There are a number of professions that require clear diction and sonorous speech, and as a result of systematic overload of the vocal cords, the voice becomes husky and hoarse. In such cases, it is necessary to strengthen the vocal cords by performing various exercises and aids. How to strengthen the vocal cords with the help of gymnastics and exercises, we will try to find out in this article.

Why is the voice missing?

Loss of voice can be caused by a variety of factors. As a rule, people whose profession is associated with a constant load on the vocal cords suffer from hoarseness, these are announcers, teachers, singers and actors. Due to their activities, they have to strain the ligaments, which leads to disruption of their work. But in addition to professional violations, you can lose your voice as a result of other reasons:

Depending on what reason became the impetus for the development of pathology, subsequent treatment is prescribed.

Ligament exercises

If the loss of voice is associated with their overload on the ligaments, the problem can be solved by choosing the right exercises. In order to develop sonority of the voice and remove hoarseness, you can perform the following set of exercises:

• take a lying position, take a deep breath, and as you exhale, alternately pronounce the sounds “s”, “z” and “sh”. It is important that the pronunciation is drawn out and slow;
• repeat a similar exercise with the sound "m", the main thing is that the pronunciation of the sound is even, and the voice is chest throughout the exercise;
• a deep breath and the pronunciation of the sounds “a-a-a-o-o-o-u-u-u” at this moment it is necessary to tap on the chest;
• with a light tap on the upper lip, you should pronounce the lingering syllable “by-by-by”;
• a similar exercise to the previous one, only you should tap your fingers on the lower lip and pronounce the syllable “you-you-you”;
• more complex exercises in the form of chanting follow. On one note, the following syllables “ma-mi-mo-mi-ma”, as well as “da-de-di-do-du” should be performed;
• increasing the size of the octave, you need to pronounce: the syllables “le” and “la”, alternating them
• imagine that you are gargling, you need to pronounce the same sound as when rinsing, only you should not throw your head back, but only turn it from side to side;
• Chromatic chants are also important. For these purposes, the motive of the song "Moscow Evenings" is best suited. Only the motive does not need to be sung out loud, but only to mumble familiar notes through the nose, while tapping your finger on the left nostril and simultaneously turning your head from left to right.

Breathing exercises

In addition to diction exercises, it is important to perform breathing exercises, for this you can use the following exercises:

• inhale through the nose and exhale also with only three approaches, that is, distributing the air into three small
  exhalation;
• you should light a candle and, being at a distance of 10 centimeters from it, blow as if trying to blow it out, but at the same time the flame should only slightly deviate, but not go out;
• breathe like a dog. Remember, when a dog is thirsty and hot, he sticks out his tongue and breathes quickly and haltingly. The same should be repeated, duplicating the behavior of the animal;
• deep breath through the nose and hissing, and then whistling (alternating) exhalation through the mouth;
• Each of the presented exercises should be performed at least 10 times each.

Before you start doing gymnastics, you should be ready to perform it correctly. To do this, you must adhere to the following rules:

• all exercises should be performed in front of a mirror and only in a good mood;
• in order for the result to be fixed and your voice to please you with its sonorous sound continuously, gymnastics should become part of the chant, and tongue twisters and pronunciation of complex words should become commonplace;
• at least at the beginning, it is better to do gymnastics under the supervision of a professional, since the incorrect performance of this or that exercise can not only not help, but also harm the voice training. Later, when the basics of gymnastics are mastered, you can conduct classes on your own;
  constant such exercises are useful not only for the function of the vocal cords, but also for facial expressions. Systematic implementation guarantees an improvement in the condition of the skin of the face and smoothing of mimic wrinkles;
• for the best effect, you should perform chanting, breathing exercises and acupressure in a complex;
• against the background of performing recovery procedures, you should adhere to a certain diet. It should be excluded: spicy, salty, sour, as well as too hot and, conversely, cold dishes. All of them additionally irritate the vocal cords and lead to deterioration;
• do not do gymnastics and chanting before going to bed.

