Minimal equipment is required to perform the exercises in chapter 6, and you can pack lightweight portable versions when traveling. Here is a list of essentials.
Exercise mat. Hard floors and carpets can be slippery or uneven. Use a mat when exercising away from the gym for both prone and upright movements. Take a slim, lightweight mat (under 2 pounds) with you on the road.
Resistance bands with handles and door anchors. Rubber resistance bands provide a wide range of tension and challenge and can substitute for both cable machines and dumbbells. Pack a pair in light- and medium-weight resistance when traveling.
Dumbbells. The exercises in chapter 6 are designed to be performed with light- to medium-weight dumbbells, so a small selection ranging from 3 pounds to 12 pounds is all you need at home. Travel dumbbells are available that weigh less than 2 pounds per pair and can be filled with water to weigh up to 16 pounds each.
Foam roller. Foam rollers are available in varying degrees of firmness, so choose one that meets your comfort level. Collapsible versions are available for travel.
Personal massager. A large, durable massager is helpful, not only for addressing post-exercise tension but also for alleviating the muscular kinks that accumulate from long flights or sleeping in unfamiliar beds.
Stable exercise shoes. Cross trainers are best for strength training exercises. Choose a shoe that provides your feet and legs with solid support. The stabilization exercises in chapter 6 will be safer and more effective when you are not also required to compensate for unstable footwear.
Bozeman, Kenneth. Practical Vocal Acoustics: Pedagogic Applications for Teachers and Singers. Hillsdale, NY: Pendragon Press, 2014.
Kenneth Bozeman’s book makes vocal acoustics accessible and easily applicable in the studio. This is a concise, practical guide for understanding and improving the way singers define vowels, amplify vocal production, and vary timbre.
Calais-Germain, Blandine. Anatomy of Movement. Seattle: Eastland Press, 1993.
Calais-Germain, Blandine. Anatomy of Breathing. Seattle: Eastland Press, 2006.
Calais-Germain, Blandine and François Germain. Anatomy of Voice. New York: Healing Arts Press, 2016.
Blandine Calais-Germain’s anatomy series features beautiful, detailed illustrations by the author, as well as accessible descriptions. Anatomy of Movement is widely used as a textbook for dance curricula. I frequently refer to Anatomy of Breathing and Anatomy of Voice in the studio and found them highly valuable in researching this book.
Kapit, Wynn, and Lawrence M. Elson. The Anatomy Coloring Book. New York: Pearson, 2013.
If you are a more visual than conceptual learner, you may find coloring the illustrations in this book far less intimidating than reading an anatomy text. Choose a color for each anatomical structure shown in an image; then color in its name, read the description, and color in the structure. If you prefer, focus on only those sections relevant to vocal anatomy.
Malde, Melissa. “Mapping the Structures of Resonance,” Journal of Singing 65:4 (March–April 2009).
Melissa Malde is a voice teacher and body mapping specialist. This article provides clear, concise descriptions of the articulators and highlights the distinctions between objective anatomical function and the way singers often subjectively experience the movements of articulation.
McCoy, Scott Jeffrey. Your Voice: An Inside View. Princeton, NJ: Inside View Press, 2004.
Scott McCoy’s classic pedagogy and vocology textbook features not only a comprehensive array of anatomical illustrations but also a wealth of interactive video and audio examples.
Sinav, Ahmet, MD. The Larynx. https://www1.columbia.edu/sec/itc/hs/medical/anatomy_resources/anatomy/larynx/ College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 2005.
This interactive atlas of laryngeal anatomy includes labeled illustrations of different views of the larynx, animations of intrinsic laryngeal muscle activity, and video footage of human movement.
Vibrant Voice Technique. https://www.vibrantvoicetechnique.com.
Vibrant Voice Technique is a system for using handheld massagers to alleviate the muscular tension that can cause vocal fatigue, as well as enhance breathing, resonance, and range. The massage techniques recommended in chapters 3 and 4 are drawn from this method. External vibration provides an effective means of releasing the small muscles governing laryngeal function and articulation in much the same way that self-myofascial release techniques prepare larger muscle groups in accordance with corrective exercise protocols.
Wolf, Jessica. Jessica Wolf’s Art of Breathing [DVD]. http://www.jessicawolfartofbreathing.com/rib-animation/2013.
