Stretches for Professional Voice Users
Did you know stretching can be super helpful before singing? I have a stretch routine I’ve been using for years. I use this both in my voice studio with my students and in my voice therapy sessions. Read on to learn my favorite stretch routine for professional voice users!
Disclaimer: I am a speech pathologist, but I’m not your speech pathologist. This material is for your education and information only. This content does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. New research may negate or change this information. If you have questions about a medical condition, always talk with your health care provider.
Mountain pose
This is borrowed from Yoga. It slowly gets the blood flowing and gets you to start thinking about the breath. Stand with your feet naturally below your hips, knees soft (not locked!) and reach your hands up to the sky. I like to have my patients/students breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth on “sh.”
Chest stretch
This stretch feels so good for me! It helps stretch out my upper body/chest muscles and improves my posture. Clasping your hands behind your low back/buttocks, feel the stretch across your chest. Stay in this position for 3-5 breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth on “Sh.”
Back stretch
This one will stretch out the upper back muscles well. Clasping your hands in front of you, stretch your arms straight out without overextending your elbows. Feel the stretch across your upper back, and breathe gently in through the nose and out through the mouth on “Sh.”
Shoulder rolls
Roll your shoulders back a few times, then forward a few times to release some neck tension.
Waist twist
Twist side to side a few times at the waist to release the lower back muscles.
Rag doll
It’s important to think of yourself as a rag doll for this one. Imagine slowly bending forward to allow each vertebrae in your spine to bend forward, leaving you hanging like a rag doll would. Start with the 7 vertebrae in your neck allowing chin to go to chest, then the 12 vertebrae in your thoracic spine, and finally the 5 lumbar vertebrae. Take several breaths into your low back from this position. Finally, think of stacking each vertebrae on top of the last as you slowly return to standing. The last vertebrae to move will be the 7 vertebrae in your neck. Do you feel taller? I always do!
Neck stretch
Lean your head to one side, over your shoulder. Bring the arm of the side you are leaning toward up to put a tiny amount of pressure on the head to increase the stretch, and drop the opposite shoulder down. Breathe, as above. Then, let the arm release, and let the head float back up. Repeat on the other side.
Masseter Muscle Massage/Stretch
This stretch will help release some jaw tension. The Masseter muscle is used for chewing (and clenching your teeth). Allow the jaw to be slack for this stretch. Using the pad of your hand followed by your index and middle fingers, massage the masseter muscle. Start at the place where your jaw comes together (near the upper part of the ear), and gently press in and down on both sides of your face. If this is tender, reduce the pressure. As you begin to massage this out, the tenderness should improve, and you MAY be able to increase the pressure a little.
Respiratory muscle warm-up
You can learn all about semi-occluded vocal tract exercises here (/blog/semi-occluded-vocal-tract-exercises). In this case, we’re focusing on the beginning of the respiratory muscle warm-up before we really get into singing. Try a few lip trills or straw bubbles with just airflow. Then move into the exercises mentioned in the SOVTE post.
Lingual stretch
Lingual stretching can help reduce base of tongue tension. Complete a set of tongue-out speech exercises. Try saying the days of the week with your tongue out and down. We’ll use this in a 9-minute warm-up with singing too (/blog/a-9-minute-vocal-warm-up).
Floor of Mouth Massage
This final activity will reduce tension in the floor of the mouth. Find the “triangle” formed under your jaw by the curve of the mandible anteriorly and the hyoid bone to the back. Don’t go beyond the hyoid bone. Using the pads of your thumbs, massage the floor of the mouth “triangle.” Use only a tolerable amount of pressure. If there is tenderness, allow for less pressure, and increase pressure, as you tolerate it.
Now, you’re ready for one of the 9-minute vocal warm-ups reviewed recently. Check out here (/blog/a-9-minute-vocal-warm-up) and here (blog/another-9-minute-vocal-warm-up) for the posts describing these warm-ups.
Thanks for reading!