Releasing Throat Tension through a Yogic approach

An article by Cari Cole    No Comments

I’ve been talking a lot recently about yoga, exercise and stress reduction  techniques..

Now it’s time to take it to the throat!

Here’s why:

• Front of the throat tension is a common complaint of beginning technique students all the way up to professional singers.
• The vocal cords lie within the “Adams apple” or “thyroid cartilage” in the front of the throat.When there is tension in this area the “Adams apple” moves upward closing and restricting the muscles of the throat.
• The result is a voice with a thin, tight sound or conversely a breath control problem resulting in an uncontrollable breathy sound and problems with pitch and tension that lead to a sore throat and voice problems.

What can you do for this?  Try my  Yoga for the Throat Exercise:

• Put your finger across your throat at the top of your “Adams apple” or “thyroid cartilage” and swallow.
• Notice the upward motion of the “Adams apple”.
• Now keeping your finger at the top of your “Adams apple”, relax and begin a yawn.  Do you notice the throat slip down?
• Notice the downward motion of the “Adams apple” and the jaw as you start a yawn. This motion opens the throat, lowers the larynx and releases tension.
• Yawn again (not a full yawn) and exhale by sighing “ah” at a comfortable medium high note while descending down ~ like a siren (sounds like a sigh). “Ahhhhhh”.

Note: The downward motion of the “Adams apple” or “thyroid cartilage” that you feel when you yawn is the optimal position for singing but must never be forced down. It is only achieved properly by relaxing and allowing the throat to release and drop down.