Frank Sinatra did it in his own way, going to the swimming pool to stimulate his vocal prowess, and it seems that Rod Stewart sings of the same sheet of songs. Now scientists say the approach might not be stupid.
Stewart, 80, still entertains fans with his hoarse voice and his energetic stage performances and earlier this month, he revealed that in addition to running and playing football, swimming also played a key role in his campaign to stay young.
He should play the slide machine in Glastonbury next Sunday and has more than 40 other shows aligned in Europe and America this year, and he incorporated swimming in his fitness diet to help keep his voice refined.
“We do a lot of underwater training, where the coach throws a brick in the pool and I have to dive, push the brick to the end of the pool and come,” Stewart told Aarp magazine.
Stewart said the advice came from Sinatra himself, who said to him: “Rod, the secret of being a big singer has powerful lungs. Make a lot of underwater swimming, where you hold your breath.”
Dr. Rebecca Moseley-Morgan, President of the Research of the British Voice Association, said that respiratory function was one of the main areas to suffer due to age-related changes, leading to problems, including insufficient breathing for long musical sentences.
But she noted that this could be maintained by a cardio exercise of all kinds, including swimming, while the breath management exercises could also help.
Stewart said: “I stand very in good shape. I have played football all my life – I don’t do it so much, because I had a replacement of the knee. And I have always had a coach – the same guy for 38 years.”
He also resumed to run 100 meters on a private track in his huge area to keep himself “very fit”, he said, and is now working on his speed, aimed at breaking a world record.
“I arrived at 19 seconds when I learned to push,” he told Aarp magazine. “I will try to do 17 seconds, which, I think, is a world record for an 80 -year -old man.”
Moseley-Morgan said: “Thinking about Rod Stewart … He will feel age related changes and reasonably, in my opinion, try to rectify things. The breath is the source of power of the voice, so without it singing is not possible. ”
Professor Monica MCHENRY, Director of the Physiology Laboratory of the Word and voice of the New York Medical College, said that underwater swimming can help people hold their breath, which could help them tolerate the drop in oxygen in the body that occurs during song – potentially help them sing long sentences or keep a note for a long time.
“The base for holding a note is to have enough air to keep the vibrant vocal folds when you keep the note,” she said. “Keeping your breath will not help you get more air … But that will help you feel less breathless as you do.”
Dr. Keir Philip, the Imperial College of London, specializing in respiratory medicine, said that professional singers and swimmers had a better pulmonary function than the general public, with larger pulmonary volumes and stronger respiratory muscles.
While Philip said that people who are genetically predisposed to have better pulmonary function may be more likely to be swimmers or singers, such activities were possible to increase pulmonary function. Consequently, swimming can be beneficial for singers.
“”[Stewart] is a very active interpreter, and this goes beyond the simple control of your breathing. It is the cardiovascular form, strength, endurance and flexibility to be an interpreter, “said Philip, noting that swimming is a form of low impact exercise that is good for the elderly and those, like Stewart, who have had knee replacements.
“I also think that if Rod Stewart and Frank Sinatra think that it helped them, it was probably. [randomised control trials]”He said.
But Philip warned that the general public should consult his doctor before trying underwater swimming and respect, noting that it would not be a good idea for people with certain conditions.
“Although there are reasons for [think] These approaches could help, there is certainly no sufficient evidence to advise people in general to use this approach, “he said.
“If people want to improve their general pulmonary health, they should prioritize non-smoke or vaping, avoiding indoor and external air pollution, regular exercise, eat well, sleep well and build good social networks.”
Not all singers swear by swimming. David Alacey, a renowned tribute artist from Sinatra, said: “I tried the underwater method, but that didn’t work for me because I felt that he was distracted from the idea of singing. Far for me to disagree with Mr. Sinatra’s methods, but I found work on the much more efficient diaphragm. ”
Indeed, when it comes to playing, it seems that everything happens. “Sinatra has also developed a small cheat method where he would resume an additional breath from the corner of his mouth singing,” said Alacey. “It is also an excellent tool for singers.”