Folk methods

Along with doing gymnastics, when you urgently need to return your lost voice, you can use proven folk methods, many of which are used by singers before their performances. These recipes include:

loss of voice common problem unfortunately for many. If your work is associated with constant stress on the vocal cords, performing the described exercises, as well as folk recipes will help to cope with hoarseness much faster. But if the problem is not related to professional activity, loss of voice may indicate various pathologies, including quite serious ones. Therefore, you should not self-medicate, but it is better to consult a doctor who can prescribe the necessary and correct treatment.

So, what is needed for the development of the vocal cords? First, you need to get your breath in order. Breathe through the diaphragm. The first time will be difficult, however, when you learn, you will be able to hit the highest notes. To practice breathing, try to breathe deeply and slowly. Frequent and intermittent breathing will not give the desired result, moreover, it leads to oxygen deficiency, which negatively affects the human condition. Therefore, even if you are not going to become a pop star, remember that deep breathing is the key to cheerfulness and well-being. Breathing can be practiced in a variety of ways. The next one is the best. Finding acceptable breathing exercises is not difficult. As a rule, all exercises are based on a bunch of inhalation-exhalation. Perform exercises lying or standing. It is best to spend them outdoors. After a few days of training, you can check the condition of the diaphragm. To do this, try to reach the tips of your toes while singing a verse of your favorite song. If the quality of singing suits you, and pain in the abdomen does not follow, then you did everything right, and your diaphragm is sufficiently developed.

How to prepare vocal cords for singing?

When you begin to practice singing, try not to overload your chords. Especially at first. When choosing a repertoire, try to correlate it with your abilities. Do not take too high and low notes, this can be fraught with ligaments. Experiment with your mind, remembering that it is not difficult to lose your voice. Always warm up before singing. This will warm up the ligaments and allow you to easily hit the highest notes. You can also warm up the ligaments with a massage. To do this, massage the throat with gentle movements, first in one direction and then in the other. Massage should be done very carefully, since the carotid artery is located on the neck, which cannot be touched. Some pop figures have a special tool for relaxing ligaments. As strange as it sounds, but for this you need to eat something spicy. If for some reason this is not possible, you can drink mint tea. As for dairy products, on the contrary, they are able to paralyze the action of the ligaments. Therefore, you need to eat them at least five hours before the performance.

Today, the success and future of a person often depend on the quality of articulation, therefore it is necessary to regularly train the speech muscles, to conduct classes to develop the correct pronunciation and diction become fundamental. As a rule, such exercises are carried out by children, starting from the smallest age. From infancy, experienced teachers and educators train the children's speech apparatus. Later, the speech therapist corrects the difference between deviation and complexity, but they arise due to insufficient training and muscle development.

Is it necessary for adults?

Speech muscles are the basis of our speech, the guarantee of its quality, attractiveness, the basis of the ability to render. Few people want to listen to a person who lisps, burrs or stutters. All these problems are in our mouths, and let such a literal statement scare no one. After all, a person who cannot fully and beautifully speak suffers from poor muscle development. For adults, this problem will become especially acute if the choice of profession falls on a teacher, announcer, actor, marketer.

Dreams of becoming a successful leader will sink into oblivion if the speech is incoherent and unattractive.

What to do?

Numerous special programs and exercises have been developed for the development of speech muscles. But the most important thing in this process is the regularity of training and the desire to achieve real result. Therefore, tongue twisters will only be the beginning of important exercises, because the course should begin with classes for the development of certain muscle groups. For example, stretching the lips with a tube and pronouncing the labial "O" or "U" will help in training the lower muscles, but if you pronounce poems and special phrases with the letter "E" and "E", the muscle tone will be provided to the cheeks.

Therefore, it is important that the exercises please. They need to be held in front of a mirror, and before starting, be sure to wash your hands to ensure hygiene. Then you should start with a little warm-up, like pulling and stretching the lips, stretching the tongue and others. It is enough to show your tongue in the mirror, smile, so that the speech muscles stretch a little.

To consolidate the result, do not forget about speech training, and therefore singing, pronunciation of complex words, tongue twisters and other exercises should become indispensable elements of classes.

It is advisable to work with professionals, however, even self-training of the speech apparatus and muscles will help get rid of many problems. Do not forget that such training is incredibly useful for women, because with constant exercises, the skin of the face remains young longer.

