Yoga practices are good for the body of the musician, and for the musical mind as well.
Yoga asanas, pranayama and meditation practices support the musician’s practice by keeping both body and mind more fresh and present. Practicing yoga will not only help you to be more comfortable as you play or sing, it will also bring a big boost to your creativity and focus!
BENEFITS OF WORKING DYNAMICALLY WITH ASANAS
We’ve all felt the little aches and pains that emerge when we practice. Musicians are highly susceptible to repetitive strain and overuse injuries. We use the same muscles and joints in the exact same ways for hours, days, and years. Over time, this repetition can trigger everything from intermittent pains to career-ending injuries: carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, bursitis, lumbago, or generalized lower back pain.
Working dynamically with asanas that increase postural and breathing awareness will help musicians to build the strength, flexibility and endurance they need to avoid injury. Yoga makes us much more aware of the mind-body connection, making it much easier to slow down, focus on our breathing, adjust our posture and feel more stable as we make music.
BENEFITS OF INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE BREATH
Breathing is a fundamental skill that musicians often take for granted. Neglecting your breath may hold you back from singing or playing with ease and confidence.
Pranayama exercises will help you to develop efficient and natural breathing techniques needed to improve tone quality and stability, pitch issues, flexibility and even your comfort during both practice and performance. Learning to work with your breath will also help you to sing and play without putting tension on your voice and body which could result in injuries.
CAT/COW POSE FOR MUSICIANS
Musicians often find themselves practicing in one position for long periods of time. After a while, your spine will need to release that tension. Cat and Cow poses, linked together in succession, will allow you to flex and lengthen the entire spine.
Throughout both poses, you will want to be sure to support your spinal movement with engaged abdominal muscles. This allows your spine to move safely and feel supported, rather than relying on overused spinal muscles to assist with this process. Musicians with wrist sensitivities or fears of injuring this part of their body should choose to make fists with their hands rather than placing the palms flat to the mat or floor.
MUSIC AND YOGA: THE BENEFITS OF DEVELOPING A REGULAR PRACTICE
Regular practitioners of yoga find that their practice, whether it is a few minutes a day or even just once a week, can infuse their lives with a greater sense of calm, peace and serenity. It can reduce anxiety and even out emotional highs and lows.
Whether you consider yourself to be a “flexible” person or not, the structure and discipline of yoga hold many benefits that a regular practice will help you to achieve over time.