Читать книгу Singing For Dummies - Pamelia S. Phillips - Страница 69

If you’ve been working on the exercises in this chapter, you’ve probably explored your inhalation and exhalation enough to know what’s moving and grooving as you breathe and sing.

Athletes know that they have to train consistently to teach the muscles in their body to respond exactly the way they want. Gaining coordination of the muscles that control breathing takes time and consistent practice. Some people call it developing muscle memory. Over time, the muscles remember how to move and you don’t have to think about it. You want this to happen for breathing and singing: You want to practice the breathing exercises enough that you can rely on them to work efficiently so you can focus on the story you’re telling.

Athletes also know that working out and doing physical conditioning is crucial for developing the ability to transport oxygen quickly throughout the body. When you’re singing, you’re moving a lot of air, and your body needs to be in good shape so you can handle the endurance required to sing for an entire performance. You don’t have to be thin, but you have to be in good shape. Your workout at the gym also helps your breathing for singing.

Pushing yourself just a little beyond your comfort zone helps you develop stamina and endurance. Your muscles may feel warm or tired after you work on the breathing exercises, which is perfectly normal. Extreme fatigue is a sign that something isn’t right in your practice session, but it’s normal to feel tired and need to rest for a time before you can practice more.

To give yourself an opportunity to work on more advanced breathing exercises, keep reading and working through the exercises. They aren’t too advanced for you, especially if you’ve been exploring other exercises and are comfortable with what moves as you breathe.

If you’re new to singing, moving too quickly to the advanced exercises without practicing the basics doesn’t give you an opportunity to make the movement a habit. It took some time for me to make efficient breathing a habit, but now I don’t have to worry about changing gears when it’s time to sing. I breathe in the same manner when I sing as when I speak because the movement has become so natural for me.