5 Logical Reasons | Why Every Actor Should Take Yoga

Yoga exercises for actors to improve acting performance

How To resolve Actor's Dilemma of Audition and On Camera Scene Filming Performance Problems

Tension,  Anxiety, Fear, Nervousness, Dryness of mouth, trembling of hands, Forgetting lines, Breathlessness, Bad Dialog Delivery

 

An actor should develop a regular yoga practice.

Fact 1.

Yoga helps the body and its muscles to respond with my emotions to enlighten acting performance

It's like practicing something since childhood, for example, a particular sport, game, hobby or the habit of daily rituals using different parts of our body. As we do these things repeatedly, it becomes our habit and we don't have to think or make a conscious effort to do it. The habit then becomes a natural reactive response to a stimulus
Yoga works the same way. By different yoga exercises, the muscles of different parts of our body starting from forehead to toe becomes free and respond automatically and instantly accompanying  our actions. So, when an actor walks into an audition, his/her performance is a response from his/her entire acting instrument ie body and mind rather than from just a part of the acting instrument

Fact 2. 

Yoga helps my brain care less

As an actor, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be in a character of the story/ script. Our minds get clogged. We try hard to perform well  worrying whether or not we would get the role. This may chain us to our thoughts and anxiety. Specific yoga exercises for actors relaxes calms our minds and  helps them let go of the person they think they're supposed to be. Then they can focus on and love who they are. This lets them work from the beginning up and be creative instead of having their head in the clouds.

Fact 3.

Yoga helps to breathe correctly to relax and create a confidence minutes before audition

Before an audition or while filming a scene, many actors feel forced faster breathing full of anxiety. This results in a poor dialog delivery or breaking of a long emotional dialog with pauses when it should not be.  Yoga gives them tools to work with their breath that acting classes never have. It’s so powerful to realize when you feel a normal relaxed breathing. A normal breathing helps actors to use the full potential of their voice and deliver dialog powerfully without any interruptions.

Fact 4. 

Yoga reminds me acting is a practice

Yoga has played a huge role in a number of cultures for thousands of years. It doesn’t belong to anyone and it deserves our respect. It makes us realize that if you practice anything (of course, “good”) regularly, it becomes our habit. This learned knowledge from Yoga will always remind
us to continue practicing acting craft till we die!
We can do this by regularly taking refresher courses in acting schools, with our acting coach or participating in various acting workshops
If I want to deepen my yoga practice I have to make it a necessity to my daily life. Now reread this little blurb and replace “yoga” with acting/performance.

Fact 5. 

Yoga helps me give thanks for my acting abilities and practice

At the end of each yoga practice, I would suggest a little prayer to yourself thanking the universe for giving me the opportunity to do yoga. Please carry this Thanking Yoga habit after exercise and especially  before every performance or class.  Close your eyes for  a second and give thanks to Yoga for the opportunity to experience my acting art. It feels good to be grateful for things that help you feel good!

8 Simple Yoga Exercises For Actors At Home

(Click to know the steps in each pose)