Do you shiver? Do you shake? You're not alone. We commissioned Yoga expert Peter Lawless to come up with a few handy pre-gig relaxation exercises to soothe the terminally nervous. Breath deeply and your problems could be over.

A recent article about stagefright (issue 14; May, 1987) concluded that relaxation exercises might help in dealing with the problem. The difficulty is that though we're told to relax, we often haven't got the slightest idea of how to go about it. The "I-would-if-I-could-but-I-can't" syndrome. But if you suffer, why not give the following a try?

The important point to remember is that like most things, music especially, the benefits from these exercises improve with practice. Don't wait until you're struck speechless, toilet bound, or are on the point of regurgitating your last meal before you inaugurate them.

With practice you'll become aware of the difference between tension and relaxation. This means that when you start feeling uptight you can recognise it and take action to stop the tension growing. As a result you should grow more confident.

Working from the fact that when people feel upset or panicky they tend to breathe faster, one way of calming down is to slow the breath itself. This is not simply a matter of taking a few deep inhalations, though. Concentration upon the breath itself is as important as the way you breathe.

Stand or sit, as you wish, with your back straight, and breathe very slowly in and out. While doing this, concentrate upon how you are breathing. Imagine that your lungs are in three parts - the bottom, the middle, and the top.

With your mouth closed, empty your lungs and, breathing slowly in through your nose, fill first the bottom, then the middle, then the top of your lungs. Do this until your lungs are comfortably full, and then breathe out, again through your nostrils, until your lungs are empty. Then repeat this action. If possible do this with your eyes closed, but if that upsets you, keep them open.

Focus your attention on the movement of the air through your nostrils. Make yourself aware of the differences as it flows in cool and dry, and flows out warm and moist.

Don't be surprised if it's difficult at first because though breathing is something we do all day everyday we seldom think about it, or work at it.

Do this for ten breaths and see how you feel. Then repeat it and see how you feel again. You'll find it does have a calming effect. Do this as often and as long as you want. After you've got the method you can do it for maybe five or ten minutes at a time.

Given its simplicity this exercise can be done anywhere. At home, in the van, before you go on stage. Using your breath like this you'll be able to prepare yourself for difficult situations and, if you have to, you can also help yourself recover from them. You'll find that it is very difficult to panic and breathe slowly.

An additional advantage of this exercise is that your lung capacity may appear to increase as you learn to use all of it... could help your vocal ability, too.

If you have time and space take this exercise a stage further by inducing relaxation in your whole body. To do this, lie on the floor with your arms and legs stretched out keeping the palms of your hands upwards and your arms away from your body.

With your eyes closed, breathe as described above but this time imagine that you are breathing relaxation in and tension out.

Do this for as long as you want but remember that unless you're in bed trying to get to sleep, dropping off is not the object of the exercise. Just in case you do, you might have to set your alarm clock or arrange for someone to disturb you gently.

The more energetic among you can combine the first exercise with arm movement. Standing with your eyes closed and your arms by your sides, start to breathe as above. As you do so slowly lift your arms, keeping them straight. At the same time imagine you are drawing long black lines with crayons held in your hands. As you are comfortably full your arms should be above your head. Then, as you breathe out, lower your arms and imagine that you're rubbing the lines out. You should be empty as your arms are back at your sides. Do this four or five times but don't breathe out too fast or you'll be left with black stumps to get rid of. If you don't believe me try it.

If you're embarrassed about doing things like this with people around, try disappearing into the toilet to try them. The next exercise may be best practised there as well. This one is dead easy. It doesn't even involve breathing.

Stand with your eyes closed and feet together. Lift one foot off the ground and stand like that for as long as possible. When you've done that, try standing on the other leg. Anyone who can do anything other than think about not falling over really has problems.