Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Tips for Football Fans on Healthy Cheering

Tips for Football Fans on Healthy Cheering

Vocal Innovations offers a set of useful cheering tips for football fans to help them prepare their voices for the “Big Game” in Detroit.

Pittsburgh, PA, (PRWEB) January 31, 2006

An international vocal training and rehabilitation company recently released a set of useful cheering tips for football fans, in order to help them prepare their voices for the “Big Game” in Detroit.

Each year thousands of Americans experience voice problems from cheering on their favorite football teams. With a high-profile event like next week’s game approaching, and with winter weather here, it’s a safe bet that many fans will suffer from raspy or even absent voices at the water cooler following the big game. Whether you are one of the lucky few to attend the game in person, or one of the approximate one billion who will watch it on TV or listen to it on the radio, your voice plays an important role in expressing your feelings. Therefore, it is imperative to remember not to neglect your vocal health. Vocal injuries don’t just affect sports fans on the weekends, but also cost businesses world-wide millions of dollars annually in lost time and productivity.

“Just as the body is the athlete’s instrument; the voice box is the speaker’s instrument,” said Dr. Kim Steinhauer, CEO of Vocal Innovations, a vocal training and software company in Pittsburgh. “The serious side to cheering is that, done incorrectly, the resulting hoarseness could last a lifetime. To prevent a serious vocal injury that could sideline you to the bench, be sure to hydrate, exercise and rest your voice.”

Vocal Innovations recommends that all fans remember the following three things to help maintain their vocal health:

1. Hydrate - drink plenty of liquids, 6 eight ounce glasses of water per day are recommended; cold, dry winter air, especially in places like Detroit will dehydrate your system. Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, if possible. Breathe through your nose - nasal passages are natural humidifiers providing 100 percent hydrated air.

2. Exercise - put on your game-face and do some warm-up exercises - just like the pros... don’t go into the game cold or you will hurt yourself. At a minimum, begin with soft cheers before really letting loose. (Visit http://www. TrainMyVoice. com/exercises (http://www. TrainMyVoice. com/exercises) for examples.)

3. Rest - it’s as simple as that. Set aside down time during breaks in the game to quietly enjoy the entertaining, expensive commercials from your favorite sponsors.

Three things to do to produce a power-cheer:

Open your throat by pretending to suppress a laugh; Inhale through a sudden gasp of joyous surprise; Keep your body anchored and let out a yaaaay!

These steps help provide a healthy structure to what is most times a primeval response to the exciting events of a game. A safe cheer is done without constriction, without a growl or grunt, but rather with an open, unrestricted voice box. Openness avoids trauma. An open/unrestricted power cheer is safer and will allow you to continue to cheer all the way to the final whistle.

For three simple exercises that exemplify vocal range, anatomical range and a good / bad spectrum of cheers, fans can visit http://www. TrainMyVoice. com/exercises (http://www. TrainMyVoice. com/exercises)

NOTE: Vocal Innovations recommends that anyone who may be experiencing trouble with their voice, especially those with pro-longed difficulties consult their doctor immediately.

About Vocal Innovations, LLC:

Vocal Innovations (VI) is a leader in vocal training and rehabilitation through the development of products and services for individuals and groups seeking to achieve their personal vocal goals. By merging science and art through progressive research, accessible technology and innovative teaching techniques, VI maintains the balance of vocal health and aesthetic freedom.

VI delivers unparalleled educational opportunities, software solutions, specialized healthcare products, and the world-renowned Estill Voice Training System to performers, speech professionals, vocal injury victims and general retail customers who seek to increase vocal range and endurance.

Although VI provides products and services to a worldwide audience, the Pittsburgh-based company hopes that Steelers fans might prepare better and cheer more efficiently to help spur the team to victory.

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