How to Prepare Your Body for Singing

You must be poised, relaxed and in a receptive state of mind before you begin to sing. Here are some physical exercises to help you get rid of tension in your body.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Exercise 1

1. Keep your legs straight, gently bend forward, and allow your arms and upper torso to drop toward the floor.
2. Relax. Let your arms dangle loosely and swing them back and forth through your legs to the count of 5.
3. Straighten your body until you are standing upright.
4. Bring your arms up and stretch toward the ceiling.
5. Hold the stretch for a moment, then relax back into a standing position.
6. Lower your arms slowly to the sides of your body.
7. Repeat the exercise three times.

Exercise 2

8. Keep your head level and your neck still.
9. Bring your left shoulder forward, lift it and roll it backwards.
10. Repeat three times.
11. Repeat the exercise with your right shoulder.
12. Use both shoulders at once.

Exercise 3

13. Draw your left hand into a tight ball and hold it for the count of 5.
14. Relax your hand.
15. Perform the exercise five times.
16. Repeat the exercise with your right hand.
17. Finally, repeat the exercise with both hands together five times.

Tips & Warnings

• These exercises are useful not just for singing but also for releasing tension at the end of a long, hard day. Lie down on the floor. Tighten all your muscles for a slow count of 5, then suddenly release them. You will experience a very pleasant sense of floating.