5. Do not try to push out the abdomen as possible. far as 6. Finally it should be said that the exercises are not worth the time you spend in reading about them, unless you You cannot take enough exercise in a take them regularly. day to last a month. be regular, insistent, out. To be of real benefit the exercise must taken rain or shine, day in and day TO AID IN FILLING THE ENTIRE LUNGS 1. Take an erect position. Inhale slowly through the nostrils, filling the lower part of the lungs first, then the upper part. The abdomen will at first be pushed out, but when the upper part of the lungs is expanded, it will slightly recede. Set the upper chest firm. Hold the breath a few seconds not more than five in beginning-by keeping the diaphragm flat; then exhale slowly through the nostrils. 2. Inhale, and retain the breath, as in Exercise 1; exhale through the mouth on the sound of "hä ", allowing all the air to escape at once. 3. Inhale, and retain the breath, as in Exercise 1; then, in order to fill all the air-cells, pat lightly the upper part of the lungs. Exhale slowly on the sound of "ä". This and the following exercise should be practiced with care. Never strike the lungs severely. 4. Inhale, and retain the breath, as in Exercise 1. Bend forward, letting some one pat you lightly, very lightly, upon the back; exhale, expelling all the air at once. (In speaking of exercises similar to this and the preceding, Leo Kofler says: "Frequently, many, perhaps thousands, of the little, fine air-cells of the lungs may become completely closed or shrivelled in consequence of prolonged imperfect breathing. . . . In such cases, this exercise will give complete relief." *) * "The Art of Breathing," p. 90. Edgar S. Werner, New York. as not you na ust lay he ie it y e 5. Stand erect with arms hanging at the sides of the body. Inhale through the nostrils, at the same time rising on the toes and lifting the arms sideways until the hands, the palms being downward, are level with the shoulders. Hold the breath a few seconds; then exhale slowly through the nostrils, gradually lowering the hands to the sides, and the heels to the floor. 6. Inhale, and retain the breath, as in Exercise 1. Place the hands on the hips with thumbs behind; bend the body to the right three times, to the left three times, then exhale slowly through the nostrils. TO AID IN EXPANDING THE UPPER CHEST 7. "Place the back of one hand just below the shoulders, with fingers of the other a little below the collar-bone. Let the chest collapse, or fall in. Stretch against both hands, expanding the body in a diagonal line, outward and upward, downward and backward. 8. Stand erect; stretch both arms forward at right angles with the chest, fingers extended. Take a full breath energetically through the nostrils; retain the air a little while, then draw the arms gently back, and expel the air all at once through the compressed lips. Then draw the arms violently forward, taking simultaneously a vigorous breath through the nostrils; hold it a short time, then throw the arms violently back, closing the fists, and expel the air forcibly through the compressed lips. Do this a few times in succession."† 9. Repeat Exercise 5. In the same way raise the hands in front with the palms downward and with the ends of the thumbs touching. Also raise the hands above the head, touching the ends of the thumbs. *Chamberlain and Clark: "Principles of Vocal Expression," p. 173. Scott, Foresman & Co, Chicago. The Art of Breathing" TO AID IN STRENGTHENING AND IN GETTING CONTROL OF THE INTERCOSTAL MUSCLES 10. Inhale through the nostrils, filling the lower part o the lungs first, enlarging the waist as if trying to burst a belt. Retain the breath for a few seconds; exhale slowly through a small opening in the lips, contracting the sides as much as possible. II. Place the hands at the sides on the lower or floating ribs with thumbs behind. Standing erect, inhale through the nostrils, expanding the trunk sideways against the hands. Pressing in slightly with the hands, exhale through a small opening of the lips. 12. Place the hands on the sides as near the armpits as possible. Inhale slowly through the nostrils, expanding the trunk sideways against the hands. TO AID IN LEARNING TO INHALE QUICKLY AND INAUDIBLY 13. Stand erect; inhale through the nostrils quickly; exhale slowly through the nostrils. 