breathing for singing

 

Our goal is thinking (and feeling) a gentle "down and out" when we inhale AND when we exhale to sing. The component that might be missing (and can be tricky to tap into consistently) is engaging the pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles. In the pro breathing tutorial, we talk about this and have students engage their pelvic floor up (as if you're stopping yourself from peeing) and down (as if you're bearing down). I know, it sounds weird, but most people are only familiar with their pelvic floor muscles in those terms! You'll feel that it's possible to engage your pelvic floor downward without locking your upper abdomen. 

 

The big thing we want to avoid is locking UP or squeezing IN. There's certainly an element of that "down and out" engagement that could feel like "locking" - but as long you're pushing gently "down and out" and not squeezing up or in, you're on the right track. 

 

Try this on a lip trill first! That's the easiest exercise to feel breath support and body engagement working. And experiment to see if you can keep the upper abs/belly flexible and free, while the LOW abs and pelvic floor are flexing down and out.