8 Best Stuttering Exercises You Can Practice Daily
Why Daily Practice Matters
Stuttering therapy works best when you practice consistently — not just during your weekly SLP session. Research shows that daily practice of 20-30 minutes produces significantly better outcomes than sporadic longer sessions.
Here are 8 evidence-based exercises you can start today.
Beginner Exercises
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing (3 minutes)
Fluent speech starts with proper breath support. Most people who stutter tend to hold tension in their chest and throat.
How to practice:
- Sit comfortably with one hand on your chest, one on your belly
- Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts — your belly should rise, not your chest
- Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 counts
- Repeat 5-10 times before speaking practice
This becomes your warm-up before every session.
2. Gentle Onset (5 minutes)
Instead of forcing sounds out, start each phrase with a soft, easy voice. Think of turning a dimmer switch rather than flipping a light switch.
How to practice:
- Start with vowels: "ah... apple", "oh... open"
- Progress to consonants: "mmm... morning", "nnn... nice"
- Then phrases: "I would like...", "Can you help me..."
- Keep your throat relaxed — if you feel tension, start softer
3. Prolonged Speech (5 minutes)
Stretch your words slightly, connecting them smoothly like a gentle stream rather than choppy rapids.
How to practice:
- Read a passage at half your normal speed
- Stretch vowel sounds: "Toooodaaay iiis aaa gooood daaay"
- Gradually increase speed while keeping connections smooth
- The goal isn't slow speech forever — it's training smooth connections
Intermediate Exercises
4. Light Articulatory Contact (5 minutes)
When you form consonants like /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, touch your tongue, lips, and teeth as lightly as possible. Heavy contact creates the tension that triggers blocks.
How to practice:
- Say words starting with pressure consonants: "paper", "bottle", "table"
- Focus on the lightest possible touch
- If you feel any tension, start the word over with less pressure
5. DAF Practice (10 minutes)
Delayed Auditory Feedback — hearing your voice on a slight delay — naturally slows your speech rate and has been shown to reduce stuttering by up to 80%.
How to practice:
- Use StutterLab's Audio Lab or any DAF tool
- Start with a 100-120ms delay
- Read passages aloud, letting the delay guide your pace
- As fluency improves, gradually reduce the delay
Advanced Exercises
6. Cancellation
After you stutter on a word, stop, pause, and say the word again using your technique.
How to practice:
- Read aloud or have a conversation
- When you stutter, stop mid-sentence
- Take a breath
- Say the stuttered word again with gentle onset or prolongation
- Continue the sentence
This builds awareness and replaces old patterns with new ones.
7. Pull-Out
Instead of pushing through a block, ease out of it while it's happening.
How to practice:
- When you feel stuck on a sound, don't force it
- Slow down mid-word and stretch the sound gently
- Transition smoothly to the next sound
- This takes practice — start in low-pressure situations
8. Voluntary Stuttering
This might seem counterintuitive, but deliberately stuttering on non-feared words reduces fear and builds a sense of control.
How to practice:
- Choose easy words and deliberately repeat the first sound 2-3 times
- "I-I-I would like a coffee"
- Practice in comfortable situations first
- Gradually try it in more challenging contexts
Putting It Together: A Daily Session
Here's a sample 25-minute daily practice:
| Time | Activity | |------|----------| | 2 min | Diaphragmatic breathing | | 5 min | Gentle onset + prolonged speech | | 10 min | DAF reading practice | | 5 min | Conversation practice (with AI or a partner) | | 3 min | Voice journal reflection |
Key Principles
- Consistency beats intensity: 25 minutes daily > 2 hours once a week
- Start easy: Master beginner exercises before moving to advanced
- Track progress: Measure fluency objectively over time
- Be patient: Real improvement happens over weeks and months
- Work with an SLP: These exercises complement professional treatment
These exercises are based on established speech therapy techniques. For personalized treatment, consult a certified Speech-Language Pathologist.