“Silly sentence, silly sentence, silly sentence” Say it three times quickly…

Most of us have been told at some point, in a presentation skills class or a vocal training session, to say some similarly inane phrase on repeat! It always felt like a slightly embarrassing icebreaker rather than something with a real purpose behind it.

But there is a point, and as actors we know it. It’s one of the simple tools which can be most helpful for quick presentation skills prep, if we understand it’s many uses. Yes, your tongue moved, but so did a lot more than that, and understanding what actually happens during a tongue twister is a big part of why they remain a core tool in professional voice training and public speaking coaching.

What’s Really Happening When You Say a Tongue Twister?

1. Your brain scrambled to sequence a run of nearly identical sounds without letting one collapse into the next.
2. Your breath had to stay steady enough that you did not run out of air halfway through and start gasping mid-sentence.
3. Your jaw, lips, facial muscles and soft palate were all firing rapid, split second adjustments.
4. Your energy was engaged, taking your message out of your head and into your heart.
5. You broke out of your usual speech patterns, and the cadence you normally rely on without even thinking about it.

And if you felt even a flicker of self-consciousness doing it out loud, that is not your imagination. That is the exact same gut level jolt of nerves that shows up right before a big pitch, a job interview, or a hard conversation with your boss.

Why the Term Undersells the Whole Exercise

This is exactly why the term “tongue twister” is so misleading. It makes it sound like a stand-alone, cute little warm up actors do before a performance, something you could safely skip if you are short on time before a big meeting.

It is actually a truly useful tool, a full instrument test. Brain, breath, body, nerves, and intention, all working together in a matter of seconds. That combination is precisely what makes it so valuable for executive presence coaching, and public speaking preparation, because it activates the same systems you rely on the moment real stakes walk into the room.

Why We Build This Into Voice and Presence Training

That is why we build tongue twisters and similar vocal warm up exercises into our Voice and Presence training at Peers and Players. We are not just trying to get someone’s tongue limber. We are trying to get their whole system warmed up, brain, breath, and nerves included, as well as intangibles like authentic enthusiasm and intention. Tapping into your ability to convey an important message with more than just words.

So next time you catch a colleague muttering “unique New York” under their breath before walking into a meeting, they are not just being weird. They are doing more real preparation in ten seconds than most people manage in ten minutes.

It’s Not Just the Words, It’s the Intention Behind Them

At Peers and Players, we like to use phrases that are not just words for a physical and vocal warm up. We choose phrases that engage a sense of purpose and intention, and that part is intangible in a way that matters just as much as the mechanics.

Try these inspiring phrases next time you need to warm up before a presentation, a difficult conversation, or a big pitch:

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

Or

“Knowing what must be done does away with fear.” (Rosa Parks)

Notice how differently it feels in your body compared to a nonsense phrase. That difference is exactly what we help leaders and teams tap into in our Voice and Presence workshops.

Ready to Build Real Vocal Confidence and Executive Presence?

If you would like to know more about our individual or group Voice and Presence workshops, and how vocal warmups, breathwork, and presence coaching can help your leaders show up with more confidence in high stakes meetings and presentations, please reach out to

info@peersandplayers.com.