Not only opera singers, but also many public people whose activities are related to lecturing, teaching people, must perform special exercises daily to develop the vocal cords. This is breathing exercises, and acupressure, and chanting, aimed at warming up the vocal cords. An indispensable condition for the qualitative strengthening of the vocal cords is the systematic training. After all, training the vocal cords, like training the muscles of the body, is a very responsible event.

So, gymnastics for the vocal cords begins with the respiratory complex. First of all, it is worth learning that it is useful for the vocal cords to learn how to breathe in the stomach. This will help to save the throat in the future. Each exercise is performed while sitting, at least 12 times.

1. Deep breath in through the nose, exhale through the nose in three approaches.
2. Inhale deeply through the nose, exhale through the mouth. At the same time, we rub our hands as if we are trying warm them up.
3. Deep breath in through the nose, exhalation is like trying cool with breath hot tea.
4. Deep breath through the nose hissing breath.
5. Deep breath through the nose wheezing.

In this article you will find exercises, after which you will start.

To open the voice

Your voice may not actually be yours. The reason is in the clamps or the wrong way of speaking (for example, on the same ligaments). The exercises below will help you deal with these issues and unleash your true natural voice.

sound engineer

First, understand how others hear you. To do this, you can simulate a recording studio. Your left palm will be an earpiece - press it with a "shell" to your left ear; the right one will be a microphone - hold it near your mouth at a distance of a few centimeters. Start the test: count, pronounce different words, play with sound. Do this exercise for 5-10 minutes for nine days. During this time, you will understand how it really sounds, and you can improve it.

Q-X

To open the voice, you need to free the throat and transfer the main work to the lips and diaphragm. To do this, pronounce the syllables "Q-X". Round your lips on Q, stretch them in a wide smile on X. After 30 repetitions, try giving a short speech. You will feel that the ligaments are less tense, and the lips are better at following your commands.

yawn

The easiest way to relax the muscles of the larynx is to yawn well. Do this simple exercise for 5 minutes a day and you will notice how the blocks and clamps in your voice disappear.

Exhale-groan

This exercise will help bring out the natural sound of your voice. Its essence boils down to voicing your exhalation.

Position: feet on the floor, jaw open and relaxed. Begin to inhale the air, and as you exhale, make any sound. Do this without any effort - if everything is correct, you should get a groan.

When performed correctly, the sound comes from the solar plexus. It is from there that you need to speak so that the voice is voluminous and expressive.

To make the voice pleasant

Three smiles

This exercise is performed in the same way as the previous one, but with the rule of three smiles. Smile with your mouth, forehead and imagine a smile in the solar plexus area. After that, start exhaling with a sound. Just 5 minutes a day - and your voice will start to sound more pleasant and trusting.

Yogi exercise

This training is practiced by Indian yogis to achieve a deep and beautiful voice.

Position: standing, feet shoulder-width apart. First, take a few calm breaths and exhalations, then - and a sharp exhalation with the sound "ha-a". The exhalation should be as full and loud as possible. In this case, the body can be slightly moved forward.

drawling syllables

Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, say a long “bom-m”, “bim-m”, “bon-n”. Drag the last sounds as long as possible. Ideally, vibration should occur in the region of the upper lip and nose.

A similar exercise can be done with the syllables "mo-mo", "mi-mi", "mu-mu", "me-me". But in this case, first pronounce them briefly, and only then drawl.

Both exercises are best done every morning for 10 minutes. They will not only make your voice more pleasant, but will also help strengthen your vocal cords.

Long tongue

Stick out your tongue. First, point it down as far as possible, trying to reach the chin. Keeping this position, tilt your head down. Then stretch your tongue up, trying to reach the tip of your nose. At the same time, raise your head as high as possible.

To make your voice stronger

Sounds "i", "e", "a", "o", "y"

Exhale, then take a deep breath and on the second exhale, say a long “and” sound. Do it freely, as long as there is enough air. Do not force air out of your lungs. In the same way, pronounce the remaining sounds: "e", "a", "o", "u". Do three reps.

The sequence of these sounds is not random: they are distributed along the pitch. Accordingly, “and” is the highest (activates the upper region of the head), “y” is the lowest (activates the lower abdomen). If you want to make your voice lower and deeper, practice the “y” sound more often.

