Does Your Tongue Pass the Waterballoon Test?

31/08/2023

In case you didn’t know yet: I have a tongue fetish! 👅😝

Restricted tongue mobility can severely impact your singing. Even slight restrictions can make a significant difference in your ability to control your voice. It can have an effect on jaw tension, breathing and vocal range, leading to a struggle with intonation, dynamics, resonance, vocal agility, and much more.

I currently offer 4 webinars on the tongue in The singsing! Sofa Library:

Releasing the Larynx, Tongue & Jaw by Sarah Algoet

Tongue Tie in Singers by myofunctional specialist Jessica Luffey

The Tongue, Lips & Jaw Gym by myofunctional therapist Emily Kirkcaldy

Do YOU Have a Tongue Tie? Assess and Discuss With the Ten Tongue Tie Tests by Emily Kirkcaldy

Here’s a nice experiment to check whether your tongue is relaxed or is holding excess tension…

The Waterballoon

In 2020, I shared this challenge in The singsing! online community Facebook group and I’m challenging yoù now to do the test!

Stick out your tongue & let it rest on your lower lip.
Tilt your head from left to right.
Observe what is happening with your tongue.

The members of the community had interesting observations to share…

Schermafbeelding 2024-08-31 om 13.53.33 kopie

Schermafbeelding 2024-08-31 om 13.55.06 kopie

Schermafbeelding 2024-08-31 om 13.55.54 kopie

What does this test tell you?

The goal is that you feel your tongue “falling” from left to right like a dead weight, along with the tilting of your head. Kind of like a waterballoon.

If you have excess tension, you will feel activity like shivering, contractions,… Or the tongue will not fall from left to right, but stay in the middle. So Olivier, Liese, Paulina and Janet have some tongue tension to attend to. Val and Haike have happy, relaxed tongues!

What were your observations? If you didn’t have the waterballoon-feeling… Welcome to these four webinars! 👇🏼

Do you want to release tension in your tongue, jaw and around your larynx?

Subscribe to the Library, watch the webinar Releasing the Larynx, Tongue & Jaw, and enjoy the benefits of stretching muscles you might’ve never heard of!

These streches are a great tool and can be a nice asset for any singer! In this webinar, Sarah offers various streches and you can find out for yourself which ones work for you. It's a nice and new approach towards selfcare in singing. Great to be able to do this yourself!

Kees Meerman - Singer & Voice Teacher

singsing! Sarah Algoet webinar on Releasing the Larynx, Tongue & Jaw

2022-09-28T13:49:31+02:00

Kees Meerman - Singer & Voice Teacher

https://www.singsing.be/onlinecourses/testimonials/kees/

So much new information, that my head was spinning 🙂 I had never heard of these bones and muscles. Keep at it the way you do. You are awesome.

Fiza - Singer & Tour guide

singsing! Sarah Algoet webinar on Releasing the Larynx, Tongue & Jaw

2020-09-04T17:13:07+02:00

Fiza - Singer & Tour guide

So much new information, that my head was spinning 🙂 I had never heard of these bones and muscles. Keep at it the way you do. You are awesome.

https://www.singsing.be/onlinecourses/testimonials/12-fiza/

This was a great session and it's so lovely to be able to see you work with others. I'm so grateful for all that I’m learning from you!

Sarah Joyce - Singer & Voice teacher

singsing! Sarah Algoet webinar on Releasing the Larynx, Tongue & Jaw

2020-09-04T17:08:57+02:00

Sarah Joyce - Singer & Voice teacher

This was a great session and it's so lovely to be able to see you work with others. I'm so grateful for all that I’m learning from you!

https://www.singsing.be/onlinecourses/testimonials/12-sarah/

singsing! Sarah Algoet webinar on Releasing the Larynx, Tongue & Jaw

Do you want to learn much more about tongue ties? Are you eager to do the self-assesment routine and identify whether you have restricted tongue mobility or even a tongue tie?

