Self-massage for Singers: Myofascial Release for Throat Tightness
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2024
- Do tight throat muscles interfere with your vocal practice? Do you struggle to hit high notes due to reflexive tightness? Try this easy self-massage.
Some trouble-shooting tips for self-directed myofascial release: This should feel like gently pulling skin rather than mashing on muscle. Grab that superficial layer, put it under some light tension, and wait for your hands to eventually glide. The first technique will be slightly more lateral, following the course of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Start under the ear, and drag down toward the sternum. Once you're over the bony surface of the sternum, keep that downward tension on the skin, and do some slow nods to stretch the anterior neck fascia.
The second technique is closer to the trachea, but still on the soft tissue just to either side of the cartilage. Use your finger pads to drag that skin southward, feeling free to move and sing as you do so. Once you reach the bony surface of the sternum, do some gentle chin tucks for a different kind of stretch.
This entire routine should take less than five minutes, and can be applied as part of your vocal warmup. Alternatively, you can apply these self-massage techniques when your muscles are warm after a shower or workout. As with any self-massage, if you feel any pain, please use less pressure, go slower, or discontinue entirely. If you have persistent or severe throat pain associated with singing, please see a physical therapist or occupational therapist who specializes in speech or voice pathology.
Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear how this works for you!
0:00 Introduction
0:30 Myofascial release for singers
1:05 First technique: Phalanges down the SCM
1:53 Demonstration
4:16 Second technique: Finger pads near the trachea
5:17 Demonstration
6:10 Why myofascial release?
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He's back and he's singing!!! Y'all better like, comment, and subscribe!
Ha! 😁
I'm a operatic tenor, and this video just helped me to discover the extreme tension that I used to have and 2 minutes exercise it's already GONE! I felt huge release on my head muscles, since I need to constantly go up to head register while singing high notes, the sternocleidomastoid part has accumulated so much tension over the years. such a relief now! big THANK YOU!
I'll do it everyday to see how it's gonna work on me on long-term effect.
The man is multitalented, who knew? 🥰
So great to see your face Ian! Love these techniques and perspectives. Nicely done!
Thanks Allison! Here's hoping this is the first of many 😁
Wow! I was eating while following along... i usually have a problem feeling the need to clear my throat when i'm eating and when i pressed that area in the front and cleared my throat i could feel the tension there... then it started to go away as i pressed! I'm excited to practice this. Thank you so much!! I never would have thought it was from tension. Thank you 🙏👏 (beautiful singing 🐦)
So great to see you back Ian! Thanks!
Yay! I'm glad to see you're alive and well!!!!
Can't wait to try these! Thanks!
Been missing you! Thank you for your instruction.
I really appreciate the speed of your teaching, it’s patient, helpful and practical, so many move too fast.
I Love your energy!
I appreciate this feedback... sometimes I worry I've embraced the sloth life too thoroughly 😅
Your tempo is extremely soothing and perfect. In the stressful world it is a pleasure to encounter someone with a calming quality.
Gratitude
😻😻 Loved loved loved it. My inspiration is back💚
Sooooo helpful! Thank you!!! Headed to the jaw video now!
Oh my gosh you rock! I struggle with this, in the studio this will be great!!!
I have just started training a singer. Excellent information. You’ve got a beautiful and unique voice.
this releases my posterior neck incredibly thanks
Wow this literallyynloxjed my voice and released tension I didn’t even know I had, thank you for this!
Your hair looks nice! Love your videos!
I miss seeing you
that's actually great! thank you!
As a singer who always contracts her neck muscles out of nervousness and has a hard time remembering not to, I'll definitely try these techniques!
You are also suggesting a great singing tip with the neck tuck. Tucking your chin gives the air flow more space to exit your mouth and the tucked position itself lets your larynx relax making singing easier and preventing extreme vocal chords contractions which may lead to lesions
Thanks LuxWitch, that's really useful! To be honest I threw the neck tuck in because it's just a great all-rounder for the anterior neck, but it makes a lot of sense that it could affect larynx tension specifically.
Whew. Yes please. Absolutely need this, as I suffer from Muscle Tension Dysphonia. Thank you.
Evin I'd love to hear more from you as you try this. Please feel free to message me on your social media of choice (I'm Massage Sloth on all of em) and we can troubleshoot!
Stripping through the digastric muscle will also help singers relieve jaw tension as well as help with swallowing. Thank you Mr Groban for the lesson.
Who knew Ian could sing, too? Bazinga! Does a hobbyist sing lazy? Henceforth, hobby singing shall be known as “zinging”. But seriously, this is really helpful, thank you. I have done some of this work on myself intuitively (for neck tension, not for zinging) but now i know how to do it more effectively. 🤓
If the tutorials I've been watching are any indication, I've been *way* too lazy about engaging my core while zinging 😅
THANK YOU I LOVE THIS I LOVE YOU WOW GOD BLESS
Fantastic! Thank you! I have been doing MFR work on myself for trauma and body armoring over years. Most of my body is good but I did not know what to do with the neck and especially the throat. I take voice lessons as a hobby and my voice always feels ‘stuck in my throat’. These exercises are exactly what I have been looking for, thank you. I’m so grateful for this video. 🙏🏼💕
Thank you Jen! I felt a little vulnerable sharing this because it felt so "niche," but I also thought it could be of use. Best wishes, and keep moving and singing!
