1. March in place (2 minutes) (Singing uses muscles that
must be warmed up in order to function at their peak)
2. Deep breathing (three-part breath) preparing lungs and
maintaining a column of air
3. Yawning
4. Stretching:
a. Shoulder roll (five on each side)
b. Half neck roll (left side to front to right side and
back)
c. Half neck roll to the back
d. Neck stretch (turn neck to the side and stretch and then
for a deeper stretch turn chin down to the shoulder)
e. Arms above head stretch (lift both arms and stretch the
right arm up lengthening your ribs and then follow with the left arm)
f. "C" stretch (lift arms above head
clasp right hand with left and curl your back while extending your arms. For an added stretch, turn in the direction
of the arm clasping.)
g. Shake out hands
h. Face scrunch
i. Face big
j. Yawn
k. Horse noise
l. Yawn with "Ah"
m. Yawn with "Ah" bent over
5. Posture (preferable to stand when singing so you can
keep an uninterrupted column of air)
a. Practice standing to sing. Stand with both feet shoulder width apart, your knees
slightly bent and your spine straight.
Pretend someone has grabbed the hair at the very top of your head and is
tugging it upward slightly. Jaw is
loose and breathing is relaxed.
b. Sit comfortably upright with your torso resting on your
sit bones. Sit in an uplifted way
with your feet flat on the floor and your gaze at a comfortable level with your
eyes and jaw relaxed.
Please note: Please listen to your body and do not do any of these warm-up exercises if it even thinks like it might hurt to do them. Awareness is the most important gift we can give ourselves.