Body alignment is not the most thrilling thing to learn, I get it.

Nor is it something that many established singers bother to actively practice. Correct posture allows singers better breath control and establishes a good, healthy vocal technique.​

1. Feet/Ankles

Stand with feet shoulder width apart
Weight should be slightly forward with the front of the ankles taking the load
​Play around with this position until you feel evenly balanced

Why is this important?
All muscles in the body are connected. This means that what you do with your feet will affect other aspects of your body. Putting too much weight on your heels can lead to an overworking of the laryngeal muscles. This can then lead to a strained voice and vocal fatigue.

2. Knees

Knees should not be locked back

Why is this important?
Locked knees put the spine out of balance and can cause tightness in the pelvis. The pelvis is closely linked with both our diaphragm and the hyoid bone (sits on top of the larynx). Tightness in the pelvis will often lead to tightness in both these areas.

3. Hips

The hips should align with the pelvic floor
Arch your back and then hunch your back – your hips should sit somewhere between the two extremes

Why is this important?
The hips are connected to large muscles groups in the back, legs and torso. These muscles are accessory breathing muscles (meaning they assist when we are using energised breathing – as we do in singing). An overarching or hunching of the back will restrict movement of the diaphragm.

4. Chest, Shoulders, Arms

The sternum should remain high at all times
Shoulders should be down and relaxed
Arms should hang loosely by your side (if they hang away from you body slightly, relax through your shoulders until they touch your sides)

Why is this important?
The position of the sternum is a big one. The sternum sits over the top of your rib cage. If the sternum is too low, it stops the rib cage from expanding fully when we inhale. This then impacts the descent of the diaphragm, hindering breath control.

Tension in the shoulders and arms will very quickly turn into neck tension.

​This position can be quite awkward to maintain for some singers, particularly those who may not have the best posture in their day to day lives. Some light stretching and resistance training will make this easier over time.

5. Neck & Head

Tuck the chin under so the eye line is cast very slightly downwards
TRY THIS: Pull your chin under and give yourself a double chin. Then release
This should be the optimum position for your head as it sits directly on top of your spine
Release the jaw so it is not clenched

Why is this important?
Neck and head position is very important and also difficult to maintain.

​Tension in the head and neck region is a slippery slope. Neck tension can lead to jaw tension, which can lead to tongue tension, which can make the neck tension worse and so on. Tucking the chin under slightly means that the head is placed directly on top of the spine (the Atlas). Our skull is very heavy, so the minute the head moves off the Atlas, our neck muscles must work to support its weight. Positioning the head this way also allows our occipital bone (the back of the skull) to tilt which encourages belting!

Posture can be difficult to maintain particularly when performing so it is important to make it an important part of our day-to-day practice. The main thing to remember is that nothing should feel too difficult. We are all made with different spines and muscles so if something is feeling too hard or uncomfortable, have a chat with your teacher.