Thus, preventative measures which avoid damage are important for vocal performers and those who use their voices for more utilitarian means. Anyone who has heard an opera singer struggling to make it through the last act of a difficult role or listened to Bill Clinton giving speeches during his presidential campaigns understands the need to care for the voice in the proper way, in order to avoid excessive fatigue. As in other physical activities, singing and speech involve the use of various muscles and connective tissue. These body parts will always function better and more efficiently if they are properly trained, conditioned, and warmed up prior to use. Voice training can help the vocalist to become more coordinated in the use of the various laryngeal and breathing muscles, so that their actions become more skilled and efficient, and excessive use of muscles which are not needed can be curtailed, leaving only the muscular effort which is actually required to accomplish the vocal tasks at hand.
Water is very important as well.
The vocal mucosa will vibrate much more freely if the tissue is properly hydrated. Trying to use the voice while 'dried out' will make the vocalist tired much more quickly, and can even result in damage to the vocal folds since the stresses on the vocal folds are greater if they are not flexible and wet. The laryngeal muscles also need a good supply of water to work properly. Good cardiovascular health will also help the vocalist to breathe better. Here we have more an artistic notion of efficiency, which is mostly relevant for classical singing, rather than for ordinary speech.