1.3: The 8 Steps to Perfect Posture

1.3: The 8 Steps to Perfect Posture

The 8-Part Full-Body Posture Checklist


To improve your posture and as a result release unnecessary tension which hinders our breathing and vocal skills, here’s your 8-step, full body posture checklist.


Start from the bottom and make your way up your full body:

  1. Feet: The feet are parallel and hip bone width apart, knees should be soft. check that you are balanced on your feet evenly.  This balance will help you to feel more secure.

  2. Knees: Your knees should be soft, not locked.

  3. Hips: The weight of the hips are directly over the feet.

  4. Stomach: Your stomach should feel released. We habitually hold tension in this area. We have to let go!

  5. Spine: Your spine is not slumped or rigid. Think of the base of the spine (your tailbone) dropping towards the floor and the rest of the spine lengthening upwards. 

  6. Shoulders: Allow your shoulders to drop and relax. Feel a sense of a weight being lifted.

  7. Neck: Your neck should be free and have a sense of lengthening from the back of the neck. Think of the crown of your head as the highest point of your body. Imagine a string attached to the crown of your head - and that string growing up towards the ceiling!

  8. Face: Smile and open the jaw, unclench your teeth, and relax your tongue on the floor of the mouth

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#1: The Hidden Enemies of Vocal Gravitas

  • Introduction to Lesson 1: The Hidden Enemies of Vocal Gravitas
  • 1.2: Establishing your foundations
  • 1.3: The 8 Steps to Perfect Posture
  • 1.4: Final comments on posture
  • 1.5: Saying goodbye to tension and strain
  • 1.6: Your 3-minute tension release workout
  • 1.7: Lesson Wrap and Reflection
  • 1.8: Recap: The Hidden Enemies of Vocal Gravitas1

#2: The Power of Your Breath

  • Introduction to Lesson 2: The Power of Your Breath
  • 2.2: Becoming aware of your breath
  • 2.3: Self-Awareness and Your Breath
  • 2.4: Building our Breathing Awareness Further
  • 2.5: Connecting your breath to sounds and words
  • 2.6: The role breath plays in "fight or flight"
  • 2.7: Lesson wrap, reflection and exercises
  • 2.8: Recap: The Power of Your Breath
  • 2.9: Helpful resources

#3: Volume and Power: Does My Voice Sound Big In This?

  • Introduction to Lesson 3: Volume and Power
  • 3.2: The "Candle in the Wind" exercise
  • 3.3: The "science bit"
  • 3.4: How to project your voice
  • 3.5: Breath support to create more volume and power
  • 3.6: A trip down memory lane
  • 3.7: Lesson wrap and reflection
  • 3.8: Recap: Volume and Power

#4: How to Make Every Word Sing

  • Introduction to Lesson 4: How to Make Every Word Sing
  • 4.2: Speaking from a place of intention and readiness1
  • 4.3: The power of emotional connection in your words
  • 4.4: All words are not created equally
  • 4.5: How to naturally introduce vocal contrast
  • 4.6: Understanding the role of the "power word"
  • 4.7: Understanding the role of pitch
  • 4.8: Lesson Wrap and Reflection
  • 4.9: Recap: How to Make Every Word Sing
  • 4.10: Helpful resources

#5: The Art of Silence

  • Introduction to Lesson 5: The Art of Silence
  • 5.2: The honesty in a pause
  • 5.3: Taking your pause, taking your breath
  • 5.4: A common misconception about pausing
  • 5.5: Exercise: Exploring the use of Pause
  • 5.6: Lesson wrap and reflections
  • 5.7: Recap: The Art of Silence

#6: Overcome Nerves and Harnessing Your Voice

  • Introduction to Lesson 6: Overcoming Nerves and Harnessing Your Voice
  • 6.2: Reframing your relationship with nerves
  • 6.3: Nerves are key to a great performance
  • 6.4: How to rehearse for success
  • 6.5: The 10-minute preparation for success [Part 1: Body]
  • 6.6: The 10-minute preparation for success [Part 2: Voice]
  • 6.7: Overcoming the "brain freeze" moment2
  • 6.8: Lesson wrap and reflections
  • 6.9: Recap: Overcoming Nerves

#7: Speaking with Clarity: The Beauty in Precision

  • Introduction to Lesson 7: Speaking with Clarity
  • 7.2: The science of speaking clearly
  • 7.3: Hard-Working Articulator: The Tongue
  • 7.4: Hard-Working Articulator: The Lips
  • 7.5: Hard-working articulator: The jaw
  • 7.6: Five-minute Clarity and Precision Workout [Exercise]
  • 7.7: Lesson Wrap and Reflection
  • 7.8: Recap: Speaking with Clarity
  • 7.9: Helpful resources

#8: The Hidden Mystery of Emotion v Power In Our Words

  • Introduction to Lesson 8: The Hidden Mystery in Our Words
  • 8.2: The hidden secrets of vowels
  • 8.3: Vowels and emotional release
  • 8.4: Consonants time
  • 8.5: Lesson Wrap and Reflection
  • 8.6: Recap: The Hidden Mystery of Emotion v Power In Our Words
  • 8.7: Helpful resources

#9: How to Own Your Room

  • Introduction to Lesson 9: How to Own Your Room
  • 9.2: The 3-step technique to owning your room
  • 9.3: Thinking Top, and Thinking Bottom [Exercise]
  • 9.4: Lesson Wrap and Reflection
  • 9.5: Recap: How to Own Your Room

#10: Vocal Gravitas in a Virtual World

  • Introduction to Lesson 10: Vocal Gravitas in a Virtual World
  • 10.2: Your new 5-minute ritual
  • 10.3: Programme Wrap!

Resources

  • Confident Speak 360° Presence Booklet.pdf
  • Great Video Examples of Spoken Word