Is it convenient to place pebbles in the mouth while running? Demosthenes had to overcome several weaknesses; one of them was a speech impediment. The Greek orator was said to treat his speech impediment by running with pebbles in his mouth while reciting verses.
Demosthenes knew he needed to be heard in the courtroom and sound pleasing and convincing to the audience.
He had to learn to use his authentic voice rather than his habitual voice of stuttering and stammering.

Stuttering is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is not entirely understood. The condition manifests as the flow of speech interrupted by repetitions, prolongations, or abnormal stoppages. It severely impacts a person's communication ability and links to fear, a glossophobia trait. Unable to say something is highly stressful in interpersonal communication, a double whammy in public speaking. Hollywood has highly stigmatized and reinforced it with movies like "The life of Brian. A fish called Wanda and Texas." No one knows what causes stuttering, and no one has a cure for it, but the good news is that one can sing that stuttering away and manage it very effectively.

Today no one has to run up hills with pebbles in their mouths to strengthen their voice. However, Demosthenes practiced his speech while running, head half-shaven, because Glossophobia would do anything to stop him from practicing his speech. So Demosthenes left a legacy for us glossophobics to overcome, but no running up a hill with a mouth full of pebbles.

Let us examine why Demosthenes thought running with pebbles in his mouth helped his stammering and stuttering. Speaking involves controlling parts of the mouth and nose to shape the air from the lungs through the larynx, where the vocal folds vibrate. The articulators shape the airflow. These organs help to produce the sounds of language. Organs used for speaking include the pharynx, the lips, teeth, the alveolar ridge, the hard palate, the velum (soft palate), the uvula, the glottis, and various parts of the tongue.

NO, no running with a mouth full of pebbles, but there is something safer, voice training. Yes, you read correctly; voice training is a warm-up routine done daily to help strengthen the articulators.

Interestingly, people who stutter do not stutter when they sing. Research shows that singing engages the auditory-motor feedback pathways. It stimulates and strengthens the muscles involved in articulation, respiration, and phonation. I am not suggesting anyone go out and take singing lessons, although it is a good idea. However, why is it that singing helps with stuttering or slamming?

A study by the University of Iowa concluded that "Music" uses the right side of the brain. For example, the brain uses the left side for language, but when singing, the brain shifts to the right side. The right side is the creative brain.

Celebrities like Kendrick Lamar and Marilyn Monroe started singing to help with their stuttering. There are several benefits to singing a speech during practice. It is more playful and animate and helps exercise the vocal cords, lips, and tongue differently than when talking. There is no pressure when singing, and the rhythmic pattern of music helps to regulate breathing. Singing scales improves pitch memory which is essential to any speaker's training.

Additionally, because one scale typically covers several pitches spanning an octave, practicing scales challenges and expands the vocal range. It helps improve tongue and soft-palate coordination. No one has to be a soprano, tenor, or alto singer. Start by singing the "Rainbow Connection."
If Kermit the frog can sing, so can you. Give it a shot.

If singing is not a strong point, try humming. Humming helps warm and strengthens the vocal cord; this can be done daily while applying makeup or cooking (shaving for men). When done daily, it strengthens the vocal cords, improves the voice range and tone, and puts the rhythm in life.

To strengthen vocal cords, breathe through the nose while sticking out the tongue and exhaling. Do it in front of a mirror. It helps stretch the tongue to open the airway and the vocal cores. Be gentle, the tongue is a tiny member of the body and not customarily exercised, but like any muscle, it becomes more robust with repeated exercise.

We have all heard speak from the diaphragm instead of the throat. The quality of voice in a person is evident by the face color. If a person speaks from their throat, the face turns red, and the person sounds out of breath. Throat speaking is painful; speak from the diaphragm. It means breathing low and deep, as if into the belly, and using that breath to speak.

Some speakers speak through their noses, referred to as nasal voices. A dear friend speaks through his nose. It sounds like air escaping through the nasal cavity. His face turns red, and he looks as if he is ready to pass out. What happens, the back of the roof of the mouth does not fully close against the upper wall of the throat during the speech, leaving the nasal cavity open. Breathing is essential; if you do not think so, try not breathing for five minutes. Yeah, as said, breathing is so important, not only to stay alive but to be a better speaker.

Other speakers sound hoarse, breathy, raspy, or strained or have a lower ranch of pitch. What can be done? Remember the breathing exercises, but most importantly, stay hydrated, drink water, and avoid alcohol and smoking before speaking. Gargling with warm salt water always helps before a speech. Alternatively, try drinking lemon tea. Stay away from spicy foods before a speech.

I am sure Demosthenes would agree that these exercises are much safer and more fun. So let us recap. For training the voice, NO PEBBLES in the mouth. Sing, hum, buzz, trill, yawn, breathe, and even take Vick's lozenges daily for a crystal-clear voice that will make you sound like Escolania de Montserrat, the choir singer.