Components of Good Singing Posture: Balance

The root of good singing posture is the position of your feet and the balance of weight on your feet. Seems like the feet are a long way from the singing process, but equal distribution of weight on the feet allows all the muscles to stay released so you can make gorgeous sounds.

Try this sequence to find the balance of weight on your feet.

1. While you’re standing, roll your foot to find the tripod.

   Roll your foot on the floor to make a circle that moves from your heel through the outside of your foot, across your toes, and down the inside of your foot. As you roll the foot, you feel the heel bone in the back of your foot, a bone or protrusion under your little toe, and another protrusion or bone under your big toe.

   Roll among these three points several times so that you really feel the points. Some people call these three points the tripod.

   If you aren’t sure whether you felt the tripod when you rolled your foot, sit down and feel along the bottom of your foot to find the three points. Take your time and feel each point.

2. When you’re confident that you feel the three points on the foot, balance your weight on those three points.

   The phrase that the three-legged table is always level applies here. You want your weight evenly balanced on the three points. If you intentionally lean back and put your weight on your heels, you feel the front of your body tighten to hold you up.

   Likewise, if you lean forward and put your weight on the front of your feet, you feel the back of your body tighten. Watch yourself in the mirror or observe the tension in your body. Try to find the center, or the position where you’re neither forward nor back; you’re evenly balanced on your feet and aligned.

3. When you find the three points and your balance on one foot, find them on the other foot.

   Practice standing with your weight balanced on the three points to make sure that you’re not rolling your weight to the outside of your feet. Some people unconsciously stand with the inside of their feet raised and the outside of their feet pressed into the ground.

   This stance creates tension in your body. You can feel the tension on the outside of your legs when you press the outside of your feet into the floor. Watch yourself in the mirror to check that your feet are balanced on the three points.