5 Core Exercises to Free Your High Notes

My voice teacher used to always say to me, “A tree only grows tall if it has deep roots, and your voice will only flourish if you connect deep in your body.” For me that connection to the body always felt tenuous. I had to really think about it.
 
That is until I started working out in an efficient way that developed my deep core muscles to the point that it wasn’t such a conscious effort any more.  When that core connection is there my breathing becomes more efficient and my sound floats freely and effortlessly. I could sing all day!
 
First of all lets review some of the major core muscles involved in breathing.

• There's the diaphragm, of course, but we don't have direct control of that one, so we have to depend on other muscles to help control the rate of expiration as the diagphragm relaxes.
• The transverse abdominis deepest of the abdominal muscles.
• The external obliques run downward and inward, and are the largest and strongest abdominal muscles.
• The internal obliques, located just under the external obiques, run in the opposite direction of the external obliques.
• The latissimus dorsi is a large muscle of the back that deep muscles of the back that runs for the thoracolumbar fascia up to the upper arm.
• The pelvic floor muscles are a hammock of muscles at the bottom of the pelvis that provide pelvic girdle stabilization. They should move in tandem with the diaphram; relaxing on inhalation and contracting on exhalation.

If you’ve been going to the gym knocking out crunches and planks and still don’t feel the magical quality of that connection, it’s because these aren’t the most efficient exercises to activate the desired muscles.
 
Crunches really only work the rectus abdominus, a very superficial muscle. It’s the one that can give you a great six-pack, but can actually hinder your breathing if too tight. The movement of crunches and sit-ups may also put undue strain on neck and shoulders.
 
Planks can be great, but are really an advanced move. They can be difficult to do without proper guidance to achieve the proper muscle activation, plus they have other limitations and may not be for everyone. I’ve addressed it before here.
 
The following five exercises in the video will hit all the muscles that you need to get great stabilization and activation of the core muscles that will have you singing freely throughout your range in no time.
  

So try them out an let me know how you do with them.

Looking for more exercises designed specifically for singers? Then join our Facebook group ​Vibrant Body Vibrant Voice.