Subscribe to the Library, watch the webinar Tongue Tie in Singers led by myofunctional specialist Jessica Luffey and don’t let a hidden condition hold back your singing!

Do you want to get to work with myofunctional exercises for the lips, soft palate, jaw and tongue – for people with ànd without tongue ties?

Subscribe to The singsing! Sofa Library, watch the webinar The Tongue, Lips & Jaw Gym, led by myofunctional therapist Emily Kirkcaldy and exercise your lips, soft palate, jaw and tongue in function of optimal oral tone, tongue posture and breathing!

All singers should use these Myofunctional Therapy exercises!

Gemma Milburn - UK based Singer and Vocal Coach - Takes voice lessons with Sarah Algoet and has completed Myofunctional Therapy with Emily Kirkcaldy

The Tongue, Lips & Jaw Gym by Emily Kirkcaldy

2024-07-26T17:27:23+02:00

Gemma Milburn - UK based Singer and Vocal Coach - Takes voice lessons with Sarah Algoet and has completed Myofunctional Therapy with Emily Kirkcaldy

All singers should use these Myofunctional Therapy exercises!

https://www.singsing.be/onlinecourses/testimonials/gemma-tongue-lips-jaw-gym/

The Tongue, Lips & Jaw Gym by Emily Kirkcaldy

Are you curious about your own tongue function and its impact? Explore with the Ten Tongue Tie Tests, and see how you fair

Subscribe to The singsing! Sofa Library, watch the webinar Do YOU Have a Tongue Tie? Assess and Discuss With the Ten Tongue Tie Tests, led by myofunctional therapist Emily Kirkcaldy and figure out whether YOU may have oral restrictions, how it may impact you and what to do next.

Thank you so much, Emily. That was very nice! I first started catastrophizing like, "Oh, my God, no, it's really bad!" Thanks to this webinar, I now know "Okay, no, it's not. It's not that bad. I can live with it."

Gabby Hemmer, Professional singer and Voice teacher

Do YOU Have a Tongue Tie? Assess and Discuss With the Ten Tongue Tie Tests - Webinar by Emily Kirkcaldy

2025-05-28T13:44:53+02:00

Gabby Hemmer, Professional singer and Voice teacher

https://www.singsing.be/onlinecourses/testimonials/gabby-tongue-tie-tests/

I really loved this webinar for so many reasons. The processes of evaluation that Emily presented were pretty easy to follow even when watching it (I didn’t attend it live). I also thought she did a great job of creating a sense of safety and since the participants were so engaged, it felt like actually being there. It’s clear that I have tongue restriction so now it is a matter of determining what/whether I will pursue professional guidance on this.

Kim LaFever, Avocational singer

Do YOU Have a Tongue Tie? Assess and Discuss With the Ten Tongue Tie Tests - Webinar by Emily Kirkcaldy

2025-06-15T15:12:01+02:00

Kim LaFever, Avocational singer

https://www.singsing.be/onlinecourses/testimonials/kim-tongue-tie-test/

Many thanks to Emily for a very interesting, informative and practical webinar. And in particular for the kind, personal and sensitive approach, I really appreciated it!

Stella Handley, Avocational singer

Do YOU Have a Tongue Tie? Assess and Discuss With the Ten Tongue Tie Tests - Webinar by Emily Kirkcaldy

2025-05-28T13:29:58+02:00

Stella Handley, Avocational singer

Many thanks to Emily for a very interesting, informative and practical webinar. And in particular for the kind, personal and sensitive approach, I really appreciated it!

https://www.singsing.be/onlinecourses/testimonials/stella/

Do YOU Have a Tongue Tie? Assess and Discuss With the Ten Tongue Tie Tests - Webinar by Emily Kirkcaldy

As always, feel free to send me your thoughts, questions, and feedback in the comments below this blog, via the contact form or in the singsing! online community