For singers and dancers, the physical demands of performing can place significant strain on the body. When the heart rate approaches about 70% of its maximum (max HR) or higher, remarkable physiological changes occur. The heart pumps harder to meet the increased oxygen demand for the muscles. In order to expedite oxygen and carbon dioxide gas exchange, the body will naturally hyperventilate. This natural -physiological response may be essential for sustaining physical performance, but can also lead to unintended consequences if not managed effectively, especially in vocalists who rely on precise breath control to execute quality tone placement.
In the realm of singing, elevated heart rates can affect vocal performance in diverse ways. A wide array of factors play into tone quality and strength. When you’re exerting yourself physically—whether through dancing or singing—stress increases not only on your muscles but also on your respiratory system. As heart rate rises, so does phonation threshold pressure (PTP)—the minimum pressure needed to initiate vocal fold vibration. This increased pressure can restrict your ability to sing without strain, particularly if you are not properly managing your breath. If you’re not careful, the larynx could become tense, impacting your vocal tone. A heightened heart rate can intensify anxiety, leading singers to hyperventilate as they instinctively increase their breathing rate. This hyperventilation can create a vicious cycle, causing additional tension in the larynx, increasing PTP further, and ultimately resulting in vocal strain and potential injury.
So how can we combat these issues? it's vital to employ strategies that lower your resting and performance heart rate. Techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing can be transformative. This breath control method focuses on using the lower abdominal muscles, encouraging deeper, more effective inhalation and exhalation. Implementing lower abdominal breathing can help bypass the instinct to hyperventilate, allowing for an efficient air exchange that serves to calm the nervous system, lower heart rate, and reduce tension in the larynx. This is difficult to implement at high heart rates where the performer is naturally needing to hyperventilate for faster gas exchange. Here are two tips to consciously implement lower abdominal breathing during physical duress.
1) Inhale through the nose while keeping your mouth closed. This practice helps eliminate the pressure that can enter the voice box during intense breathing. Additionally, breathing through the nose takes longer and encourages deeper, fuller breaths. Imagine sending air into your stomach as you breathe. Taking intentional breaths through the nose sends a psychological signal to the brain to begin lowering your respiratory rate. This technique was notably demonstrated in 2017 by Major Attaway, a professional performer on Broadway, who successfully reduced his breaths per minute by 30 just before performing “Friend Like Me” in Aladdin, as documented by ESPN.
2) Block your breaths. If the heart rate is past 70% MHR, it’s not going to sound pretty, but not making sound or not singing is not an option when the light hits the stage. Sometimes breaths must be planned in short phrases. Sometimes word by word. It is not advisable to practice singing at this intensity regularly. Having experience taking quick request breaths in between words is a skill that can be learned and practiced in small bouts. Enough to develop competency on how to execute the skill when necessary.
3) Improve your stamina and recovery speed with aerobic training. It takes consistency over time to see physiological improvements from fitness training and targeted recovery practices for greater breath control. Generally, consistent training offers benefits within 4 to 8 weeks, but improvement can vary based on individual conditioning levels. Therefore, patience and dedication are crucial when working towards developing breath control and endurance.
In addition to improving and implementing breath strategies, individualized patterns of vowel and larynx placement make a great impact on a performers ability to send out sound under fatigue. Individualized approaches help a singer find ways to create vocal pathways that favor the style they are trying to create. Additionally, an understanding of larynx lowering and the feelings around it help Illiminate the struggle and resistance met with difficult passages and ranges regardless of HR, but develop.
Blending vocals with dancing is extremely difficult physically, as well as cognitively. It’s not natural to sing at those intensities, but understanding the interplay between heart rate, breath control, and vocal performance is crucial for any serious singer or dancer. By employing effective training strategies and targeted breath control techniques, performers can achieve not only better vocal quality but also greater overall physical endurance. Remember, the breath is indeed the key to unlocking excellence on stage. Embrace this foundational concept, and you will elevate your performance, ensuring you can dance, sing, and connect with your audience without risking vocal health.
REFERENCE:
Disney on Broadway. “ESPN Sport Science Meets Aladdin: The Genie Marathon.” YouTube, 3 Oct. 2017, https://youtu.be/x-Zxk3U_NeQ?si=gBK-GegXVxgpIi7j.
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