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Comment by exikyut | Hacker News Reader

Offtopic genuine question about self-improvement

This presenter shares a problem I find I have myself: I don't instinctively know how to make sure I'm getting enough air as I talk.

I've historically had a terrible time talking while walking (really hard), talking and standing (uncomfortable, like this guy), and standing and singing (gave up a very long time ago).

I'm usually okay, but on some days it's so bad I just don't have the oxygen and I find I'm predominantly yawns and hot air. Thing is, I don't know why, so while things have improved over the years I have no idea how to shove the needle over to where it needs to be.

Insight appreciated, thanks!

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There's breathing and then there's breathing.

Where are you breathing from, in your body? Are you taking small breaths just using your upper chest? Or do you breath from the diaphragm, filling the lower (and larger) parts of your lungs? Aka breath "from the belly". Lungs are sort-of bell-shaped: Image search of lungs: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=lungs&atb=v60-1&iax=images&ia=imag...

If you are hunching over and/or tensing up your torso that might be your problem right there?

It's hard to explain through writing, but pause often to a) let the audience catch up and b) make a specific point much more memorable.

Brief pauses improve recall by the audience and make the talk much less boring. Strategic pauses are the key secret great speakers have: they utilize silence to their advantage.

Silence also adds another great opportunity to catch your breath. Dominate silence and you'll have the breathing part set.

Ask yourself a few questions:m about your relationship to those you talk to, and how are you like as a story teller. How can you improve at telling stories, and do you ever practice reading your texts before you perform?

Your systems seem to be overloaded, and if you develop a storyteller (“come and listen to me” type of mentality) it would make you more at ease, and your natural skills would kick back in. You already know how to breathe, and its a matter of remembering by reducing your stress response.

Three things come to mind. It seems weird though and I would recommend going to a doctor which could help you if there's anything physically wrong. Don't write it off, standing and singing should not be a problem.

Asthma?

There is a trick where you put your index finger on your fore head and thumb and middle finger on each side of the nose. Start by closing the lefy nostril and take a deep breath with the right one. Close the right nostril as well and hold, open the left nostril and breath out. Both inhale and exhale should be slow.

Do an easy task that need some thought and try to talk at the same time, try some different combinations. I can't talk if I do something that takes any form thought. It just could br hard and you need to practice, or you are just incapable and need to work around it instead.

It might be not that you're not getting enough air but you're getting too much by trying to control it artificially. What you described sounds like hyperventilation but I'm not a doctor and maybe you should find one.

I find myself gasping for air when I've done telephone interviews in the past. It's obviously a nerves thing, but it happens even though I'm aware of why it's happening. I think best while I'm pacing, so it doesn't help.

I think the problem is that I don't assume people will be patient while listening to me. I don't have a loud speaking voice, so I'm probably right a lot of the time. So I race to the finish of everything I say. But it's probably just that I don't do it that much. If I was interviewing everyday I'm sure I'd work the kinks out.

My guess is you're breathing with your chest and not your diaphragm.

When you take a deep breath, do you notice your chest expand or your belly? If it's the former, try keeping your chest still and letting your diaphragm/stomach expand instead.

Otherwise, you might just be thinking about it too much. Try to focus solely on the talking and ignore the breathing.

You shouldn't have to think about this. It could be your posture - I know when I relax and sit/stand correctly my first reaction is to have a big breath that feels great. Either a posture specialist (I had Alexander Technique coach) or maybe even a singing teacher.

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