Free Breathing Exercises
For All Wind Players

It is very helpful for wind players to practice large volume movements of air away from the instrument and music. By doing this, the body learns the correct processes much faster. Eventually these processes will unconsciously transfer to his or her playing. Within a few weeks these free breathing exercises will begin to produce results, but they must be practiced for six months or longer for them to move into the subconscious. At that point they will replace old breathing habits and the player's breathing habits will be changed forever.

During this education process the mind will be learning new skills to move the body in certain ways and it's important that the goal is large volume movements of air, not large body movements.

Ideally you should spend twenty minutes per day practicing these exercises and you should observe that a large breath is being taken and that it is flowing freely from the body. Eventually this will become second nature.

Exercise No. 1

1. Fill lungs to the count of 5 while raising arms above head

2. Drop arms on count 5

3. Retain the air with an open throat

4. Gradually exhale

5. Do this exercise in front of a mirror with 6 repetitions

6. After a week, do this exercise in 3 counts

7. After another week, do this exercise in 1 count

Exercise No. 2

1. This exercise is done while walking

2. Inhale through the nose for 5 steps – a slow, smooth inhalation of large quantity

3. Exhale through the nose for 5 steps

4. After a week, perform the same exercise in 3 steps

Exercise No. 3

1. This exercise should not be done until Exercises No. 1 and No. 2 have been practiced for three weeks

2. Take a breath in thirds (partial breaths, not Yoga breaths)

3. Pause between each partial breath and observe how it feels

4. Exhale in thirds

5. Pause between each partial exhalation and observe how it feels

Exercise No. 4

1. This exercise may be done only after Exercise No. 3 has been mastered

2. Take in 2/3's of a breath and pause

3. Take in last 1/3 of breath and pause

4. Exhale 2/3's of a breath and pause

5. Exhale last 1/3 of breath

Exercise No. 5

1. This exercise may be done only after Exercise No. 4 has been mastered

2. Inhale fully and pause

3. Exhale fully

4. This exercise must be done for three months

Exercise No. 6

1. After Exercise No. 5 has been completed, this exercise may be done

2. Inhale for 1 count – complete inhalation

3. Exhale for 3 counts – complete exhalation

Exercise No. 7

1. This exercise may be done only after Exercise No. 6 has been mastered

2. Inhale for 1/2 count – complete inhalation

3. Exhale for 3 and 1/2 counts – complete exhalation

Exercise No. 8

1. This exercise may be done only after Exercise No. 6 has been mastered

2. Repeat Exercise No. 7 with a faster tempo

Exercise No. 9

1. This exercise is for those who need help breathing from the diaphragm area

2. Put hands on stomach with the middle finger tips on the navel

3. Spread fingers over stomach

4. Push stomach out without breathing

5. Pull stomach in until "you touch your backbone"

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 while breathing

7. Try to establish a range of motion

8. Do this quite a few times a day

9. The use of the hands is to ensure correct motions – nerve impulses alone from this region can be misleading

Exercise No. 10

1. This exercise is to help the player learn to develop air pressure without large muscle contractions

2. Inhale fully

3. Begin to exhale rapidly through partially closed lips

4. Continue to blow, but block lips with finger held sideways

5. Do not change anything in blowing muscles

6. "Pop" finger away and continue to exhale

The following exercises are designed to help the player learn to use large quantities of air while remaining relaxed:

Exercise No. 11

1. Take a large breath

2. Count out loud, pausing after each number ‑‑ the throat must remain open during pauses

3. Use very little air while speaking

Exercise No. 12

1. Inhale

2. Exhale in the most unrelaxed manner possible

3. Inhale

4. Exhale as relaxed as possible

5. Transfer the quality of step 4 to the instrument

Exercise No. 13

1. Hold a book at arm's length

2. Blow the pages apart

Exercise No. 14

1. Hold a lit match at arm's length

2. Blow it out

Exercise No. 15

1. Imagine holding a drinking straw with a bean inside it

2. Blow the "bean" across the room

These free breathing exercises will boost your playing greatly. But any exercise such as running, swimming, will help you mentally and physically. But it should be realized that exercises like these do not transfer directly to the breathing skills needed by brass players. Only exercises of the type listed above will do that.

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