Of the Soul Blog: Yoga for Singers

Singers might be interested in yogic breathing, pranayama (प्राणायाम). Pranayama is itself an aspect of yoga which could be quite in-depth. Like yoga postures (yogasana), it was intended merely as a preparation for meditation. In fact, teachers like B.K.S. Iyengar stress that one should not attempt a serious practice of pranayama without the guidance of a qualified teacher. But he does recommend that for good health, a very simple daily pranayama practice is beneficial for anyone. Two simple, but powerful pranayam breathing exercises are the energizing kapalabhati, and the calming anuloma viloma. Singers especially could benefit from these two practices.

Kapalabhati

Kapalabhati to me is a great lung "cleaner-upper." It forces all the stale air out, bringing oxygen in and energizing the entire system. It "wakes you up." Most notably, it greatly strengthens the diaphragm, the umbrella-like muscle separating the lungs from the abdominal cavity. A strong diaphragm forces air out of the lungs, thereby taking pressure off the vocal chords. Singers do less damage to their vocal cords with a strong diaphragm. No matter what type of music they sing, this is a helpful exercise for all singers.

Kapalabhati is like sit-ups for the diaphragm. You really feel it when you've done a few rounds of it. At first, it may quickly tire out your diaphragmatic and lower back muscles. Over time, however, these muscles will develop stamina, and not be so quick to fatigue. The net result is your stage performance will experience a boost.

Meditation instructor Anmol Mehta demonstrates kapalabhati pranayam.

Anuloma Viloma

Anuloma viloma has the exact opposite energetic effect. This pranayam tends to calm and tranquilize. Practical applications for this exercise (other than meditation preparation) might include calming one's body and clearing one's thoughts before attending an important meeting at work, or before talking to one's spouse about a controversial topic. For singers, this is also a great exercise, and related benefits might include:

Using this breathing technique to center oneself before a show helps to focus the singer's mind on the performance only, and to take the mind off the many distractions and annoyances routinely involved in stagework (and there are many). It helps the performance itself seem to go smoother, and feel "effortless" to the performer

If you're going from a fast, high-energy routine, to a low energy one, like a solo or ballad, this is a great exercise for quickly "downshifting" your breathing, so you're not panting through your next song

It helps alleviate "butterflies in the stomach" some singers experience before performing, so they'll feel grounded and centered

Anmol Mehta demonstrates anuloma viloma pranayam.

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Resources:

NPR News report about the benefits of pranayama practice:
Just Breathe: Body Has A Built-In Stress Reliever