Movement and Physical Presence
Extemp delivery norms include purposeful movement that reinforces structure, distinct from pacing nervously or standing frozen. You will be able to use movement to visually reinforce your point structure.
Movement Tied to Structure
A common convention is to physically shift position — a step to one side, a turn of the body — at the start of each new point, giving the judge a visual signpost that reinforces the verbal one. Returning to a central 'home' position for the introduction and conclusion also visually reinforces that the speech has come full circle.
Avoiding Distracting Habits
Nervous habits like rocking side to side, shifting weight repeatedly without purpose, or pacing randomly distract from content and are noted as detractions on many ballots. Purposeful gestures that emphasize specific words, such as a hand movement on 'cut' when discussing rate cuts, reinforce meaning rather than distract from it.
A competitor is rehearsing physical blocking for her three-point speech.
She delivers her introduction facing center, steps to her left for point one, steps to center-right for point two, steps further right for point three, and returns to center for her conclusion, so a judge glancing up at any moment can tell roughly where in the speech she is purely from her position in the room.
1. What is a common movement convention in Extemp delivery?
Answer all 1 to check.
Purposeful movement tied to structure — shifting position per point and returning to center for intro and conclusion — visually reinforces organization, while nervous, aimless movement distracts.