Pilates & Vocals | Why are singers turning to Pilates to improve their performance?

What do Madonna, Selena Gomez, Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston have in common? They do pilates and their voices are fundamental for their jobs. Apart from keeping fit and work ing out the entire body, pilates helps to improve the voice. Famous and not-so-famous people across the globe have seen the benefits first hand of pilates for their voice and have been recommending it for vocalists everywhere.

Singers explain that singing comes from your entire body, especially your core. You use your pelvic floor muscles, deep abdominals and spinal muscles to produce voice. Pilates can help you to train those muscles and keep them strong. This will allow singers to have a stronger voice and makes it easier for them to develop good vocal skills. Moreover, the body movement activates circulation around ten larynx which keeps itthat more hydrated, thereby improving phonation.

In a pilates class you constantly hear us, your instructors, reminding you to inhale and exhale. Each movement should be coordinated with the breath. Dr. Michelle Latour explains that the breathing techniques which are used in pilates “could potentially give a singer the ability to consciously activate certain muscles while singing in order to more efficiently breathe”.

As well as this, the stretches helps to release tension from the body. In the blog, Body Meow, it is described that “the body needs to have a dynamic sense of spring, of bounce, of movement, rather than a static, tense, frozen stillness”. If the muscles are released of tension, it makes it easier for the voice to hot the higher notes.

According to research by Joan Melton, it has been highlighted “the positive role of Pilates on vocal production in singing students: in a relatively short time, simple exercises – performed regularly – have shown a significant impact on vocal quality”. This shows how beneficial pilates could be for all those who need to improve their voices. You don’t have to be a famous singer or actor, if you want to develop your vocal skills, pilates classes will be the best option and even better, you get stronger, fitter and more flexible!

We know how we’ll be prepping our party pieces ahead of Cork Jazz Weekend!

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