The Power of your Tongue

There is one curious piece of information that has stayed with me from my years as a singing student. Such thing is this: "Your tongue is the biggest obstacle to Singing, yet it is one of the most powerful muscles in your body". And no wonder, as the tongue is highly responsible for holding our head upright, forming all the subtleties of our language, and helping digest our food. The tongue (the tongue is actually a group of 8 muscles), together with the diaphragm and the larynx (what a coincidence, the main Singing muscles!) are the only skeletal muscles that can function independently from the skeleton, that means you can move them without moving your 'frame', without being noticed.

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For heaven’s sake… Breathe!

One also has her own limits. Since I am in the world of fitness, from my very first session with my very first client up to this very morning, there is one thing that I haven't ceased to repeat, and that thing is: "Breathe!". Even with my long-term clients it is still a concept not embedded in their brains. No matter in which way I say it or demonstrate it, when or how many times. They either breathe the other way round to my instruction or they just directly don't breathe (they withhold it), even when they are dying with exhaustion, they hold on to their air for dear life.

The Vagus Nerve & Singing

Ahh... The mighty Vagus Nerve, also called the "Master Nerve", is the longest and most complex nerve in our body. It goes from the base of the cranium all the way down to the abdomen, connecting the brain to the gut and all the organs. This is also the only nerve that can be strengthened and toned, almost like a muscle 🙂

Breathing Exercises 2

This is a continuation of Breathing Exercises. Lie down on a comfortable flat surface (use a mat preferably). Make sure you minimize the gap between your waist and the floor, and between the back of your neck and the floor (feel your spine lengthening). Allow yourself to relax as if you were going to fall…

Singers’ Essence & Substance

That which touches the heart is never boring. Even if it is repeated over and over again. We always come to the same truth: it's essence what matters, not the stories themselves, nor the clothes, nor the letters, nor the make-up. But the essence.   When you sing a song which is not yours, do…

Insecurities & Obsessions

Where to start. We all have them in more or less measure and colours. Acknowledging them is growth. Working towards them requires courage and a strong will. Not always easy. We become insecure when our expectations aren't met and when we compare ourselves to others. If we only acknowledged that those expectations aren't even ours!…