Book excerpt: The Vocal Athlete, Third Edition is written and designed to bridge the gap between the art of contemporary commercial music (CCM) singing and the science behind voice production in this ever-growing popular vocal style. Revised and expanded, this edition is a “must have” for vocal pedagogy courses and speech-language pathologists, singing voice specialists, and voice teachers. Heavily referenced, this text is ripe with current research on singing science as it relates to the CCM voice. Anyone who trains singers will gain insight into the current research and trends regarding commercial music artists. The text distinguishes itself from other academic pedagogy texts by incorporating comprehensive chapters on the physiology of belting, current peer reviewed literature in vocal training for CCM styles, and application in the voice studio. Included is the current information on our understanding of gender affirmation treatments and potential implications for singers. New to the Third Edition: * New comprehensive chapter titled Overview of Black American Music: History, Pedagogy & Practice by Trineice Robinson-Martin and Alison Crockett * Extended and revised sections in several chapters, including: The Singer’s Body Motor Learning Exercise Physiology Laryngeal Physiology Acoustics Phonotrauma Belting Research * Reference grid depicting where specific content areas for both the proposed NATS vocal pedagogy curriculum and the PAVA-RV can be found within the text * Updated references throughout the text