With summer break just a couple of weeks away (!) it is a good time to discuss reversibility.
Essentially, reversibility (also called detraining) is the “use it or lose it” principle from exercise physiology. As described in The Vocal Athlete by Wendy D. LeBorgne and Marci Rosenberg, the longer you take a break from training, the more time it takes to get back the strength, flexibility, and capabilities you have built. The research suggests that if you take two weeks off from strength training, it can take up to four weeks to get back to the performance levels achieved before the hiatus. This likely applies to vocal training in similar ways.
Of course, we all need occasional breaks from vocal work. On a daily basis we need to plan resting periods (or "vocal naps") throughout the day, especially on days of heavy vocal use. Many pedagogues suggest taking one full day each week to rest from singing for both a physical and mental break from the discipline. Rest is an essential element of vocal training.
However, as I heard Placido Domingo say once in an interview, “If I rest, I rust.” This may be an oversimplification of the reversibility principle, but it gets the point across.
I hope you all find time in the coming months to relax, to have some time away from academic demands, and to devote time to the personal relationships and outside interests that are so vital to the human experience. But none of us can afford a three-and-a-half-month vacation from singing. Reevaluate your practicing when you know what your summer schedule will be, and continue to set aside times in your day for vocal activities. You have all made great progress and are on a positive trajectory with your technique and artistry. Make sure to maintain the commitment and discipline over the summer.
Have a wonderful summer. Relax, recuperate, and rejuvenate, but avoid reversibility.
And stay in touch!
Now go practice.
Wow! I had never really thought about reversibility. I always just assumed that if you practiced and got better than you would just be better. I didn't really think about regression during long breaks. It makes a ton of sense and I don't know why I never really thought about things that way.
ReplyDeleteThis will change the way I think about the voice. I know that a different kind of commitment is required than what I've ever done for improving my voice. I've always had long breaks between semesters. This summer I am hoping to have some time to work on things that I have cared about, but let slip a bit to make room for school and other things. I want to get back into a rigorous routine for practicing voice as a part of the broader pattern of changes I am hoping to make. Voice has been one of the things I have focused less on over the past year or so and it's sad because it is something I care about, but it always seems like things come up and practice schedules get broken. Once broken it is hard to get back into the routine.
Josh Brings up a great point. I know I also hadn't thought about reversibility, especially not vocally but it makes sense. I think for me I'm going to try to set up a practice schedule like we set up for school over this summer and see if I feel like I come back even stronger this next semester.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me a lot of dancing. Growing up as a dancer I was encouraged to practice for at least an hour a day to keep my technique, strength, and flexibility intact. There is a weird little phrase that my teachers used to say... "If I don't practice one day, my body knows. If I don't practice two days, my teacher knows." It's strange how true this is. If I didn't practice for a day, I could definitely feel it. If I didn't practice two days, I could tell that something was off, and it was probably visible enough for other people to notice as well. This being said, everyone needs a break at some point. When I am practicing anything every day I get so in tune with it that I am able to notice even the smallest of shifts. This is especially important with the voice considering it's something that we use so much, and what sustains our livelihood as performers.
ReplyDeleteBeing in athletics for most of my life, I have seen the full effect of reversibility. It takes time to build back up the muscle and its definitely harder to build back your voice. I know that being sick for a majority of the semester my voice still feels weird and it isn't as easy to transition from head and mix to chest voice. So I'm trying to build each back up but, not push to hard.
ReplyDeleteOf course I will practice this summer and make sure I do not lose all I have learned. Now that I am becoming older, making sure reversibility doesn't happen, is key. I could get away with it in the past, but practice will further my career and voice. I will be taking voice lessons in the summer and make sure I practice in a healthy way and take breaks as well. This goes for everything, if you don't practice at something, you are no longer really good at it or as good. Since I truly love singing, I do not want to lose my ability.
ReplyDeleteWhile I cannot think of a specific, personal experience with reversibility in singing, I have definitely felt that effect physically. Just this year, when I'd missed a week of ballet, coming back to it the next was exponentially more difficult. So far, since I began voice lessons in high school, I don't think I've gone any extended period of time without practicing or continuing lessons. However, this summer, as a good chunk of it will be spent abroad, I do feel I ought to reevaluate my plans for a daily routine there so I can keep up on my progression as a singer. I think the avoidance of reversibility has a lot to do with the discipline it takes to be an artist/actor/singer/dancer/performer, and I think that discipline stems from a passion for it.
ReplyDeleteI worry about reversibility over the summer. I worry about what training I will lose or forget or just not put to practice as often as I do over the school year. But when I regularly practice, I find that personal study over the summer forces me to work extra hard to remember all of the specific problems I may have had in the school year. In short, when I am left to my own devices, I try harder to improve on the way I sing then when I am regularly attending lessons. Of course, I absolutely need these lessons so I know what path to take. But I work best when I make myself work. Perhaps it is because I worry I'll forget, so I try harder. Either way, knowing what works to keep my instrument in peak performance is vital when I'm out of school, something I'm glad I learned when I was studying.
ReplyDeleteOkay, this 100% makes sense, but I'm not going to lie... I've noticed in my life that when I take a longish break (from voice), I've improved a lot when I come back from it. Maybe because I'm coming back with a fresh start, maybe because I just don't notice growth as much day-to-day because the increments are smaller, or probably both. Don't worry, though, I'm definitely not going to take a break this summer. In fact, I want to take maybe one lesson each month. I hope there are still spots open. I'll personal message you.
ReplyDeleteThis has been a major problem for me this year because I took two years off of singing. It has taken all year to get me two steps away from how strong my voice was in high school. Experiencing this hasite taught me to never take time off from singing every again.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an important lesson for all singers to learn. Practicing every day is so important and when we won't have lessons every week after we graduate, the time we spend out of the lessons is the time that should become a part of who we are.