Isabelle, my take on this subject is the whole body is our instrument, so we
need to keep the whole body strong and conditioned. It is not a good idea to
work out just one or two parts of the body. This causes imbalance, and when
the body is imbalanced you get injured. This is why I would not recommend
walking with hand weights. The weights put extra stress on your shoulders
and back. If you want to add resistance to your walking wear a back-pack
with extra weight in it. That keeps your body in better balance. I
personally exercise 2 or 3 times a week. I have been very athletic my whole
life so I don't do it to lose weight, but to keep my body strong and avoid
atrophy. Most people don't realize that our muscles atrophy at a rate of
approx. one pound per year after the age of 20. So it is important to do
both cardiovascular exercise for your heart and breathing and also
resistance exercise that builds muscle, because if you aren't building it
you're losing it.
You are right that a strong mid-section is important, and that is a good
place to start. The people who say ab work is bad for a singer are way off
base. All muscles need to be flexible as well as strong. Just because you
have strong abs does not mean you have an inflexible "six-pack". Strong abs
are important for posture and other body functions. It is ludicrous to
recommend people be unhealthy so they can sing. The abs are not the only
part of the mid-section. The back is extremely important, perhaps more
because many people are already exercising their abs but not their backs.
Most back problems could be avoided by having a strong back. The back is
also integral in posture. How many people do you see that slump over? There
are different degrees, but it is an overwhelming number. Even many singers I
see don't stand upright. There has been mention of Pilates. I recommend that
exercise as well. But don't do it unless you want a strong mid-section,
because that is the initial focus. Joseph Pilates called the abdominal area
the "power-house". He believed every movement originated there. It makes
sense because those muscles support the spine and hold the body together.
They are the only thing, except for the spine, connecting the upper and the
lower halves of the body. They are used in every movement we make, if not
directly, then by supporting the body indirectly. These muscles are called
postural muscles and they should be active to some degree whenever we are
sitting or standing upright. So to conclude a long story, singing is an
athletic activity (according to the Italian School), so we need to approach
our bodies as an athlete. Develop strength and flexibility, too much of
either takes you out of balance.
Michael
>From: Isabelle Bracamonte <ibracamonte@y...>
>Reply-To: vocalist-temporary@egroups.com
>To: vocalist-temporary@egroups.com
>Subject: [vocalist-temporary] weight training?
>Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2000 13:34:22 -0700 (PDT)
>
>If a singer wants to weight train (lightly, now, not
>body building), are there any exercises that will
>contribute positively to the singing process?
>
>I have heard that situps, for example, are bad for
>singers -- they are the wrong type of ab muscles to
>work, and can make the breathing muscles tight and
>inflexible. But then, I have heard from some singers
>who swear by situps as part of their fitness routine.
>So I'm a bit confused there.
>
>Obviously, the best way to strengthen the singing
>muscles is to sing -- but one can only do that so many
>hours a day, and surely if those muscles were able to
>be isolated and strengthened on their own, it would
>help, yes?
>
>Back machine exercises? Do arms and legs contribute
>to singing? I would think that singers would avoid
>anything that builds muscle (and perhaps stiffness or
>muscle-bound tension) in the neck, but perhaps the
>shoulders could use some strengthening in a
>complementory way?
>
>What about breathing exercises? I know that many
>teachers have some exercises that their students begin
>a session with -- lying on the back and exhaling a
>long "sssss," for example -- does anyone do these?
>Are they for endurance (lung capacity) or strength
>(various torso muscles), and what sorts of things do
>you do?
>
>Weight training. Advice? Experience? Verdict on the
>situp?
>
>Isabelle B.
>
>=====
>Isabelle Bracamonte
>San Francisco, CA
>ibracamonte@y...
>
>
>
>
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