Or do you not know where to begin? I see you and I get you!

I never wanted to warm up – I even dreaded it! I just felt like I didn’t know what I was supposed to be focusing on, and the routine got very boring very fast.

Disclaimer: I’m not guaranteeing that you will fall in love with warming up, but this routine that I’ve mastered will help you make the most of your warm up and give you a framework to follow.

Remember: your warm up is where you work on technique. 

Warming up is where you actually start to improve your technique. You don’t want to be doing this in your songs – it’s going to feel like you’re trying to spin ALL the plates!

And if you’re noticing that when you sing your songs, you’re not seeing or hearing any improvement – this is probably why.

Here’s my tried-and-true warm up routine:

Pick a few of the warm-ups I’ve posted on social media – I have a handy highlight reel of Warm Ups on Instagram, or drop me a line here and I’ll send you one, or find somebody that you like on YouTube and warm up with them. 

This routine is based on four days of practice in a week.

Day 1: Think about your breath and where it’s going. Put on any warm-up that you’re comfortable with. 

All I want you to focus on is getting in the breath, a bit deeper, to your inner tube – that space around your middle – and making sure you’re not gasping. That’s it.

If the warmup starts too low, or goes too high, begin and end at your limit. Again, this is going to be simple and non-complicated! Just focus on bringing that breath in. If you want more info about the breath, check out this post about getting it in deep.

Day 2: All you’re going to be thinking about is your vowel shapes: AH, AY, EE, OH, OO. Creating space in your mouth, and in your throat. 

Allowing the air to pass through easily and comfortably. Get in the mirror so you can make sure that your mouth is opened up and round. I like to imagine my mouth like a cathedral with tall ceilings.

Day 3: Keeping the beat. I stress that movement is the secret sauce to singing. Notice if you are able to keep the timing/rhythm of the warm up exercise. Are you coming in right on time, or are you early or late?

Your technical practice is making sure that you are in the ‘pocket’ of the music. Get into the rhythm of the song by moving your body: tapping your foot, swaying or full on dancing.

Day 4: Pitch. Your only task here it to focus on the piano or warm-up accompaniment. If you are off pitch, that’s OK, I don’t want you to cringe or close off.

A lot of why we go off pitch is our uncontrolled breath and you might not know how to control your air right now – and that’s OK! I just want you to focus on the notes, getting more and more confident in getting on the pitch without hesitation. And letting go of any expectation to be ‘perfect.’ 

(There’s no such thing as ‘perfect’ in singing anyways, so let it go!)  

So how have I gotten to a place where I actually enjoy warming up and I feel motivated to do it? 

Well, I simply follow this guide. Monday breath, Tuesdays vowels, etc. etc. And if I feel like it’s getting a bit stale, I make sure to switch up the warm up track – because I have A LOT of warm ups that I’ve created over the years. 

My course The Basics features guided warm up videos that walk you step-by-step through basic singing techniques. The course gives you an easy-to-follow framework to build your skills and create a singing routine that works best for YOU. Check out The Basics here. 

Happy singing and enjoy getting in the groove with your routine. Consistent practice, even for just a few minutes a day, is the quickest way to find your voice and get great at singing!