Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Follow Up to Singing and Exercise: Cardio and Yoga

So, how did you do?  I have added at least 2 sessions of cardiovascular exercise and 2 sessions of yoga and/or pilates to my weekly routine for the last month.  I have more energy in general and am more focused on my daily tasks.  I have more motivation to try new things and get more accomplised.

I am also more focused when I practice.  As a singing teacher, I know it means a lot more to practice well in less time than to spend 1 hour just singing.  I am able to spend time perfecting a phrase and with more ease than before.  Being more in tune with body, I can diagnose the problem quicker and solve the problem faster (i.e. my posture is not in alignment, so by fixing that, I improve my sound).  I can sustain phrases longer in my repertoire and feel more grounded when I sing.  My nerves are even a little better when I perform for others.

How has increased exercise and yoga impacted your life and your singing?

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Singing and Exercise: The yoga connection

Exercise such as yoga aligns your spine, improves posture, calms your mind, and strengthens your whole body which is all beneficial to singing.  Pilates focuses on strengthening your body from the inside out with much emphasis on ‘the core’ or abdominal muscles which are the powerhouse of a singer.  Both pilates and yoga are practices that help you to be more in tune with your body and pay attention to the needs and comfort of your body and mind.  Because your body is your instrument, it is essential to be in tune with it and take care of it. 

As a singer, your body is your instrument, so take care of it by exercising and eating well.  Both aerobic exercise and yoga help posture for singing.  You will  have more control over your breath, be able to sing longer phrases, have more endurance, and feel better about yourself.   You will also be more in tune with your body and, just like an athlete, the more awareness you have over you body, the greater your success.
So, get out there in the warm air and exercise, eat the fresh foods of summer, and balance your mind and body and make your singing the best it can be! 

What do you think about the connection between exercise, diet and singing?

Join me in an experiment! 

Add both Cardio exercise 2 times and yoga 2 times to your weekly routine for the next 2 weeks.  Practice sometime during the day following the activity and notice how you sing.

Does it change your singing?  Improve your breathing?  Increase your focus?  Make singing easier?  Make you more in tune with your body so that you fix and problems quicker?

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