Triple Take #23: face warm-up, setting energy levels and a quick reset

Voice Confident's Triple Take - your fortnightly trio of tips!

Introduction

When you step up to speak, your audience experiences you as a whole: the sound of your voice, the energy you project and the way you manage your nerves. Each of these elements is in your control; with the right preparation, you can tune your body, set the tone and steady yourself before a single word is spoken.

In this issue, we’ll explore how warming up your face and jaw supports a stronger voice, how to take ownership of the room’s energy and how to use simple physical releases to calm nerves.

Voice - warming up the face

Your voice isn’t just about your vocal cords; your whole face plays a role in creating the sounds. Lips, jaw and cheeks all shape your tone and clarity. If these areas are tight, your speech can sound flat or mumbled; if they’re warmed up, your voice feels freer and more expressive.

Professional singers and actors know this; they spend a few minutes stretching and massaging their face before stepping on stage. A relaxed jaw and supple lips give you articulation that feels effortless, which boosts confidence in both you and your audience.

👉 Try this: gently massage your cheeks, loosen your jaw by opening, stretching and closing it slowly, and exaggerate vowel sounds (“oo-ee-oh-ah” is a good combination to repeat) to stretch the lips and cheeks. Widen your eyes, lift your eyebrows and make your face as 'big' as you can'; then scrunch it all in towards your nose, and repeat. These simple warm-up stretches can strengthen and brighten your voice tone.

Presence - setting the room's energy when you speak

As the speaker at the front of the room, you are the one who sets the energy. Audiences often mirror what they receive; if you bring focus, warmth and enthusiasm, they are far more likely to respond in kind.

But it’s important to remember that it is not their job to energise you. Your role is to curate the mood and pace, and to model the engagement you want to see. If you speak with low energy and expect the audience to lift you, you may be disappointed. If you arrive prepared and intentional, you give them something to reflect back.

(But if an audience member wants to receive what you are offering without noticeable response, that's ok too. It doesn't mean that you aren't doing a good job or that they aren't engaged internally.)

👉 Try this: before your next talk, decide the energy you want to project: calm authority, friendly and approachable or high motivation. Then, consciously embody it in your voice, gestures, and movement. Notice how the audience begins to mirror you.

Confidence - let go of tension

Nerves often show up as restless energy in the body; the trick in performance is to release that energy in small, controlled ways. A quick, simple technique I share with clients is to clench and release different muscle groups. It’s easy to do and helps calm your nervous system before speaking. (You can also do it without others noticing!)

By tightening a muscle fully and then letting go, you teach your body the difference between tension and relaxation. That contrast signals safety to your brain, which helps reduce anxious energy and makes you feel more grounded.

👉 Try this: before stepping up, scrunch up your toes as hard as you can, hold for five seconds, then release. Focus on that release. Do the same with your fists, if you can do so discreetly, or with thumb and forefinger pressed together. Notice the wave of relaxation that follows; it’s your body letting go of built-up tension.