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@JAS.URSH
Think of pushing down on the diaphragm/Support as the BRAKES when you are driving down a twisting, turning mountain road. It's what keeps you from going over the edge or crashing into the rocks. In a less threatening environment, it is what prevents you from wearing out your voice too quickly. If you apply it correctly, enough of the time, you will experience very little wear and tear on your voice, especially your highest notes. It's the difference between control and out of control.

Some people think of support as how to blast out louder notes. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's more how to sing, rather than how to blast. It's a reduction in outflow pressure.

Because the faster our diaphragm rises the faster the air comes out, it is only logical that if we can slow down the rise of the diaphragm that we will naturally reduce the outflow of air (which incidentally makes our breath last much longer, especially with moderate cord closure). Because the diaphragm operates only on the "Downstroke" when it contracts and we inhale, we have to activate our "inhaling" muscles AS we exhale, to slow down the full, uncontrolled release of the breath. Using our inhaling muscles as we slowly release the breath is somewhat counterintuitive. So physically pushing downwards on our insides is one way to get our diaphragm to remain contracted instead of just "letting go" like it does during normal breathing.

The sit ups are an illustration of how much effort it may take to resist the exhalation response. It's not an illustration of how hard we should blast out the air. It's how much strength we should apply to resist the uncontrolled escape of air from our vocal tract.

When you "get it" you will notice a change in tone. With mild to moderate cord closure, and regulated air outflow, you will increase the ratio of tone to wasted air coming out. Your notes/breath can last much longer.

It takes a while to get it. We are used to breathing without thinking or really controlling it.

Another helpful exercise would be to inhale (not too much, because you don't want to feel like blasting it all out at once) and seeing how long you can PROLONG the release of the air. Work on that and try to get way up there. You will discover that you have to use muscles that you are not used to using in order to go a really long time holding your breath back.

Bob

I'm kind of an old guy (my birthday is Monday March 19.) But my voice sounds as young as it ever did. If I sing like I am supposed to sing and work with my voice, instead of against it, I sound young, indeed.

However, I may never get to be the "rock star." I have responsibilities and can't just live on the road like the 20-somethings that are starting bands, as they have always done.

And my voice doesn't fit anyone's "sound." I sing just fine in public and have done so many times and recieved applause. And no one is looking for me. And this is not self-pity. If anything, I can get away with being stubborn (family trait. We could teach mules how to be "stubborn.") I just keep doing what I am doing for my own enjoyment, which is how I think it ought to be, whether one is famous or not.

And my aim is to keep my voice sounding just as young for the next 30 years or so.

Lemmy - a force of nature. He never tries to put on an effect. He is what he is. And breaks the "rules." Smokes, drinks Black Jack and Coca-Cola. He let his voice be his guide and that's another valuable lesson, I think. Lemmy's not too old to sing. And neither am I.