Myofascial Release for Singers 

 
Fascia​ is your body’s connective tissue web system. Fascia interconnects layers of muscle, as well as
individual muscle fibers. Fascia also envelops your organs, allowing them to glide. When healthy, fascia
helps muscles glide easily, facilitating free and easy movement. Fascia has a communicative function as
well. The fascial network interfaces with your nervous system, influencing all aspects of your well-being.

Consider what you feel like after a​ massage​. Your body feels open, supple, responsive. Maybe a bit
warm or even sore. In the process of massage, fascia gets plumped up. Gluey adhesions are separated,
allowing your muscles to move more freely. You might also feel very relaxed. Myofascial release, when
combined with deep, easy breathing, can have a calming effect on the nervous system.

Our body is our voice. ​This means that freeing our body through myofascial release can dramatically
change vocal freedom. Releasing the fascia of the back, abdomen, and ribs can unlock a singer’s
breathing​. Treating the fascia of the neck, head, and face can change the way our sound ​resonates​,
revealing new vocal qualities and ease of vocal production.

Get the right tool for the job​. It’s essential that we be kind to our tissues and use an appropriate tool.
Myofascial release tools (like the ones in your Embodied Singer Toolkit) are designed to treat the body
gently and grip the skin to maximize efficacy. DIY can be great but avoid using anything too hard (like a
lacrosse or golf ball) or to slick (like a felt tennis ball).

Hands​ make fantastic myofascial release tools! Use your hands and fingers to massage different areas
before singing. It’s very easy to release your facial muscles, jaw, tongue, and neck with your hands.
Hands are also great for getting the skin on your abdomen and the sides of your ribs.

Fascia is a ​web​ that goes in all directions. When using a tool, you might move it (or your body) in the
direction of muscle fibers, against the grain, or in a circular motion. Any direction is right. This practice
is a wonderful way to get in touch (literally!) with how your body feels and what it wants.

Go easy. ​Myofascial release isn’t always comfortable. You might come across a tender spot and be
inclined to apply intense pressure to improve the condition. If it makes you wince or hold your breath,
consider releasing some of the pressure or moving the tool. ​Fascia needs 48 hours of recovery time​.
The more intense the treatment, the more recovery time you might need. Gentle, superficial work may
be comfortable to do every day.

©​2020 Shauna Fallihee www.embodiedsinger.com

Treatment Tips 

● Trust your Intuition.​ If you need to slightly adjust the placement of the tool or
increase/decrease intensity, try it. Once you’ve found your position, settle and breathe before
beginning to move.
● Breathe.​ Mindful breathing facilitates the downregulation of the nervous system and keeps you
present with the sensations of your treatment. Do each component of your treatment for at
least 5-7 slow breaths in and out.
● Move Slowly. ​ Similarly to breathing, working slowly creates a calmer and more mindful
experience. Additionally, the fluids in your tissues need time to respond to the tool. When
structuring your practice, fewer treatments done slowly with intention and care is preferable to
working quickly in many places.
● Adjust your Intensity. ​When the pressure is too intense, you have options. Sometimes a subtle
shift of your body or the tool is all that’s needed. You can decrease the intensity of the
YTU/Pinky balls by covering them with a blanket or towel. Coregeous can be covered or
deflated to decrease intensity. Changing your relationship to gravity will also reduce intensity.
Anything done on the floor can be adapted to a wall or even holding the tool and massaging
your body without any weight.

Lower Body Sequence - YTU or Pinky Balls

● Feet - Single Ball

○ Place a single ball under the ball of your foot. Keep your heel grounded. Gently press
down on the ball, like pressing on the gas pedal. Breathe deeply and repeat 5-7 times.
○ Turn your foot in and out, rolling the ball slowly across the ball of your foot from big toe
to pinky toe mound. Repeat 5-7 times.
○ Roll the ball slowly up and down the length of your foot from heel to toe. You can roll
the inner and outer arches. Stop and breathe anywhere that feels interesting.

● Glutes - Double Ball

○ Lay down with the toted double ball vertical aside your sacrum. (lower ball to the side of
tailbone, upper ball to the side of sacrum)
○ With your knees bent, feet on the floor, cross your right ankle over the left knee into a
figure 4 shape with the left foot grounded.
○ Slowly turn your pelvis/navel towards the lifted/ball side. This will sweep the balls
towards the outer hip. Slowly turn pelvis back to starting position. Repeat 5-7 times,
breathing deeply.
○ Repeat on the Left Side.