Tarzan exercise

Follow the previous task, only now beat yourself in the chest with your fists, like Tarzan. The exercise is designed to fill the voice and clear the bronchi, so if you feel like clearing your throat, don't stop yourself.

lowing

This exercise activates the work of the chest and abdomen. Exhale and inhale. On the next exhale, begin to pronounce the sound "m" with your mouth closed. Perform three approaches: first, low low, then - at a medium volume, and finally - very loudly.

Growl

Raise your relaxed tongue to the palate and begin to pronounce the sound “r”. It should turn out “rrrr”, like a tractor. Repeat the exercise three times, and then expressively read a dozen words that have the sound "r". Be sure to accompany the reading with a rolling "r".

Chaliapin's exercise for tuning the voice

The great Russian singer Fyodor Chaliapin also began every morning with a growl. But he did not do it alone, but together with his bulldog. After training the sound “r”, Fedor Ivanovich began to bark at his pet: “av-av-av”.

You can repeat Chaliapin's exercise or, if you can't relax your larynx, replace it with villainous theatrical laughter. This is done simply. With your mouth open on the exhale, you laugh angrily: "ah-ah-ah-ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ah-ah-ah-ah." The sound should come out easily and freely. At the same time, you can jump and beat yourself in the chest with your hands. This exercise will instantly clear the voice and prepare it for work.

Important to remember

When performing all exercises, you need to maintain the correct one. The stomach should be relaxed, and the chest should protrude forward. However, if you keep your back straight, these areas of the body will automatically take the correct position.

Practice does not always lead to perfection, but it always leads to better results! There are many practical ways to improve the quality of your voice. To do this, you need to learn how to breathe properly, avoid certain foods, and do special warm-up exercises before you start singing or giving a speech. You can't achieve success overnight, but with a lot of effort and some time, you can certainly improve the quality of your voice.

Steps

Part 1

Learn to breathe properly. To have a strong voice, you simply must be able to breathe correctly. The point is to breathe deeply.

Use your abdominal muscles. With proper breathing, the lower muscles (diaphragm) above your belly should move forward, making room for even more air. While singing (speech or just for exhalation) use these muscles to push the air out.

• Use the muscles above your lower back (around your kidneys) in exactly the same way to control your inhalation and exhalation.
• While tensing your abdominal muscles, try not to lean forward.

1. Learn to stand properly. Watch the position of your legs, knees, hips, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms and head:

   Relax. When you get into the correct posture, make sure you are no longer tense. You should not feel any tension from sticking out your chest or keeping your back straight. Remember to relax the muscles in your face and neck.

Part 4

Drink more water. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. This number may be higher if you exercise or live in a hot climate (i.e. sweat a lot).

Eat healthy food. Eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables helps keep the lining of your throat healthy, which means your voice will also be healthy.

Relax. Stress affects everything negatively. Set aside time each day to do something that will help you relax. You can do yoga, meditation, go for a walk, watch your favorite series, read good book or play a musical instrument.

Try not to scream. This is especially important if you have a gig coming up soon. Yelling can harm your voice and degrade its quality for the next few days.

Be patient. It may take some time to improve the quality of your voice. You will not get much improvement overnight, but after you warm up and learn how to breathe and keep your posture correctly, you will immediately feel something change in you.

• There is nothing wrong with doing everything gradually. First, learn to breathe deeply and stand properly. Once you've got that down, work on your mouth position and do some warm-up exercises.

1. Ask for help. If the quality of your voice has recently deteriorated, for example, the voice has become more raspy, deep or tense, this may indicate health problems. Just in case, consult a doctor to rule out the possibility of illness.

Part 5

Find a qualified teacher. A good teacher will be able to advise you on how to improve your voice. Find a teacher with a classical background, as this teacher will be familiar with a variety of styles.

Listen to professional singers and announcers. Watch how they control their breathing, volume, articulation, modulation, vocal habits, and sonority. If you like their style, try imitating it.

• Style imitation is a great way to learn how to sing because it forces you to do things you wouldn't normally do.

1. Watch professional singers and announcers. Pay attention to how they breathe and how they hold notes with their breath. Look at their posture and body language. Watch how they use their lips to articulate the sounds and words they sing.

   Don't ignore professionals you don't like. Think about why you don't like this or that singer or announcer. What do they do differently from others? Are they doing something wrong, or is it just not your style?