The responsive breathing exercises will begin to teach you how it feels to naturally refill the lungs while maintaining a cushion of air in your lungs. As you become more competent, you will be able to sing in tempo, and the breathing will become more responsive.

Remember Good Posture!
Posture is a critical component of breathing for singing, since correct body alignment balances all parts of the upper body. Therefore, the goal is to have your ribs comfortably lifted so they can be free to expand and work without great effort. It is much more difficult to breathe while even slightly slouching, because any collapsing of the upper body works against the breathing muscles, making it much harder work.

Other things to remember:

• Keep the abdominal muscles released as you inhale, and allow them to contract naturally on the exhalation.

• Make sure that you take the time to refill your lungs with a silent breath, as this encourages deep inspiration and helps to avoid falling into the trap of taking a shallow, gaspy breath.

• Sing these exercises at a moderate speed to allow you to regulate the flow of air naturally in and out of your lungs.

It is very important at this point in your breathing study to become an observer of all of the muscles involved in breath management, as their movement will inform you how the respiratory system is working while you sing.  Take your time and make sure you are devoting adequate time to learning and integrating these new muscle movements and concepts.