How many breaths does the average person take each day? 17,000 – 23,000 breaths
What are some properties of air? It’s natural tendency is to maintain equal pressure. It flows from areas of high pressure to
low pressure.
What happens when muscles contract? The fibers become shorter.
What happens
when a muscle stops contracting? They
return to a state of rest.
What is elastic recoil? The ability of a stretched muscle to return to its original rested
state.
What is dynamic equilibrium? When opposing muscles work together, one releasing as the other
contract or recoils.
What is muscle antagonism? When both muscles work at the same time against each other.
How do the ribs attach to the spine? The ribs are connected to the spine with joints, which are stabilized
by ligaments.
How do the
ribs attach to the sternum? The bones of
the ribs become cartilage before they connect to the sternum. The first rib’s costal cartilage
connects directly to the sternum, but ribs 2-6 connect via joints.
Describe the sternal-costal joints. Gliding joints that connect costal cartilage to the sternum. They allow limited movement up and down
Describe in further details the size and course of the
ribs. The first 10 ribs get longer as they go down (measured from spine to
sternum). The slope becomes
progressively steeper with each rib as you go down the thorax. The ribs arch back while curving down
and around to the sides.
How does the arm structure connect to the body? There is no joint that connects the arm
structure to the ribs or the spine.
The arm structure connects directly to the sternum with a joint to the
collarbone.
What are the
primary muscles of breathing? diaphragm,
muscles that elevate the ribs, the abs, and the pelvic floor muscles.
Describe the shape, location and attachments of the
diaphragm. It is a dome shaped muscle
that arches up inside the ribs.
The lungs connect to the top of the diaphragm at the central
tendon. The diaphragm arches down
in the back and connects to the front of the lumbar vertebrae. The diaphragm also connects to the
lowest ribs all the way around.
Describe the location and function of the openings you
see when looking at the diaphragm from below. One elliptical
opening is for the esophagus to pass through. The round opening is for the vena cava to carry deoxygenated
blood to the heart.
What are the multiple effects of the contraction of the
diaphragm? Pulls the central tendon
downward. It also exerts downward
pressure on the viscera, while pushing the lower ribs up and out. It pulls down on the lungs and massages
the heart.
What is needed in addition to diaphragmatic contraction
for a singing breath? Rib movement. The diaphragm will move the ribs a bit,
but you might want to cultivate even more rib movement for singing.
Describe the location and function of the external
intercostal muscles. These muscles are in between the ribs, the
outermost layer. They extend from
the spine around all the way almost to the costal cartilage. The exact function is in dispute, but
they do something with respiration.
What happens when people think that the ribs are
horizontal? They try to expand them by pushing out horizontally at the sides.
Describe the abdominal muscles (as a group). There are 4 abdominal muscles that enclose
the viscera on the back and sides and front (not just the front!) The four muscles are the external obliques, the internal obliques, the transversus abdominis, and the rectus abdominis. It’s not a rigid structure, they are in
constant movement. They must
release in all directions for the diaphragm to contract on inhalation. The abdominal muscles must be released
for proper diaphragm and rib movement on inhalation to occur.
What must the abdominal muscles do in order for the
diaphragm to FULLY contract? Be
released!
Why else must the abdominal muscles release? The release of the abdominal muscles also
allows the ribs to rise during inhalation.
Explain in detail the interaction of the diaphragm and
the abdominal muscles for inhalation. As
the diaphragm contracts, it pushed the viscera against the released abdominal
muscles, which stretch to make room.
Why are tense abs bad for breathing but toned abs good
for singing? If they are toned, they will easily spring back into their original
shape during exhalation.
When might one activate abs during singing? To articulate accents, aspirate consonants,
and sin staccato notes in a phrase.
What is forced exhalation? Using abdominal muscles to force extra air out of the lungs.
Why is forced exhalation usually not useful for singing? Because it requires extra effort and
recovery time.
Describe the location and shape of pelvic floor and it's
function during breathing. These muscles
connect to the lower inside edges of the pelvis, forming a shallow bowl
shape. It must release during
inhalation for good breathing. The
pelvic defines the bottom of the torso.
Summarize the activity of the breathing muscles. When we inhale, the diaphragm
contracts. Above its firm anchor
at the front of the lumbar spine, the dome pushed down on the viscera and out
on the lower ribs. The muscles
that elevate the ribs contract simultaneously, raising the ribs at the sides
and bringing them closer together.
The abdominal muscles and pelvic floor release to all the full excursion
of the diaphragm and ribs. These
actions expand the thoracic cavity, creating a vacuum in the lungs, and drawing
in the breath.
Describe the location and shape of the lungs. Organs made up of spongy tissue, they are
not muscles!! They conform to the shape of the ribs, heart, and diaphragm. They extend a bit higher than the
collarbone. They are wider at the
bottom than at the top.
What is the role of the muscles of the neck for
breathing? Two muscles in the neck play
a limited role in breathing for singing: the scalenes and the
sternocleidomastoids. But we don’t
do anything to make it happen, so don’t try!
What is the role of the vocal tract for breathing? Provides sensory information about the air
we breathe. Otherwise, the vocal
tract has little function during inhalation.
What is the role of the tongue for breathing? Nothing!
What is the role of the vocal folds for breathing? They must be wide open.
Where are the places of constriction that can cause an
audible breath? Any constriction in the
vocal tract (could be lips, nostrils, any part of the tongue, the velum, the
throat, or the glottis.)
Describe the location, shape, and size of the trachea. Pretty short (4-5 inches), about the width
of a quarter, it’s a fixed size and shape, it doesn’t do any work in the
breathing process.
What is the trachea’s function for breathing? Nothing! Just stays open.
Explain the concept of gathering and lengthening of the
spine as it relates to breathing. Gathering
in the cervical spine occurs as we inhale due to the scalenes, and in the
thoracic vertebrae by the intercostals that bring the ribs closer
together. They relax on
exhalation.
What are the problems caused by taking in too much air? If we take in too little, we won’t be able
to sing the phrase in one breath.
If we take in too much, we will have to blow out dead air at the end of
the phrase before we inhale for the next phrase. Wasted energy either way.
Define and describe the two types of support. structural support is the balancing of our
body on our skeleton properly.
breath support is about how the movement of breath facilitates sound.
IF YOU _INHALE
WELL___, YOUR EXHALATION WILL ENJOY CONSTANT SUPPORT FROM THE ABDOMINAL
MUSCLES, THE PELVIC FLOOR AND THE COSTAL CARTILAGE
Describe how we regulate exhalation. We do this by regulating the release of the muscles of inhalation.
What does the author recommend instead of asking for more
support? Instead of asking yourself if
you need more support, you can ask if you need to allow the breath to flow more
freely or if you need to rsist that release.
What are the five common breathing errors listed in this
chapter?
1. Tanking Up
2. Keeping your
ribs out during exhalation
3. The diaphragm
is perpendicular to the floor
4. The ribs are
immovable
5. pushing out
with the abdominals will bring about inhalation.
What is the problem with using imagery in teaching
breathing? If the image goes against the
law of physiology, it could get the singer confused.
Describe the connection of the ribs to the spine. Movement
in ribs in breathing causes movement in thoracic spine
Name the other muscles that move the ribs.
Name the 4 muscles that form the abdominal wall. Already done above.
What is the epigastrium? The upper central region of the abdominals. Not a muscle or an organ, but a zone of inhalation
activity.
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