How to be Relaxed for the Whole Body in Acting

How to be Relaxed for the Whole Body in Acting

1- Start by using the relaxation exercises

2- Stand with the feet slightly apart. Raise the arms and stretch upward; look upward, reach for the sky. Now let the arms slowly fall, from wrists to shoulders, as the head falls on to the chest. Let the spine melt from the top, at the same time as letting the knees bend, so that your whole body is making a shape like a letter S, and slowly and gently crumple down to the floor.

3- Roll on to your back, legs and arms spread out. Breathe in deeply and easily, lowering the diaphragm. Breathe out, first from the diaphragm, getting some help from gravity as the solar plexus sinks in. Continue breathing like this for a minute or so

Whole Body Acting

4- Now tighten and release all the muscles in order. Try to use separate sets of muscles without involving others, as if you were picking up a pencil with your toes, but not the leg, body, torso, arms and face. The tense actor is usually tense overall. So imagine yourself floating, and tighten and clench the feet; hold for a few seconds whilst checking that this doesn’t involve the whole leg, then waggle the feet and release the tension.

5- Proceed up the body, calves, thighs, buttocks, stomach muscles, in each case tightening, holding and releasing, whilst continuing to breathe easily. Don’t over breathe; try to establish a smooth and easy rhythm. Now to the chest, shoulders, arms and hands. In each case see how much other parts of the body are involved; can you clench your fist without involving your shoulder? Now the shoulders and neck. Are you grimacing, gritting your teeth? Lastly, the face; tighten and release all the facial muscles several times. Check that breathing is smooth and rhythmic. Stand up, easily.