Stretches for Vocalists
In addition to conditioning our actual vocal mechanisms, we want to be sure to cover how we can condition and prepare our bodies for healthy and efficient vocal practice. Our instruments are our bodies. They are one and the same. You must care for your voice and your body. One without the other will eventually fail. I’ve put together a few of my most commonly used stretches below, designed specifically for vocalists, that can not only help loosen and warm up your body prior to vocalizing, but can also help relieve tension after a demanding performance. Staying physically loose is paramount to quality performance. Download Stretches for vocalist: PDF
In addition to stretching, I highly recommend incorporating a minimum of twenty minutes a day of cardiovascular work three to four times a week, as it is a critical part of your breath mechanic, and your available endurance or stamina for vocalizing. Thirty to forty minutes of cardio four to five times a week, even better! Your cardiovascular system needs continual upkeep, it needs to be tasked and worked to function efficently. Singers who maintain regular cardio exercise in addition to their vocalizing are singers with better stamina, period. We want you to have a fantastic resting and working heart rate, so you can navigate easily through hours of cardio demand while performing and vocalizing.
Pilates, both mat and reformer, is another form of exercise that I highly recommend for singers, as its main tenent is core strength. Having a solid core muscle structure will serve you well as a vocalist. Reformer Pilates specifically does wonders for your neck, spine, and ribcage flexibility and alignment. I frequently run my students through ribcage, neck and spine alignment on my studio reformer because the results are irrefutable. Alexander Technique is another form of body work that focuses primarily on restoring natural movement and posture, including spinal; adjustment and realignment of your physical structure, which I also highly recommend if Pilates is not for you, or you just want to go the extra physical mile.
Remember, being a singer is much like being a professional athlete, as our bodies ARE our instruments, so we should care for them accordingly.
These stretches will release tension in our upper body and warm up the muscle groups surrounding our vocal connective tissues including our fascia and joints. By releasing these areas we allow our bodies to be as close to physically neutral as possible, prior to practice or performance. Warming up our bodies as well as our voice, is our best and safest vocal practice.
Do each stretch 3-5 times, and hold for 30 seconds. Please note that it is not necessary to hold any of the stretches beyond 30 seconds, as current data shows that 30 seconds is the ideal length of time to get a quality lasting stretch. Less time, and your stretch will not sustain (won’t stay loose), and longer than that won’t deepen or increase the stretch.
You can do any of these at any time, and they do not need to be done in order or consecutively. However, if you follow the illustrations in order, it is a very comprehensive stretching routine. I often will create specific stretches for students which include lying down on implements such as squash balls, stretch balls or foam rollers, but they are specific to certain issues. Larynx or actual vocal tension massage and other stretches will be covered in private lessons, as they are very specific, and supervision is needed when learning the techniques. For information or questions about specific stretches or areas of tightness, feel free to contact us or sign up for a stretching lesson via our student area. Download Stretches for vocalist: PDF
