We know rapport is essential if you want to have a positive impact in their lives. When presenting, I felt like I had two dead fish attached to the end of each arm, flopping about all over the place. So the only thing I could think of was to clasp them tightly together. Admittedly, that was not a very effective alternative. Many of us are self conscious about our gestures.
Some people Velcro their elbows to their waists, and move their hands in a jerky, undirected manner.
These gestures only distract the audience away from us and our message. The key is to develop gestures that are natural, expressive, and purposeful. Gestures work best when they help illustrate a point you are making. By getting your body involved, you have a better chance of involving the audience. When my clients and I work on gestures, I have them practice getting out of their comfort zone, to use bigger, more purposeful, or perhaps slower gestures.