One of the most important things I learned when I was studying voice and performance is this:

If your knees are locked, your voice is locked.

And it's true.

When you stand in front of an audience, take notice of what your knees are doing. If they're locked - I can guarantee you that your voice will be locked too.

Here's why:

Locking your knees shifts your weight and can lead to shallow breathing. When this happens, it can restrict the proper use of your diaphragm for breath support. And if you're not breathing properly - your voice is not performing optimally.

Why is a locked voice a problem?

Well, mainly because it feels terrible! It feels like you can't produce any sounnd. It also makes you feel like you can't breathe.

It affects your projection - so you just can't produce as much sound as you'd like.

Your voice feels thin and underpowered.

You don't have the kind of vocal control that makes an audience feel safe, or interested. So they zone out. And all the hard work you've done on your prep - ppppssssss. It fizzles.

So...the next time you're delivering a talk, a pitch, on a sales call, giving feedback in a meeting, running a workshop keep your knees slightly bent and use proper posture and breath support to avoid tension and instability.

Here's a quick snippet from my audience-facing workshop for more context and a visual:

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I want to teach you everything I know about all of this goodness. Because it is so good.

On Friday, 24 October, I'm hosting an audience-facing workshop for people who are serious about speaking in front of an audience.

Here's what you'll learn:

1. How to use your diaphragm to aid breath capacity
2. How to turn breath capacity into voice control
3. The exercises you need to do to stop you from running out of breath when you speak
4. The exercises that will stop 'cotton mouth'
5. More exercises that will stop you from stumbling over your words onstage
6. WHAT DO I DO WITH MY ARMS - we'll look at that too
7. Where do I move on the stage? Yup, that's also covered

There will be respect.

There will be encouragement.

There will be an atmosphere of 'You've got this' but not in a Tony Robbins knock-you-out kind of way. More in a yoga-with-Adriene kind of way.

The very first thing that will happen is music.

The second thing that will happen is technique.

I've watched some Youtube videos recently of speakers. They call themselves speakers on LinkedIn. They're posting themselves speaking.

And here's what I'm seeing and hearing: monotonous voices. Lack of breath. Voices that shake. People stumbling over their words. Wide eyes that don't really look anywhere. Stage-wandering.

It doesn't look or sound good. It looks and sounds unsure. Nervous.

The worst thing about this? Your audience doesn't feel safe.

Your audience starts to worry.

They start to wonder why something feels off.

You can have the best story in the world - but if you don't have technique, you are letting yourself down.

So, I'm going to teach you technique.

Putting it into practice

Then, for anyone who feels brave enough, we'll put the technique into practice. We'll marry the skill to the story. We'll see how you can grow as a speaker in ways you didn't even know you could.

​HOW EXCITED ARE YOU?? ME? I AM FIZZING WITH ALL THE VIBES.

​I'm going to teach you the skills and techniques used at the RSC and the National Theatre.

Used in the West End.

Used by the world's greatest stage performers.

Because they're so easy. When you see how easy they are - you won't believe it.

But you have to trust me.

​Do you trust me?​

​In addition to this workshop, there will be a very relaxed coffee and chat session with other business owners. This way you can also meet people, do some networking, explore opportunities, all the business-y things that are necessary for growth.

And it's all in aid of Choose Love - an organisation that supports people in war-torn areas across the world. All the proceeds go to them.

You in?

Ash

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