Strong Lungs, Big Heart
Wow!
As I walked into the indoor cycle studio on Friday, to coach 60 minutes of Just Ride at Third Space in London, I suddenly realised that it is nearly 30 years since I first started keeping fit by becoming a gym member. Yes, 30 years of regular attendance with the object of ensuring that I can carry out my daily activities with no problem.
I remember that first gym so well, my best friend and I were still at secondary school, and we wanted to shift our MacDonald’s muffin tops! We were given a paper membership card. I remember showing it to my late father in our kitchen so proudly, as he was always an avid fitness enthusiast. It was actually a body builder’s gym! Can you imagine- terrifying to any novice, not to mention two teenage girls. We hid away upstairs in the cardio area, in the days of no air conditioning, but those noisy fans that circled above us.
I soon got the bug for it though, and now training daily is like breathing to me. Indoor cycle for my cardio, mixed with the Tracy Anderson Method has kept me fit, flexible, and injury free.
You may think “But Lisa, you work as a voice over actor. It’s not as if you’re a boxer or an Olympic sprinter. Why do you need to go to the gym? You sit and talk into a mic all day!”
Not quite true. I never sit down when I am recording a voice over, and I still need to take care of my fitness. All of us need to keep fit of course, especially now that so many live sedentary lives sitting in front of a screen all day and all evening. However, in my case it is also a part of the job.
As an actor you spend quite a lot of time on your feet, both in rehearsals and on stage or screen. In fact, when performing, unless it is required to sit in a chair as a part of the plot, or even lying on the stage dead (!), you spend most of your time on your feet.
Keeping Fit Has Many Benefits
As a voice over actor I don’t have to do that so much nowadays, but keeping fit helps me in many ways. Just to begin with, a physical warm up before recording helps to loosen up the body, enabling me to focus on breathing. The way that you breathe has a big effect on the way that your voice sounds and if you can get more air into your lungs that helps with stronger vocal delivery which is important in my line of work.
Physical movement helps to increase lung capacity and also helps to make the muscles in the ribcage more flexible. I also carry out vocal warmups because these help to increase the acid in the muscles of the vocal folds and that helps them to work more effectively.
So, if you thought I was a couch potato sitting down at a microphone all day, nothing could be further from the truth. I must keep peak fitness to perform at my best for my clients.
Get in touch
Feel free to reach out if you're working on any projects, whether it's a commercial, an explainer video, or anything in between.
With my London voiceover style, I aim to bring a sense of everyday authenticity to every project.
If you're interested, I'm more than happy to provide a free sample of your script.
Hearing my voice first hand can help you determine if it aligns with your brand and vision.
Don't hesitate to get in touch—I'm always excited to collaborate with new clients and explore how my voice can enhance your project.
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