"Bare Necessities" of Breathing

Greetings,

This week I have been rereading Lea Pearson's excellent book Body Mapping for Flutists.

On p. 87, Lea suggests learning to release the gluteal muscles for better breathing by thinking of Baloo from Disney's The Jungle Book animated movie.

I hope you enjoy this infectiously happy clip from The Jungle Book. While you watch, be aware of the back side of your body and, as Lea says, "shake your booty!"

Best,
Catherine

The Pez Dispenser vs. The Nutcracker

Greetings,

The images represent 2 distinct "mappings" of the jaw.

"Pez" throws his head back using his neck muscles to open his mouth. This puts extreme stress on his vocal cords, throat, and upper back. "Nutcracker" drops his jaw open from it's natural hinge.

So...breathe more like Mr. Nutcracker, avoiding the "flip-top head" syndrome demonstrated by Mr. Pez. Even better is to breathe most of the time from the sides of your mouth, leaving your jaw in a neutral,natural position.

Happy Breathing!
Catherine