Sorry to risk the dragon of the breathing topic on the list but this feels like new comment to me so please read on.
About a year and a half ago I worked hard on keeping the ribs expanded. This improved things. About six months ago I worked on low breathing. This improved things. About a month ago I worked on releasing the lower abs. This improved things. Last night I found for the first time a 'connection to/expansion of' the 'muscles' between my navel and my sternum. This improved things. (Although much more work needed.)
I suspect that the last thing I've learnt is most important for the connection/appogio stuff. Some of the 'sense of fullness' 'about to vomit', 'pushing a piano' analogies actually make some sense now. However, this area seems to rarely (if ever) occur in list discussions of breathing. Topics cover :- Open throat Expanded ribs Low breath but not 'expanded area between navel and sternum'.
Question 1: At the moment I'm only aware of using this area to breathe by touching it and feeling it push against my hand, it almost doesn't feel like part of me. How can I increase my muscle awareness in that area ? (Put sticky tape on it like people use for furrowed brows ?)
Question 2: Since the diaphragm pulls down and in, and the area above the navel expands further than the extent of the ribs (so it's not being pulled out by the ribs). What is moving this area outwards ? My suspicion is the pushing up of the internal organs by contraction of the lower abs/ inguinal wall muscles, but Miller is still sat on the shelf with Appleman so I haven't got that piece of knowledge in place. {I rather like the image of Richard Miller and Ralph Appleman sat on my shelf, where's cloning when you need it !:)} (I know that I don't HAVE to know the physiology to make it work, but I'm curious.)
Question 3: Does this area have a name ?
Kevin
PS I almost skipped this bit because I'm not the least bit interested in another round of 'Teachers should/should not teach breathing'. (Yawn!)
Comment: Breathing's a bl**dy complicated process for something that should be 'natural'. I was pretty amazed to find out how little I've been using this area even though I produce a respectable sound already.
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