In the five minutes before: a Soundcheck, then six breaths a minute with the exhale longer. In the thirty seconds before: one physiological sigh and one Trap Door. While speaking: exhale-weighted breathing between sentences, invisibly, and let the first sentence ride out on a long breath. Do not take a big breath before you start; that is the one thing everyone does and it is backwards.
The steps
- Five minutes out: sit, Soundcheck (jaw, shoulders, belly, breath, number out of ten).
- Four minutes of about six breaths a minute, five in, five or six out. Small breaths, not deep ones.
- Thirty seconds out: one physiological sigh.
- One Trap Door: attention low, lungs empty, easy inhale, let the floor drop on the exhale.
- Walk out. Begin the first sentence on an exhale, not after a gulp.
- Between sentences, let the breath go out slowly. Pauses read as confidence.
When not to, and when to get help instead
Skip the breath-holds (box, 4-7-8) if you have panic disorder. Not in the car on the way there. If public speaking makes you avoid promotions or classes, that is a treatable anxiety and worth a therapist; the breath will get you through Tuesday, therapy changes the next ten years.
What the research says
Slow breathing lowers heart rate and reported anxiety within minutes in lab studies; a longer exhale does more than pace alone; the one tactical-breathing comparison found a plain long exhale produced better task performance than box breathing under pressure. Treatments for social anxiety with the strongest evidence are cognitive behavioral, and the book points there plainly.
Other methods people use
Beta blockers are what many professional musicians use for performance tremor; that is a prescription conversation with a doctor. Power poses do not hold up in replication. Rehearsing the opening line out loud until it is automatic does more than any breath.
Questions people also ask
Should I take a deep breath before speaking?
No. A big inhale raises the shoulders, tightens the throat, and tells your body you are about to fight. Start the first words on an exhale instead.
How do I stop my voice shaking when presenting?
Lengthen the exhale between sentences and let your hands shake instead of your throat. Slow down; a shaking voice is usually a rushing voice.
In the book
Techniques
Rooms
Two rules, no exceptions
Never practice any technique on this site while you are driving, operating machinery, or doing anything that needs your full attention. The slow ones can make you drowsy, faster than you’d expect. And never practice a breath-hold, bellows breath, or any vigorous breathing in or near water. Read Before you begin for the doctor’s list and the rest.
More in “Before you perform”
- What helps stage fright in the minute before you go on?
- How do singers breathe to stay calm before a take or a show?
- How should I breathe before a job interview?
- What breathing helps with test anxiety before and during an exam?
Written by Eric Bradley. Last reviewed October 2026. One performer’s craft, offered for general information; not medical advice, mental health treatment, or a substitute for care.