What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger
Helping your students progress is systematic. Enjoy the process and help your students succeed!
Progressive Overload and Singing
In the weightlifting world there is a concept known as “Progressive Overload.” The idea of this concept is to lift as much weight as you can properly lift for a certain amount of reps. Usually you try to do 8-10 reps in a set. When you can do 10 reps consistently and it starts to feel “easy” you are ready to add more weight. You will then start the process over. Working up to the 10 rep range. There is more to it than this, but for our purposes, that is the general idea. Lift as much as you can and increase the weight when that gets easy.
How does this apply to singing? Well, we obviously don’t want our students to “lift” too much too soon in their voices. Meaning, we don’t want to hit them with the hard and heavy material right out of the gate or ask them to belt D5 when they can’t even get past A4. Generally, we want to assess them and meet them where they are at. Then, we give them things to increase their skill little by little.
What might this look like in a lesson?
- Focus on just one thing at a time. A particular vowel combination, mixing through their first or second bridge, breathing through a phrase, rerouting mental dialogue, etc. You pick.
- Give an exercise or part of a song that develops the particular trait or skill you’ve chosen. Even better, turn the song into the exercise! It keeps it fun for the student!
- Make sure the exercise is doable, but still challenging enough to push their limits.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat! Once they are in the “zone” keep them there. Help them learn to find it in their sleep! When they know exactly where to go, they can then do it at home. Their strength on that skill and confidence will increase and they will come back to you next week as a better singer and ready to progress (so long as they practice.)
The process is simple, however it’s not always easy. Nothing worth it ever is. Keep at it though, because as Kelly Clarkson belted out so well “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!”
Happy teaching and singing! Make someone’s day by helping them solve a vocal problem and it will make your day too!
Please feel free to share your favorite exercises as well as any examples of “progressive overload” you’ve experienced with your students! Best of luck in your studios!
Aimee Geddes has been teaching Mix since 2003. She is a graduate of Weber State University with a BA in Communication. She runs a thriving online studio from the comfort of home. Aimee has been heavily involved in her local Theater Community and specializes in voice for Musical Theater. She also enjoys vocal rehab and helping students regain their passion for singing. Aimee has served on the IVTOM Board of Directors since 2012, and has been and IVTOM Mentor since 2019.