©​2020 Shauna Fallihee www.embodiedsinger.com

 ● Low Back - Double Ball
○ Lay down with the toted double ball vertical on the right side of the spine. Bend your
knees and place your feet on the floor. Breath deeply 5-7 times, holding your breath for
5 seconds at the top of the inhale to increase intensity on the exhale.
○ Slowly turn pelvis/navel toward the right. This will sweep the balls across the right side
of the low back, toward the waist. Slowly turn back to center. Repeat 5-7 times,
breathing deeply.
○ Repeat on the Left Side

Torso Sequence - Coregeous Ball

● Intercostals and Oblique Abdominals

○ Lay on your right side with the Coregeous ball under your right side waist. Support your
head on a block or folded blanket. You may also need to support your right shoulder or
arm. Breathe deeply, expanding your low ribs into the ball. Hold for about 5 seconds at
the top of the inhale to increase intensity on the exhale. Breathe here for 1-2 minutes.
○ Lift up and place the ball under the right side ribs, just under the armpit. Repeat the
process with this placement for 1-2 minutes.
○ Turn over and repeat on the second side, beginning with your low ribs/waist and then
your middle ribs.
○ In addition to simply breathing, you can add movement. You can turn your torso to
sweep the ball around your ribs and/or slide up and down to stimulate the fascia along
your side body.

● Chest (Pectorals and Intercostals)

○ Lay face down with the Coregeous ball under the middle of your chest. Be sure the ball
is low enough that your larynx is completely free but high enough not to press on the
bottom of the sternum (the xiphoid process, like the tailbone, is a bit delicate).
○ Breathe deeply into your chest, expanding against the ball. Hold for 5 seconds at the
top of the inhalation to increase intensity on the exhalation. Breathe here for 2-3
minutes.

● Abdomen
○ Lay face down with the Coregeous ball under your navel. This is a starting point but you
may need to adjust the ball higher towards your ribs or lower towards your hips for
comfort.
○ Breathe deeply, expanding your abdomen against the ball. Hold for 5 seconds at the top
of the inhalation to increase intensity on the exhalation. Breathe here for 2-3 minutes.

©​2020 Shauna Fallihee www.embodiedsinger.com

Floor Sequence - YTU/Pinky and Block or Thick Book

● Outer Chest (Pectoralis Major and Minor) - Single Ball and Block/Book
○ Lay face down with a single ball on a block nestled just inside the head of your right arm
bone/outer chest. Let the rest of your upper arm rest on the block. Use your other arm
and/or a blanket to support your head.
○ Breathe deeply into your right side chest. Hold for 5 seconds at the top of the inhale to
deepen the intensity on the exhale.
○ Option: Slowly move your right arm as though you’re swimming breaststroke. Breathe
deeply.

● Spinal Erectors - Double Ball

○ Lay on the floor with the toted double ball under your upper back, parallel to the floor
(one ball on either side of your spine). Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor.
Hug yourself to widen your shoulder blades on your back. Breathe deeply into your
upper back for 5-7 slow breaths.
○ Gently rock side to side, letting one ball at a time take more weight. Continue to
breathe deeply.
○ Use your feet to traction yourself up and down, rolling the balls up and down the spine.
○ Reposition the balls a few inches lower and repeat the process. Avoid the lower tips of
the shoulder blades (lower bra area) to prevent pressure on the kidneys.

● Tops of Shoulders (Upper Trapezius) - Two Balls Untoted

○ Lay on the floor with a single ball under the top of each shoulder. (It’s the spot you
probably want someone to massage your shoulders.) Bend your knees and place your
feet on the floor.
○ Hug yourself to widen your shoulder blades on your back. Breathe deeply into your
upper back for 5-7 slow breaths.
○ Gently rock side to side, letting one ball at a time take more weight. Continue to
breathe deeply.

● Base of Skull (Suboccipital) - Double Ball and Block/Book

○ Lay on the floor with the toted double ball on a block under your head. The balls
continue the line of the spine. The bottom ball should nestle into the hollow in the
center of the base of your skull. The upper ball will be just above it. (​You may need a
blanket under your shoulders if your chin is curled into your chest​.) Bend your knees and
place your feet on the floor. Take 5-7 deep breaths.
○ Gently nod your head “yes” and “no” several times.
○ Slowly turn your head to the right, feeling the balls sweep across the base of the skull.
Slowly turn back to center. Repeat several times and then repeat the process on the
left.