14. Inhale quickly and inaudibly through the nostrils with mouth open; exhale slowly through a small opening of the lips. 15. Inhale quickly and inaudibly through the mouth; exhale gently through the nostrils. TO SECURE ECONOMICAL EXPIRATION OF BREATH 16. Stand upright; inhale slowly through the nostrils, filling the lower part of the lungs first; exhale slowly and steadily through the nostrils. 17. Inhale slowly through the nostrils; exhale slowly and steadily through the mouth, holding the breath back with the diaphragm. (In taking this exercise for the first time, you will find that the breath comes in spurts. This unevenness may be easily detected by exhaling through a pitch-pipe, or better by hold ing a lighted candle in front of the mouth. Practice until you can exhale without causing the flame of the candle to flicker.) 18. Inhale slowly through the nostrils. Exhale, counting the numerals up to twenty-five, controlling the breath with the diaphragm. (Do not try to empty the lungs completely. In reading or speaking never allow the lungs to get entirely empty.) 19. Expanding the oral cavity by keeping the tongue down and lifting the uvula, as you do when yawning, inhale through a small opening of the lips. "Quietly closing the lips over the parted teeth, exhale gently and evenly through the nostrils on the sound of 'm', i.e., delicately hum. Be sure that the sound does not quaver. "'* 20. Inhale through the nostrils. Exhale gently and evenly, through a round opening formed by the lips, on the sound of long "o". Be sure that the sound is steady. 21. Inhale through the nostrils. Exhale gently and evenly through the mouth on the sound of “ä”. 22. Inhale through the nostrils. Having the muscles of the throat relaxed and controlling the breath by the diaphragm, shout: "Hullo, John! Where are you going?" PRONUNCIATION My tex' may be foun' in the fif' and six' verses of the secon' chapter of Titus; and the subjec' of my dis'course is 'The Goverment of ar Homes.'"' Such slovenly expression, exceedingly irritating to a listener, shows at once how essential to the public speaker is good pronunciation. All people, educated or uneducated, like to listen to clean articulation, to words delivered out from the lips, as beautiful coins newly issued from the mint, deeply and accurately impressed, perfectly finished". And every one is wearied and chafed by indistinct and careless utterance. It requires an exc tionally good voice, clear and forcible thinking, and a ple ing personality to offset a defective pronunciation. On other hand correct pronunciation may make amends some of the worst defects of voice and physique. "T part played in reading by articulation", an all-importa element of pronunciation, "is very great", says Legouv "It is articulation, and articulation alone, that gives clea ness, energy, passion, vehemence. So great is its pow that it can fully compensate for a feeble voice even before large assembly. Actors of the first order have been almo Potier had no voice. Monvel, the famou Monvel, had no voice, he had not even teeth. But hi audience never lost a word, and never did artist produce more pathetic effect. How? By the perfection of hi articulation.' "'* without a voice. Good pronunciation involves (1) proper accentuation (2) correct articulation. Although the former is important, it can hardly be taught by rule. The accent must in nearly all cases be learned by consulting a dictionary or by hearing others pronounce. It is perhaps sufficient to say that— (1) "The general tendency of the English language is to carry the chief accent back towards or to the first syllable",† as in "des'picable", "indis'solubleness ", " inexplicable", per'emptoriness". 66 (2) "Words of Anglo-Saxon origin commonly take the accent on the root syllable", as in "enough'", enlight'en", "heart'ily", "walk'er". (3) The principal accent is sometimes changed to show a contrast; as, "What I have done ye never can undo", "Their work is destructive but mine is constructive", "He must increase but I must decrease"; also to distinguish a noun from an adjective, ar'senic ", "Au'gust", 66 as august'","min'ute", "arsen'ic", 66 minute'"', or an * "Art of Reading," p. 51. Edgar S. Werner, New York. |