Jessica Wolf is an Alexander teacher who specializes in breathing rehabilitation. Her Art of Breathing DVD is a three-dimensional narrated animation of breathing that begins with the bare skeletal system and progresses through increasingly complex layers of musculature. It offers a thorough visual representation of the anatomy and movements involved in breathing.
Feldenkreis, Moshe. Awareness Through Movement: Easy-to-Do Health Exercises to Improve Your Posture, Vision, Imagination, and Personal Awareness. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2009.
This is the classic introductory text for the Feldenkreis Method, written by its creator.
Gelb, Michael J. Body Learning: An Introduction to the Alexander Technique. New York: Henry Holt, 1996.
This book provides a solid introduction to the history and methodology of the Alexander Technique.
Malde, Melissa, MaryJean Allen, and Kurt-Alexander Zeller. What Every Singer Needs to Know About the Body. San Diego: Plural Publishing, 2016.
This book applies principles of body mapping to vocal anatomy and singing technique. Discussions of anatomy and movement are accompanied by exercises for improving kinesthetic awareness and function.
Salzberg, Sharon, and Joseph Goldstein. Insight Meditation: A Step-by-Step Course on How to Meditate. Louisville, CO: Sounds True, 2002.
This self-study course is a thorough introduction to insight meditation created by two prominent clinicians who are skilled at teaching mindfulness techniques without any trappings of religiosity. It includes two CDs of guided meditations.
Thompson, Cathy, and Tara Thompson. The Thompson Method of Bodywork: Structural Alignment, Core Strength, and Emotional Release. New York: Healing Arts Press, 2018.
Cathy and Tara Thompson’s book is a comprehensive road map for mind/body integration and tension release. Their bodywork clientele consists largely of performing artists, including classical singers and voice teachers.
Manocchia, Pat. Anatomy of Exercise: A Trainer’s Inside Guide to Your Workout. Richmond Hill, ON: Firefly Books, 2009.
This guide to strength training exercises provides detailed descriptions of the musculature and biomechanics involved in each movement.
National Academy of Sports Medicine. YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/NASMorg/videos. Blog http://blog.nasm.org/
NASM’s YouTube channel offers an expanding collection of instructional exercise videos; you will find videos corresponding to most of the stretches and exercises described in this book. The “Quick Fix: Arms Fall Forward” video (https://youtu.be/qM0c_xXjKa8) lays out an effective corrective exercise sequence for upper crossed syndrome (figure 1.7). Their blog includes numerous posts describing corrective exercise protocols for specific muscular imbalances. http://blog.nasm.org/category/ces/. While NASM’s online content is directed at fitness trainers, the information they provide is valuable for anyone who wishes to make their exercise regimen safer and more effective.
Page, Phillip, Clare Frank, and Robert Lardner. Assessment and Treatment of Muscle Imbalance: The Janda Approach. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2009.
This book offers a detailed account of Vladimir Janda’s approach to postural assessment and expands on his techniques for alleviating distortions and imbalances.
Benardot, Dan. Advanced Sports Nutrition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2011.
This popular sports nutrition textbook offers strategies to fuel your body for training, recovery, and peak performance in any physical endeavor. While Benardot’s coverage of such topics as the science of metabolism and chemistry of various nutrients may be more in-depth than is useful for the layman, his philosophy on diet and body composition will encourage you to view food as fuel and bodyweight as a component of how your instrument functions.
Harris-Benedict BMR Calculator. https://manytools.org/handy/bmr-calculator/.
This version of the Harris-Benedict calculator factors in your overall activity level and will therefore yield a more accurate result.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 20152020. https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/resources/2015-2020_Dietary_Guidelines.pdf.
This book is available as a free download. It contains all of the fundamental information you need to construct a balanced, nutritious meal plan. When you consider the staggering proliferation of marketing campaigns to promote hyperpalatable foods and fad diets, it may come as a surprise that these publicly funded, well-researched guidelines are available for free. Tune out the ads and teach yourself to eat well.
Sataloff, Robert T. Vocal Health and Pedagogy: Science, Assessment, and Treatment. San Diego: Plural Publishing, 2017.
Robert Sataloff is a leading otolaryngologist and a prominent member of the vocal health community. His book is an essential primer on maintaining vocal health, troubleshooting dysfunctions, and seeking appropriate medical interventions as needed.
US Department of Health and Human Services Prevention and Wellness Resources. https://www.hhs.gov/programs/prevention-and-wellness/index.html.
This site is a portal for accessing a variety of health and medical resources, including disease prevention, lifestyle recommendations, and mental health support.