Tension in your body affects the way you stand, which may increase or decrease the tension in your body affects the way you stand which may increase or decrease the tension in your body affects the way you stand…
and that affects the way you talk–in front of a crowd or not.
How do you feel on the beach, chatting with a close friend on a lovely summer day? You smile, you feel at ease, your chest open, your shoulders spread languidly across the lounge chair.
Now what about when you have an important presentation at work? Do you hunch in shyness, body collapsing in on itself? Does your neck yank your shoulders up towards your ears? Are you wound so tight you shake? Do your knees lock, turning your legs into sticks, precariously balanced on end? Butterflies in the stomach? White-knuckling the podium? Throat constricting, sending the pitch of your voice into the stratosphere? (like this?)
I teach all my clients how to stand and breathe to release tension, conducting it down to the floor and away through the feet. This is easy enough to practice on your own, but not as much fun as I’d like it to be. That’s where ballet, martial arts, and yoga come in.
These three movement forms steadily train you to align your spine, legs and head; to place your weight for optimum stability and motion; and to synchronize your breath in support of the whole package. They teach specific techniques to open the chest and relax the shoulders. The progress of each class places the art of standing and breathing into living, moving context. Practice builds habits that defeat fear. Going to class makes practice fun.
Did I mention that you’ll get a solid workout and even make some new friends while you’re at it?
Now google some classes in your area and get going.
Iris Incites 