©​2020 Shauna Fallihee www.embodiedsinger.com

 ● Jaw (TMJ and Masseter) - Double Ball and Block/Book
○ Lay on your right side with the toted double ball on a block under the right side of your
face. The upper ball is in your TMJ hollow, just in front of your ear. The lower ball will
rest in your masseter (chewing muscle) just above your jaw bone. If you held the balls in
your hand, it would look like you were holding a phone to your ear. Breathe deeply.
○ Gently nod your head “yes” and “no” several times.
○ Repeat on the left side.

Mouth Sequence - Gauze

● Tongue - Gauze
○ Unfold your gauze once so you have a long rectangle with a seam. Stick out your tongue
and using the gauze, hold the sides of your tongue. Still holding, let your tongue retract
in your mouth.
○ Gently massage and stretch your tongue in all directions.

● Hard Palate - Gauze

○ Unfold your gauze once so you have a long rectangle with a seam. Press the gauze into
the roof of your mouth for 5-7 slow breaths. Maintain some pressure and swipe your
thumb back towards your throat and forward towards your teeth several times.
○ Repeat the process on the right side of your hard palate and then the left side.
○ Sweep your thumb from side to side of your hard palate 5-7 times.
○ (Touching the soft palate (velum) is likely to create a gag reflex. Stimulating the fascia of
the hard palate is intended to also stimulate the soft palate.)

Face and Neck Sequence - Dycem

● Using your Dycem, sustain stretch in the following areas:

○ Forehead and temples
○ Cheeks and under cheekbones (zygomatic arches)
○ Sides of the nose
○ Above, along, and under jaw (mandible)
○ Behind ears
○ Sides of neck
○ Sides of larynx

Straw Phonation
● Seal your mouth completely around the edge of your straw. Sing slides or vocal
exercises. It will sound sort of like a kazoo and feel like you’re singing the “oo” vowel.
● Release your mouth from the straw when you breathe (instead of breathing through the
straw.)
● The sound that you make into the straw doesn’t matter. Notice what your singing feels
and sounds like ​after​ 1-3 minutes of singing into your straw.

©​2020 Shauna Fallihee www.embodiedsinger.com

Myofascial Release Tools 
 
Hands​ are your most versatile (and convenient) myofascial tool. Use your hands anywhere you can
reach. It is easiest to adjust intensity and specificity of location when you use your own fingers!
Care Tip: Wash your hands before touching your body, especially your face!

Pinky/Yoga Tune Up Balls ​are your myofascial workhorses. These balls can be used on most of the body
and can provide varying levels of intensity depending on your position. Less gravity = less intensity so if
laying on the floor is too intense, you can take the balls to the wall or cover them with a blanket.
Care Tip: Clean with a lightly moistened towel. Use a dry towel to restore grip. These balls will
break in over time. After about 6 months, you may want to purchase a new set for increased intensity.
Keep your old set for areas that need a softer touch!

Your inflatable ​Coregeous Ball ​is soft but powerful. The gentle grip of this tool is ideal for areas that
require a light touch. Its larger surface area can be used to efficiently stimulate more body territory.
When you lay on top of the ball, the combination of body weight and gravity can create a deep
stimulation. The Corgeous is particularly effective for releasing the muscles of breath: abdominal
muscles, intercostal muscles, and back muscles. The Corgeous is also wonderful for the face and neck
(avoiding your larynx).
Care Tip: Clean with a lightly moistened towel. Use a dry towel to restore grip.

Gauze​ allows you to treat the influential tissues of the mouth. The subtle grip facilitates gentle
stretching of your tongue and stimulation of your soft palate, inner cheeks and fascia of the jaw.
Care Tip: Toss it! A thin washcloth is a reusable option.

Dycem​ is a non-slip material excellent for sustained stretch on skin. Its combination of gentle traction
and reliable grip is perfect for the neck and face. This tool can be used carefully on the sides of the
larynx. When used on the face, it can open your airway and increase sensations of resonance.
Care Tip: Clean with soapy water and air dry. It will regain its grip!

Your ​Straw​ is a tool for “semi-occluded vocal tract” (SOVT) phonation. Singing into the straw creates a
backup of air pressure inside your vocal tract (mouth and throat) that helps your vocal folds vibrate and
reduce vocal fatigue. Straw phonation both lengthens and releases tension in the vocal folds. Many
singers experience easier phonation and increased resonance after only a few moments of straw
phonation. Incorporate straw phonation into your vocal warmup, cooldown and during practice
sessions.
Care Tip: Reuse your paper straw! If the ends start to get gummy, simply clip them off. There
are also a number of glass and metal reusable straw tools designed specifically for singers!

©​2020 Shauna Fallihee www.embodiedsinger.com