Singing is an Athletic Activity—So Why Do Most Singers Not Treat their Voices (and Bodies) Like Athletes?

Singing is an athletic activity that involved conditioning many systems of the body to operate at full demand.

Singing as a Full-Body Athletic Pursuit

When you think of athletes, what comes to mind? Sprinters racing toward the finish line, gymnasts defying gravity, or weightlifters hoisting incredible amounts of weight? While singing may seem like a world apart from these feats of physical endurance, it is undeniably an athletic activity—one that engages the entire body.

Singing isn’t just about your voice and lungs; it requires finely tuned coordination across your entire body. From your posture and breath support to the alignment of your jaw and the flexibility of your core muscles, every part of you contributes to the sound you produce. (Now try all of that while tap dancing and lifting your partner over your head.) So if singing is an athletic activity that involves your whole body, doesn’t it make sense that conditioning for singers should involve total body conditioning?

For anyone who even slightly questions singing as an athletic activity, I implore you to take a glance at this video of Sutton Foster and the company of Anything Goes in their performance of the titular song during the 65th TONY® Awards. Not only are they all dancing, but they're singing full-out on top of it. With smiles on their faces. Like it's nothing. I'll even embed it for those of you scanning for visuals:

I rest my case.

Whenever I give someone their first very first voice lesson ever, there is always a point (usually pretty early in the lesson) when they say, "Woah, hang on, I'm a bit light-headed," and/or they're noticeably out of breath by the time they reach the end of the singing phrases they're learning. The light-headedness comes from them actually fueling their brain with enough oxygen required to sing well, and running out of breath is typical in any cardiovascular activity. So yes, singing = athletic.

The Whole-Body Athlete: How Singing Engages Every System

Sports athletes depend on their entire body to perform at their best, as well as singing athletes. While the vocal folds are the star players, they rely on support from multiple systems to function optimally:

• Breath Support: Your lungs, diaphragm, and intercostal muscles work together to create the airflow that powers your voice. At any point during the activity of singing, these muscles are either working actively or engaged to be working immediately afterward. They never rest.

• Posture and Alignment: Good posture isn’t just for show; it allows your ribcage to expand fully, ensures proper airflow, and prevents tension from building in your neck, shoulders, and back.

• Core Strength: A strong core stabilizes your body, giving you the control and stamina needed to sustain long phrases or belt powerful notes.

• Facial and Neck Muscles: These tiny muscles control the placement of your sound, shaping tone, pitch, and dynamics. And don't forget about those articulators in there, too - our tongues and mouth muscles never get a break while we're singing.

Singing is a total-body effort. Neglecting any one part of the system—whether it’s your breathing, alignment, or overall physical health—can limit your vocal potential.

You might have heard of my friend Andrew Byrne's book The Singing Athlete, which also goes into neuroscience as a way of training to sing Check it out here.

Why Singers Neglect Total Body Conditioning

Despite the obvious physical demands of singing, many singers overlook the importance of total body conditioning. Why?

• Focus on the Voice: Singers tend to think of their voices as separate from the rest of their bodies, leading to a narrow focus on vocal exercises without addressing physical fitness.

• Cultural Perception: Unlike sports athletes, singers aren’t often viewed as "physical performers," even though their work depends heavily on their physical conditioning. I've always loved the phrase "It's not over 'til the fat lady sings," [which has a fascinating history linking the an opera by the composer Richard Wagner to a Texas Rangers baseball game - yet another link between sports and singing], and I think this idea of the "fat opera singer" permeated into society's perception of all singers to a much more widespread degree than one might guess. That's just my two cents, though.)

• Lack of Awareness: Many singers simply haven’t been taught how integral their body is to their vocal health and performance.

Earlier I mentioned my new singers always feeling lightheaded and out-of-breath... well, by their third lesson with me, those issues are gone completely because the official conditioning has begun and taken a noticeable change by then!

How to Train Like a Singing Athlete

If singing truly is an athletic activity that engages the whole body, then singers need to train their bodies like athletes. Here are some key principles to consider when building a conditioning routine for vocal performance:

1. Focus on Breathing: Strengthen your respiratory system with exercises that improve lung capacity and diaphragmatic control.

2. Strengthen Your Core: Incorporate planks, yoga, or Pilates into your routine to build the stability and stamina required for sustained singing.

3. Maintain Good Posture: Practice stretches and strength-building exercises that keep your spine aligned and your chest open, like wall angels or back extensions.

4. Stay Hydrated: Water isn’t just for your vocal cords; hydration supports the entire system, keeping muscles flexible and reducing tension.

5. Build Stamina with Cardio: Activities like walking, swimming, or cycling improve your endurance, giving you the breath control and energy needed for demanding performances.

6. Rest and Recover: Just like athletes, singers need time to recover. Build in rest days to allow your body—and voice—to rejuvenate.

7. Supplements: This one is so big, it gets its own section in the blog:

The Role of Supplements in Vocal and Physical Health

This where the sports industry completely has us singers beaten. There are countless supplements marketed toward athletes - take a glance at GNC's homepage with all the sports-themed labels... I mean, come on! But singers don't really have a voice in this market yet (pun... intended?), well, one big enough to really represent us properly. So it's understandable that many of us fail to see the benefits of additional vitamins and nutrients that fuel our performances for the long haul.

Here's the truth: every singer should augment their diets with the right supplements designed to optimize both physical health (including ones targeted toward strengthening the vocal folds) and emotional well-being (for more fortified confidence against stage jitters and more emotionally authentic interpretations of the lyrics we sing).

Athletes use supplements to support recovery, enhance endurance, and maintain their overall health. Singers can—and should—adopt a similar approach to caring for their bodies and voices. Supplements designed with singers in mind can help reduce inflammation, boost hydration, and improve stamina.

And please: don't rely on temporary fixes like Singer's Saving Grace and Voice 37 - your body should be conditioned to sing at any given moment, and these products are marketed to singers for use "just before a gig". If your voice was nourished with the right diet and supplements, no one would need a bandaid like these prior to a gig.

A Call to Action: Embrace Your Inner Athlete

As singers, we are vocal athletes, and our entire body is our instrument. Treating it with the same care, respect, and discipline that sports athletes give to their training is essential for long-term success. By focusing on total body conditioning, you can unlock new levels of vocal freedom, strength, and endurance.

So, I’ll leave you with this question: if athletes treat their bodies like finely tuned machines, why shouldn’t singers do the same?

Stay tuned for exciting ways to enhance your vocal health and performance—because your voice deserves the very best care.