Speaking is a sport. You have to get into shape, stay in shape, practice, and fine tune your skills. Just as in sports, when each game is brand new, so, too, in presenting you have to connect with each new speaking situation.

We’re all athletes-in-training. The sports metaphor can teach you many practical tips for re-energizing your body, hitting your points home, and scoring with your message.

Use this to increase your breath control and vocal energy. The ulnar acupressure point is located in the middle of the palm of both hands. Take the thumb of your right hand and place it in the center of the palm of your left hand. Press in with your right thumb and exhale. Release the thumb and allow the breath to go in. Switch hands and repeat. This exercise stimulates the ulnar acupressure point and is directly connected to the pericardium sac. This is the involuntary muscle that surrounds the heart.

By the way, the symbolic reason for wearing a wedding band on the ring finger of your left hand, is this finger is the closest extremity to your heart. The ulnar point starts at the ring finger, travels up the arm and goes directly to the heart.

Conscious deep breathing will help you with breath control and relaxation.

Now that you’re breathing consciously, try the following vocal warm-ups to improve your articulation and further enhance your breath control. The articulators are the tongue, teeth, jaw, lips and palate. While repeating these phrases, pay particular attention to exaggerating facial muscles, projecting your voice and overly articulating the endings of words. Be a good sport and make a game of this exercise:

Remember Demosthenes? He was the Greek orator who put smooth pebbles in his mouth and spoke into the wind, to improve his vocal range and articulation. Instead of putting stones in your mouth, try this exercise with a pencil. Take a pencil and hold it horizontally, with your thumbs and forefingers at each end. Place it in the back of your mouth, like a horse’s bit. Slowly, with volume and awareness, repeat the above tongue twisters three times.

Remove the pencil and repeat the tongue twisters agian. Does your mouth feel more limber? Like using ankle weights, when you remove them you feel as if you can fly. This warm-up will increase your breathing awareness, work the muscles around your mouth, and help improve articulation and vocal projection.