| McClosky Relaxation Technique |
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Step 1: Face Starting at the hairline and working down to around the mouth, gently massage all the muscles of the face. As you stroke downwards, allow the face to fall into as limp a condition as possible. Rub the fingers over the eyes, closing them. Let the jaw hang slack. Step 2: Tongue Stretch your tongue out of your mouth and turn clockwise then counter clockwise. Roll the “R”, move your tongue up and down, roll your lips. Allow the tongue to fall out over the lower lip as it might if you were unconscious. This means fall, do not push it. Step 3: Swallowing Muscles Swallowing muscles are attached to the mandible (jawbone) from base to tip and converge upon the hyoid bone at the top of the larynx. To relax these muscles, use the fingers of both hands to press gently, on one side and then the other, the soft part of the throat between the chin and the Adam’s apple, starting under the hinge of the jaw. Gently massage these muscles until they are soft and pliable, moving the fingers gradually until they are directly under the chin. In this position, swallow and you will feel downward pressure in the throat. It is vitally important that this area be kept relaxed, soft and pliable during all phrases of voice production. Step 4: Chin Take the chin between the thumb and forefinger then move it up and down, first slowly then faster. If you have been able completely to relax the hinge muscles of the jaw, this exercise will give you no trouble. On first trying it, most persons find, however, that there is resistance in the jaw, particularly when moving it back to a closed position. Involuntarily these jaw muscles are inclined to stiffen. Not until you are able to move your chin freely up and down without the slightest resistance will you have accomplished the aim of this exercise. Maintain all of the relaxation you have established up to this point. Do not permit concentration on one relaxing exercise to cause you to neglect the others. Above all, take it easy. Step 5: Larynx Massage the muscles of your throat around the larynx. With relaxation of the other areas in mind, take the larynx between the thumb and fingers of one hand and lightly move it from side to side to make sure it floats and does not click. Rigidity here is usually caused by too low or strident a tone of voice. Step 6: Neck Massage the muscles of the back of your neck from the hairline down to the shoulders. To be sure that the lower neck muscles are relaxed, allow the head to nod up and down lazily while you are maintaining all the other relaxations. Link to The McClosky Institute of Voice: www.indiana.edu/~mcclosky |
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