What are the three characteristics of good physical movement
as described in the opening paragraphs of chapter 2? (11) graceful, buoyant, and balanced movement
Singing always requires _movement_. (12)
What words does the author suggest
might be substituted for posture? balance,
buoyant, and springy (12)
What are the questions you should ask to map your skeleton? How large is my skeleton? Where is my skeleton located? What is the construction of my
skeleton? What is the function of
my skeleton? How does my skeleton
move? (12)
What is the function of your skeleton? To serve as a structure of support, weight distribution, and movement.
(14)
What is a joint? A
location in your body where two bones connect. (14)
What is co-contraction? Trying
to move by contracting both muscles simultaneously (14)
What would cause a skeletal muscle to not be able to move
freely? It’s reciprocal muscle not
staying relatively inactive, or released.
(14)
What is the difference in the workings of a tense and a
released muscle? A tense muscle does not
move freely. A released muscle
moves with ease and efficiency. A
released muscle uses the appropriate amount of energy to complete the task.
(15)
Our muscles should release
and rest
upon the skeleton. (15)
Describe the location of the 4 different portions of your
spine. What is the function of
each? The cervical spine is comprised of
the firs 7 vertabrae, from you’re A-O joint to the base of the neck. The next 12 vertbrae make up the
thoracic spine, and the last 5 vertebrae make up the lumbar spine. The end of the spine is the sacrum and
the coccyx (near the tailbone and pelvis) (16)
What is the name of the top vertebra? atlas (16)
How does the thickness and size of the vertebrae differ? They get thicker and wider in circumference
as you go down the spine. (19)
How far from your back is the lumber spine located? The lumbar spine is halfway between the
front and back of the body. (19)
How much space does the circumference of your spine occupy? That depends on the section of the spine
we’re talking about… (19)
What are the four curves of the spine? How many vertebrae make up each
curve? In which direction do they
curve? (19) The cervical curve is at the
top, comprised of the cervical vertebrae, and it curves towards the back Then the thoracic curve, 12 thoracic
vertebrae, curving towards the front.
Then the lumbar curve, the 5 lumbar vertebrae, curving toward the back
again. Lastly, the
sacral-coccygeal curve curve sharply towards the front.
Which part of the spine is weight-bearing (front or
back)? What is the function of the
other part? The front part of the spine
bears the weight of the body, and the spinal processes in the back allow the
vertebrae to connect to each other and attach to ribs. (19)
What are the three functions of your spinal vertebrae? To bear and deliver weight, to protect the
spinal cord, and to allow movement. (19)
What are the three parts of each vertebra? What is the
function of each? The vertebral body (bear the body’s weight),
the foraman (the opening for the spinal cord), and the spinal process (allows
the vertebrae to connect with each other.
(19-20)
Describe the facets on the vertebrae? Small gliding joints that allow the spine to be both flexible and
stable. (22)
Describe the front of the spine. The front is made up of the vertebral body, and they are located deep
inside the body. (22)
Describe the form and function of your vertebral discs. flat, circular, and about ¼ inch
thick. They have a hydraulic
nature so they can compress when bearing weight and spring back into shape when
the weight is removed. (22)
Where is the one place in the spine where there is no disc? There is no disc between the atlas and the
axis (first two cervical vertebrae) (22)
What do singers need to avoid? (22)
Describe the vertebral ligaments? Ligaments are strong yet flexible fibrous bands of tissue connecting
bone to bone, and in this case vertebrae to vertebrae. (23)
What is a tendon?
What is its function? A tendon is
similar to a ligament, but connects muscle to bone. (23)
What is fascia?
What is its function? Thin,
strong connective tissue. (23)
Where are the six places of balance?
A-O joint
Arm structure
Thorax in
relationship to lumbar spine
Hip joints
knee joints
ankle joints
Which of these six places of balance is not an actual joint?
The thorax area.
What is the function of your atlas? Supports the weight of your head and distributes the weight to the rest
of the spine.
Explain how the skull and the atlas fit together. The two occipital condyles (little
processes at the bottom of the skull) fit into depressions in the atlas.
Why is mapping your A-O joint important? “balance at the A-O joint allows the
muscles in your neck and the rest of your body to release, thus allowing you to
move easily and expressively while you sing.”
Where is you’re A-O joint located? Right in between your ears.
What is meant by a neutral position for the neck? this means a balanced relationship between
the A-O joint and the rest of our body.
It’s not really a position, because that implies stasis, which is not
good.
What are two ways to help find the accurate relationship
between your thorax and your lumbar spine?
1. Lie down on the
floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
2. Walk backwards.
What is the function of the pelvis? It is designed to distribute the weight of the upper body to your
legs.
Describe your pelvis. The
pelvis contains two bones on either side that mirror each other. The top of the pelvis is called the
iliac crest. Between the two pelvic
bones lies your sacrum, comprised of five fused vertebrae. The upper part of the sacrum connects
to the lowest lumbar vertebrae. The sacrum curves deeply back, increasing the
depth of the pelvic cavity
What do you know about your hip joints? Connects the thigh bones to the pelvis via a neck angling towards the
pelvis. The hip joints are located
outside the pelvis. The hip joint
is deep inside the body
What is your torso? It
begins at the atlas and continues down all the way to the sit bones. It’s huge!
Describe your knee joint. Connects the thigh bone to the other bone, and is located behind and
slightly below the kneecap.
Where is your kneecap located?
What are the three conditions of the knee joint? Bent, locked, or balanced.
How does the position of the thorax affect the knee joint? If your thorax is too far back in relation
to your lumbar spine, the knee joints will lock to protect you from falling
over.
Do your knees need to bend in order to be balanced? No, the thorax just needs to be in balance.
Describe your ankle joint. The ankle joint is located where your two lower leg bones meet the
talus bone of your foot (which lies on top of the heel bone.)
What are the bumps on the outside and inside of your ankle? Those bumps are the bottom of the two leg
bones.
Which of the lower leg bones distributes our weight? The larger leg bone, the tibia (which bumps
on the inside)
Which other joint in the body has a direct impact on the
ankle joint? thorax (which isn’t really
a joint, but we’ll go with it.)
How does the position of the thorax affect the ankle joint? The ankle joints will stiffen if the thorax
is not balanced in relation to the lumbar spine, a fluid free movement will not
be available to you.
In what order should we balance our joints? Start at the A-O joint and go downward.
Describe the location of the heel bone. It extends farther back from the line of balance, behind the ankle
joint.
Describe your foot. The
foot has three areas of balance, forming a tripod of weight distribution. The toes aren’t one of them!
Describe the structure of each arm. Comprised of collarbone, shoulder blade, upper arm bone, two lower arm
bones, a wrist, and hand. Four arm
joints are sternoclavicular, upper arm, elbow, and wrist.
Name and describe the arm joints.
Describe position of collarbones and shoulder blades and how
arm structure should be balanced. The structure of your collarbones and
shoulder blades, known as the shoulder girdle, is designed to center over your
weight-bearing spine, with your collarbones roughly parallel to the
ground. The arm structure needs to
balance lightly and centrally over your ribs.
Your skeleton will be better balanced when
your muscles are not being recruited to do the work of the
skeleton .
My spine and my postural muscles that surround it support my front and my back, freeing my front and my back for
expressive movement.
What are the five poor postural instructions given at the
end of the chapter?
1. Stand against the
wall to achieve good posture
2. Stand “straight”
as if the spine were a straight, solid broomstick
3. Lift the sternum
high
4. Roll the shoulders
back and/or hold them down
5. Tuck the pelvis
under
6. Suspend your head
by an invisible string from the ceiling.
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