Breathing efficiently when you sing is a combination of great posture and skillful inhaling and exhaling. Remember the importance of good singing posture: It allows you to get a deep, full breath. If you slouch or you’re too rigid, your diaphragm locks and prevents you from getting a correct breath for singing. If your breathing and your posture work together as a team, you can improve your singing.
To sing your best, you want to develop good posture while you breathe. When your body is aligned correctly, taking and using an efficient breath is easier.
Your own two hands can help you maintain great posture while breathing. As you work through your breathing exercises, place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your abs and your sides.
As you inhale, use your hand to feel whether your chest stays steady; you want it to stay in the same position for both the inhalation and the exhalation. (If your chest rises during inhalation, you create tension in your chest and neck.) You’ll feel your other hand moving out with your abs and sides as you inhale, and back in toward your body as you exhale.