Lol. I'm a singer but I could barely focus on what you were saying with your new look Ian.. love it! The moves, the voice, the crazy lazy way you work. I do it all. Sometimes I sing while I massage, my clients love it
I'm afraid the long luxurious locks are no more! I got tired of dealing with it 😅 Also, I would love a massage with some singing!
You have a nice singing voice! I'm always jealous of folks who seemingly effortlessly carry a tune.
Hugely useful!!!!! Very simple and practical. I am working with neck tension arising from emotional stuff and this is really helping, I felt immediate relief. I'm singing Micaela in Carmen tomorrow and will be doing this before and after!
How cool! Break a leg!
I'm glad to see that you uploaded a video. Welcome back Ian! Your video is timely since I watched a couple of videos yesterday on how to reach the whistle register (think Mariah and Ariana Grande) yesterday. The looks I got from my dog were priceless. But my throat was a bit sore today. Thanks for the video.🙂
Ha! Thanks Emoretta. I gotta say, I've been trying some belting in mixed voice, but nothing in whistle register. Man, I wonder if I have a whistle register...
@@MassageSloth you should try it out. I wondered the same thing. Lol.
I’m diggin the raised pinky … 😆❤️
Is it normal to feel a release in the occipital region? Its a really good massage
That was entertaining
❤❤❤
Great information..thanks !!!! in the First one was hard to understand .. i could not see very well how your finger was moving...🕵️♀️
Thanks for that feedback Josi! I'll give that some thought, I might wind up needing to post a follow-up
Might help to consider the singing technique may need adjustment if there is tightness or straining to begin with, to avoid injuries and vocal nodes! Might sound lovely but also likely not sustainable.
Edited to add: had no idea you were a singer! Fan of your expertise and content so this was a nice surprise for me.
That's an excellent point! I'm starting to think I'd like to redo this as a collaboration with a vocal coach to really cover the bases
@@MassageSloth omg that’s such a great idea! And maybe make it a short series with elements of breathing technique since breath support/“good” breathing is an intersection for vocals as well as just overal health ✨ after having my third baby my core was extremely weak, plus had postpartum anxiety on top of that. Learning how to breath (not so shallow and sometimes erratically) reminded me of my choir days!! Never knew the breathing exercises would come in handy during postpartum!
Hello. A client I have is dealing with ear nose and throat issues and as of late rawness in her oesophagus down into her gut lining can this help?
If a client is having unusual symptoms in their face and throat that their doctors don't seem to be able to identify or help, then I'd have no problem implementing a gentle myofascial regimen the focuses on the face and anterior throat. High tone and sensitivity can cause all manner of strange sensations, as can anxiety (and can anxiety about those symptoms), and massage can potentially help with all of the above. Also see my video on the SCM. My advice here is to be broad and gentle, don't try to challenge any sensitivity in particular, and encourage your client to continue seeing their medical team for further evaluation and treatment. A physical therapist or occupational therapist who specializes in the head and neck might be helpful as well, as could a speech-language pathologist.
As a professional singer and a licensed massage therapist, I would appreciate any techniques you might think will help. I am currently being treated for a condition called Spasmodic Dysphonia, in which the adductors of the vocal cords seem to stick sometimes causing stuttering and hampers my speaking/ singing voice. I receive Botox injections to help relax adductors and maybe reboot signals to muscles. Any suggestions would be appreciated. One therapist to another! Peace
Hey Ronald, sorry to hear you're having to deal with that as a singer! I've got reason to believe that these superficial drags on the anterior neck will be effective for spasm-related problems - as you know, the low threshold for spasm is from a sensitized stretch and pain response, as well as from a general tug-of-war in the area. If we can send a broad "calm down" signal to the entire region without doing any specific provocation, I think it's likely we could affect that high tension situation. My recommendation would be to discuss this with any voice specialist you may be seeing (if you are not, then seeking an occupational therapist or physical therapist trained in vocal rehab could be a boon), and to add just a single 2-3 minute session of slow drags to your day, along with gentle singing. As you see how you tolerate that input, you can increase to twice per day and start using your normal vocal intensity. Let me know how it goes, and feel free to contact me on any social media (@massagesloth on all of them) if you'd like to troubleshoot!
@@MassageSloth Thank you for responding. Your suggestions are very useful. As a therapist I totally agree with the strategy. Been thinking all along there must be something I could do. Yes, I will definitely let you know as the condition improves. Thank you Ronald Sadler
Thank you: I liked how you explained and demonstrated. Here is my voice teacher’s assessment: « Cool, his theories are accurate but I think his explanation would work mostly for people like you who have an understanding of your own voice or for people who are highly intuitive. To an untrained person, they would easily over do it or not know what to look for in the bodies without in person guidance and potentially end up causing more damage. » So it’s good to be super gentle, as you clearly state, and untrained singers should also seek voice coaching.
This is great feedback! Based on what I've seen so far, I may remake this in collaboration with a voice coach so that I can cover those bases and make sure that people are more aware of their body and how to apply the massage. Thanks to you and your teacher!
I notice when I work my SCALENES that my voice is stronger!
My brain read it is for singles. The core is the same, but the ending makes a huge difference...
I know I shouldn't respond to this in order to maintain my façade of professionalism, but: LOL
@@MassageSloth professionals building relationships with their community 😎
Thanks for the reply then 😂
Can you name your son steve? XD
This is also a bicep exercise Jesus 😂😂
He looks better. with his hair cut. The hippie look detracts from his professionalism.
Think Covid lockdown. 😊