Will Cardio Physical Activity Help You Sing Better [Video]

Will Cardio Physical Activity Help You Sing Better [Video] Suzy S. Can doing physical exercise and cardio help you become a better singer? The answer is yes! Learn how to strengthen your singing voice and which activities are best in this article by voice teacher Rebecca R Imagine this scenario: youve signed up to run your  first marathon. Maybe you  ran cross-country back in high school and have kept up with running as a regular form of exercise. Because of this, you dont  use a training plan, and instead  continue your normal exercise routine. When the day of the marathon arrives, though, you struggle to complete the entire course and  end up  injured. Youd probably feel like your  body betrayed  you, right? While this scenario is a VERY exaggerated circumstance, it gets the point across: in order to accomplish a physical goal in the healthiest way possible, a certain amount of body awareness and training is required. And although it doesnt  demand nearly the same endurance training as running a marathon, singing is a very physical activity. While just two tiny muscles are responsible for forming the sound of your singing voice (your vocal cords), the act of singing is a whole-body experience. So, whats the proper way to train? Adding physical activity to your musical practice  to develop stamina and strengthen your singing voice is a great idea.  Heres how it can help you sing better: 1.  Your body is your instrument. In nearly every introductory voice lesson I teach, the student is always surprised by how physically demanding the lesson is. Often, he or she feels like they just went on a jog. That is exactly how any student should feel after a voice lesson! When you sing to the best of your ability, you are using your entire body. Your feet ground you, your legs support you, and your torso expands and works to provide the breath support needed to fuel your singing. Even if you’re sitting in a chair, leaning against a piano, or laying on the ground, you are using more than just your  throat and head to sing. If learning how to strengthen your singing voice is a goal for you, the first step is to map out body awareness. Ask yourself the following questions the next time you sing: Which muscles are engaging when I breathe? When I’m singing a phrase of music? What do my feet feel like under me? Can they feel the ground? Where do I feel my torso expand when I inhale? In the front? On the sides? In the back? Am I holding any unnecessary tension in the body? Maybe in the shoulders or the jaw? 2.  Breath, breath, and more breath! Lung expansion is a saving grace for any singer. For most circumstances in everyday life, we inhale and exhale subconsciously without needing to actively engage our lungs. When we sing, however, we use up to 90% of our lung capacity depending on the range, style, and length of the song. Unless you  also happen to be an athlete, chances are you dont  perform many activities throughout the day that require a lot of conscious breathing. Enter cardio exercises: jogging, running, swimming, circuit training, you name it! All of these forms of exercise, in addition to their overall health benefits, will improve lung expansion, which helps you  access more of your  lung capacity and fuel your  voice through any practice session, lesson, or performance. Good breath support gained through cardio exercise is what ultimately will provide the stamina to sing safely for hours, days, and years. Editors Note: For more breathing exercises, join our next live, online class! View the schedule and reserve your spot here. 3. The Importance of Posture While having good posture may seem obvious, I don’t think most singers realize that posture is something that needs to be worked on and strengthened regularly. Just like training the lungs with cardio, we need to strengthen our body to support good, natural posture while releasing tight muscles. Yoga or pilates will accomplish both of these goals, along  with added mental benefits! By strengthening your  instrument (your body) and loosening up tight muscles, you  will sing more freely and with more ease. As an added bonus,youll  be able to warm up your voice much more quickly if your body is already warmed up! Here’s a quick little trick for when you need help setting up your posture: Inhale fully and deeply without raising your  shoulders or tightening your  neck. Then, as you exhale, imagine your spine growing longer in both directions, up out of the top of your head and down toward the ground simultaneously. How Much Physical Activity Do I Need to Sing at My Best? While the minutes spent and intensity of all physical activity will vary from person to person, here’s a basic schedule you may want to follow: 3 times/week: Cardio should be  reserved for long vocal practice days. On cardio days, I’ve found that my lung capacity is at its best, and the energy I feel after cardio helps fuel long practice sessions. To get all the benefits of the cardio when you sing, try to fit it in before you practice. 2 times/week: Yoga or pilates is reserved for my non-practice/non-performance days. Yoga classes that are lengthy and provide a hearty workout (such as Vinyasa or power yoga), as well as pilates classes, build strength and flexibility, which can leave the body sore and in need of some recovery. It’s best to avoid activity that might add temporary tension or tightness on singing days or save the workout for after your singing. Every day: Gentle yoga and stretching can be done anytime  and is highly encouraged, particularly before you sing. I always reserve time for some gentle yoga on performance days, audition days, or long rehearsal days â€" the gentle stretch not only allows my mind and body to calm down and feel grounded but also makes warming up vocally easier and quicker. Give it a Try Follow along with the video below for a quick stretching sequence you can start using today. Singers, what kinds of physical activity do you engage in? Leave a comment below and let us know how its helped! Post Author: Rebecca R. Rebecca R. teaches singing, piano, and music theory in Ridgewood, NY, as well as online. She teaches students ages 6 and up, and a variety of experience levels. Learn more about Rebecca here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher