Valsalva Maneuver
Valsalva maneuver. A breathing technique used for varied purposes, but not for singing: for adjusting pressure in the middle ear (such as during scuba diving), to slow a rapid heart rate (ventricular tachycardia), or to increase thoracic fixation (torque) for heavy lifting. For the first two purposes, the maneuver is often done by pinching the nostrils shut, then attempting to force exhaled air through closed lips. In extreme versions of the Valsalva maneuver (such as heavy lifting and childbirth), the glottis is closed and the ventricular folds may constrict. Singers who take in too much air (called “over-breathing” by many pedagogues) should beware of possibly tapping into the valsalva maneuver as a reflexive response in preparation for heavy lifting or defecation.[1]
- ↑ "NATS July 2022 Pedagogy Workshop Working Group Three Science-Informed Terminology and Definitions for Voice Pedagogy" (PDF). Science-Informed Voice Pedagogy Resources. Retrieved March 9 2025.
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