This is the last, and probably weirdest, breathing exercise you’ll ever need. It’s called Hunger Breath because it will do just that…make you hungry for breath. Greater breath control allows you to hold notes exponentially longer, to phrase your songs in completely different ways, and to find new vocal freedom.
A New Way of Thinking
As humans, we are designed to survive, so when our bodies are short on air, there is a sense of panic that ensues signaling our brain to BREATHE! The Hunger Breath exercise helps control when you breathe based on your choosing rather than on your needing.
A lot of our breathing is done out of habit, so this exercise will help create new neural pathways (grooves of habits) in your brain for you to have more self-control over when we breathe.
The Hunger Breath
The first step is to take a deep front/side/back breath three times to oxygenate your body. On the third breath, breathe out the majority of your air with about 15 percent remaining. From here, hold the remainder of your breath and begin up/down squats using a bench or chair.
When you feel like you are in need of air, try sitting down and standing back up one more time. When you are at the top, pause and say to yourself, “I’m fine. I will soon breathe.” And then calmly take your breath without gasping for air.
Track Your Progress
Try doing this exercise 3-5 times each morning and night with 60-90 second intervals in between each attempt. If done consistently, you will see your squat reps increasing in number. Keep a journal of your results so you can track and celebrate your progress. In the end, you will see a greater capacity for air, deeper breathing, and the ability to hold your breath longer.
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