Folks Who Sing: What Is "Pushing Down"?
Hello! So, I've struggled with interoception and have been working to match bodily sensations to a whole variety of things. I've started taking singing lessons this year but something that is still alluding me is this 'pushing down' advice my teacher (and many others) are trying to tell me. It's 'push down on your diaphragm' only I have absolutely NOTHING I can equate with a 'down' sensation.
I can clench my gut. I can push inward, like you're taking a hit to your stomach. I've done planks and wall-sits to help understand what it means to 'engage your core' (that sensation in a plank or wall-sit = do that thing). But none of those things = pushing down, and I can't find 'down' in my gut or whole torso, it's like a blank void.
So, to anybody in this thread who sings, what do you do/how do you describe it? I've had some tiny success with the idea to "keep your stomach big" (breathe into your stomach, it expands, now try to keep it big as you breathe/sing out), but I'm still not sure that I'm hitting the goal there. What is "pushing down on you diaphragm" to you?
Much appreciated many thanks.