, both for you and your audience.

Ranju Kumar is assistant editor at persuasivepublicspeaking.com, which helps entrepreneurs and independent professionals to earn more by making their marketing and communication more persuasive. For tips on more persuasive communication, sign up for the free eclass mastering public speaking

Whether you call it speech anxiety, stage fright or communication apprehension, fear of public speaking can ruin an otherwise positive experience. But it does not have to be that way. No one escapes the rush of adrenaline that accompanies giving a presentation before an audience. But when you learn to accept, analyze and use fear, you let it work for you like great speakers do.

Accepting your fear is probably the biggest help in overcoming it. What troubles you is your fears about the fear that interferes with your performance. A lot of new speakers worry that fear is a sign that they are not meant to be public speakers or that they will do a terrible job. Those fears are simply not valid.

Fear is nothing more than your bodys natural response to unfamiliar situations. Its a state of heightened alertness and energy, just in case you are in danger. Feeling fear in a new situation is not a bad sign. It means you are healthy and normal. The more you speak, the more you will train your body to recognize speaking as a familiar and safe situation. Until then, you can manage the fear that accompanies the unfamiliar.

Accepting your fear helps you not make it worse, analyzing your fear is what begins to help make it better. Most fears fall into one of three categories are fear of having nothing worthwhile to say, fear of displeasing your audience and yourself. For now, let us assume you have already planned wonderful content, so the first fear is not a problem.

Fear of displeasing others and yourself are closely related. If you are a person who criticizes yourself harshly, you will pay more attention to critical expressions in your audience. If you are your own best friend, you have the ability to find friendly and supportive people even in the toughest audiences.

Being your own best friend is a nice catchphrase, but most people have not been trained even to be polite, much less to be their own best friends. So what would that look like?

Well, what do you do when a good friend does something new and brave like public speaking? Do you greet her backstage with a list of everything she did wrong or could have done better?

No. You congratulate her on breaking through her fear to take on the world. You talk about your favorite parts. You point out all the places the audience applauded, laughed or looked thoughtful. If you have some suggestions for improvement, you save those for the next day or so, when she as calmed down. But right after that talk, she knows she can count on good words from you. You can make a decision in any situation, to be that kind of a friend to yourself.

Once you know you can count on yourself to focus on the positive, you can use whatever bit of fear you have left over. The way you use fear is to change the way you think about it. You smile when you feel that rush of adrenaline. Instead of naming it fear, you call it excitement. You will suddenly realize that this energy is nothing to be afraid of. It gives you the power to grab the attention of your audience and carry it throughout your presentation.

That wave of excitement is the creative power that makes a speaker dynamic. It is the electric force that connects you with your listeners. You do not have to conquer this feeling. You can say, Yes! to it.

Instead of resisting fear, accept it. Analyze it. Use it. Your audience will feel that Yes in you, and they will say, Yes to your message.

Ranju kumar is assistant editor at http://www.persuasivepublicspeaking.com, which helps entrepreneurs and independent professionals to earn more by making their marketing and communication more persuasive. For tips on more persuasive communication, sign up for the free eclass mastering public speaking