Many of our problems in singing come from muscular imbalance. The muscles in the neck and collarbones are often neglected, yet their ability to contract and relax in a coordinated fashion is directly related to producing a free vocal tone.
Here are a series of exercises that, when executed properly, will ease tension in the neck and shoulders and release the muscular tension blocking your beautiful voice.
Neck exercises*
- Purpose: to strengthen, stretch, and balance right-left and front-back neck muscles
- Exhale and engage/stretch muscles while moving head
- forward (push head out like a turtle, face level)
- back (push head back on neck and go for a double or a triple chin)
- up (face towards heavens)
- down (chin to chest)
- Look over Right shoulder (eyes, ears, and chin level)
- Look over Left shoulder (eyes, ears, and chin level)
- R ear to shoulder, turn L palm up to heavens to gently increase stretch
- L ear to shoulder, turning R palm as desired to increase stretch
- Inhale and release/relax muscles as head returns to center
- General notes:
- Repeat each pair of exercises 3-5 times
- Pelvis remains level
- Lower spine and torso remain stable and centered
- Before each movement, traction the upper spine to add as much vertical space between vertebrae as possible
- Keep shoulder blades squeezing gently together during each exhalation
- Exhale and engage/stretch muscles while moving head
*Thanks to my friend Avril Loy for sharing these exercises with me in yoga class.