What in the World Are All These “Tongue Exercises”—and Are They Actually Beneficial?
If you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ve probably seen videos of people doing all kinds of “tongue exercises.” They can look a little silly at first—but there’s actually a lot of science behind them.
These exercises are more accurately called lingual isolation tasks, and they are wildly beneficial for breathing, swallowing, and speech.
Why Tongue Strength and Control Matter
Your tongue is made up of two groups of muscles:
Intrinsic muscles (inside the tongue)
Extrinsic muscles (outside the tongue, attaching it to surrounding structures)
The four intrinsic muscles—which shape and refine tongue movement—are:
Superior longitudinal
Inferior longitudinal
Transverse
Vertical
These muscles allow the tongue to move independently from the lips and jaw, change shape, elevate, retract, and stabilize during speech and swallowing.
Not All Tongue Exercises Do the Same Thing
Different lingual isolation tasks target different muscles or muscle groups. That matters—because weakness or poor coordination in specific tongue muscles can directly impact speech sounds, swallowing patterns, and even airway support.
For example, a child may come in with difficulty producing the /l/ sound. Often, that difficulty is related to reduced activation of the superior longitudinal muscle, which helps lift and shape the tongue tip. When we understand whichmuscles are involved, we can choose exercises that are purposeful—not random.
And that’s the most important piece: knowing the WHY.
Lingual Isolation Tasks We Commonly Use at Flourish Speech Therapy
These aren’t the only lingual isolation tasks, or necessarily the best for every person—but they’re five quick, effective tasks we often use with a wide range of patients and as a great baseline check for tongue strength and coordination.
1. Pointy Tongue
With the mouth comfortably open, hold the tongue in a pointed shape without resting it on the lower lip or teeth.
Why it helps:
This activates the top and bottom intrinsic tongue muscles and teaches the tongue to move independently from the lips and jaw—making it a great starting point.
2. Tongue to Spot
Bring the front third of the tongue to the alveolar ridge (the “spot” just behind the top front teeth). The back of the tongue should not touch the spot.
If you notice excessive curling, place a small sprinkle on the tip of the tongue and slowly lift it to the spot without moving the jaw. This is where the tongue should comfortably rest at rest.
Why it helps:
This is foundational for proper swallowing, speech clarity, and resting tongue posture.
3. Lingual Suction
Click your tongue a few times, then try to hold the suction.
The entire tongue should be gently pressed against the roof of the mouth.
Why it helps:
This is the ideal tongue position for swallowing and plays a huge role in airway support and oral function.
4. Taco Tongue
Flip the sides of your tongue upward to form a taco shape.
Why it helps:
If this is difficult or impossible, it often indicates weakness in the transverse and lateral muscles.
5. Bowl Tongue
From taco tongue, slowly relax the sides and allow the tongue to widen into a bowl shape.
Why it helps:
Difficulty holding this position is another sign of transverse and lateral muscle weakness. We often see children who struggle with the /r/ sound need to first strengthen their ability to hold this bowl shape.
The Big Takeaway
Lingual isolation tasks aren’t about doing random tongue movements—they’re about intentional, muscle-specific training.
Understanding which muscles are weak and why certain exercises are chosen makes therapy more effective, more efficient, and more meaningful. These five tasks give us a helpful snapshot of how the tongue is functioning and where support is needed.
And yes—while they might look simple, they can make a powerful difference.
-Rebecca Fonseca M.S. CCC-SLP