Your Improv Brain

You get the "more energy" note in improv and nobody tells you what to actually change. I take that note apart and look at what your teacher was probably reacting to. The energy note does a lot of work in one word, so it can mean several different things at once, and most of us never ask for the clarification. In this episode I go through what a coach might be seeing when a scene reads as underpowe...

WORKSHOPS! Check out what's coming up for the Off Script Workshops. We're working on stuff brought up in this ep. https://yourimprovbrain.com/offscript If you start building your next line while your scene partner is still talking, you might be solving the wrong problem. This episode is about the improv pause, the beat between an offer and your response. Every improv scene has gaps in it, and most...

You're in a scene, it's your turn, and your brain goes somewhere else. Going blank on stage, hitting that freeze, is near the top of most improvisers' fear lists, and I want to add something new to the pile of advice about it. I have new things to say about this thing, possibly even something that's a fix. Basically, you need to sort out your default move . Most advice about the improv freeze(tm)...

NEW WORKSHOPS! Find all the information on the newly released website at https://YourImprovBrain.com/offscript Someone asked in an improv forum how you should actually learn improv, whether that's doing scenes, watching other people, or reading and talking theory. I had a big enough answer that I rebooted the podcast to give it, and to add the one way a lot of people skip or don't think is "a thin...

Steamrolling is one of those improv topics where everyone wants to talk about the people doing it to them, and almost nobody wants to consider whether they might be doing it themselves. This episode covers both sides. It starts with what steamrolling actually looks like in a scene (and it probably has less to do with how much someone talks than you think), then gets into the reasons it happens, in...

OUT NOW! Get my latest guides, all about getting and giving improv notes! Find them and what's inside the guides at https://improvupdate.com/notes. 50% discount on your second guide if you grab them together. Getting improv notes can affect your nervous system, and your brain. We look at why your brain rewrites feedback and how you can separate the actual content from the emotional delivery (aka,...

You know that thing where you learn a skill in class, you can explain it to someone else, and then you get into a scene and your brain does the old thing anyway? This episode is about why that happens and what to do about it. Your brain runs on pathways, and the ones you've reinforced the most fire first under pressure. Understanding a concept intellectually doesn't change the pathway on its own,...

"Just be confident." "Trust yourself." "Ya got this." You've heard these things, and you might have even said them. And for a lot of brains, especially analytical or pattern-driven ones, they don't work. During the 2026 Olympics, Eileen Gu described herself as an evidence person, not an affirmations person. Her confidence before competition comes from the specific preparation she's done: the hours...

This is a special extended (podcast-only) episode of Your Improv Brain on neurodivergent inclusion in the improv community. These episodes will focus on inclusion, nervous system regulation, and help neurodivergent improvisers understand themselves and help non-neurodivergent improvisers work better with their teammates and students. This is the first one. Hi! Think about the best improv team you'...

"Get out of your head" is advice that sounds reasonable until you try to follow it. When you do, you end up monitoring whether you're monitoring the scene. That's just another layer of the problem. This episode covers metacognition (thinking about your thinking) and why it matters for improv. During the 2026 Winter Olympics, freestyle skier Eileen Gu gave an interview that went viral. A reporter a...

Your brain goes blank in the middle of a scene. Or the opposite happens: twelve ideas at once and you can't pick one, so you stand there smiling while your scene partner waits. Your Improv Brain breaks down improv concepts one at a time, for every brain type. Each episode covers a single concept, how neurodivergent brains might experience it differently, and what's happening in your nervous system...

Emotion connects you to your scene partner, your character, and the audience. It gives a scene depth and grabs attention fast. And if you use it at the top of a scene, it can set the whole thing up in&nbsp...

Initiating a scene can be stressful at any level, and when your brain goes blank up there, it's easy to panic. In this episode I talk about a simple approach to scene initiations that Will Hines recommends: start by answering the question "where are you?" You can do it physically, verbally, or both, and it gives you and your scene partner something concrete to build on while your brain catches up....

Questions at the top of a scene are an advanced move, and if you're still building your skills, they can stall your scene before it gets going. In this episode I break down why questions are tricky at the top, what makes a good question versus a bad one in improv, and how assuming shared history with your scene partner gets things moving faster. I also talk about something that tripped me up early...

SURPRISE! I'm back. Hi! :) Starting a scene with two people standing there asking "who are you?" or explaining a bunch of backstory is one of the quickest ways to lose your audience. In this episode, I talk about why exposition bogs down the top of your scene and how starting in the middle of the action gives your scene immediate momentum. This is the first in a short four episode series about the...

Get the PDF "Vocal Basics for Improv" with all the exercises and concepts from this episode at https://improvupdate.com/downloads . This episode is all about using your voice in improv. You do not need to do "funny voices" to be a good performer, you can work with the attributes of your own voice and make some subtle shifts. I explain how to use your own voice effectively. These subtle changes to...

In this episode, I explain how to commit to your authentic self in your improv practice. You will learn to reframe perceived weaknesses into compelling strengths on stage. Your messy and imperfect parts are exactly what your scenes need. I discuss how neurodivergent performers can use their unique traits. The episode also covers how to collaborate effectively with scene partners who have different...

In this episode, I'm really getting into what I believe is the most important element for creating a compelling character: their point of view. I’ve found that the most interesting thing about a character isn't what they do, but  why  they do it. A strong, consistent POV is the lens through which your character sees the world, and it’s what separates a memorable performance from a flat c...

Alt title: Get to Skin Suit Town: 3 Exercises to Improve Your Acting In this episode, I'm diving into one of the best acting exercises you can give yourself: practicing scene work with little dialogue, or even none at all. I’ve found that learning to use physicality, emotional reactions, and environment is what changes a performance from "just saying words real good" to truly embodying a believabl...

Your inner critic might be a key reason you feel stuck, anxious, or in your head during an improv scene. But trying to fight it or ignore it doesn't work. This episode reveals a completely different approach: give that critical energy to your character. I break down the science of why your brain creates that critical voice and how it’s connected to a deep fear of social rejection. You will learn a...

We know that failure is the engine of learning, but how do you actually practice it in a safe and productive way? In this episode, I provide a full workout plan with SIX specific exercises designed to put you in challenging situations. Learn practical drills for your practice groups or classes that train you to handle wild scenes, distracting environments, and even challenging scene partners. This...

We are often taught that forgetting is a weakness, especially in improv where details seem really important. It's what we practice all the time! However, forgetting can be a skill to practice. In this episode, I explore the science behind why our brains are designed to forget, and how we can use this adaptive process to our advantage in our scenes and shows. Learn how letting go of details can red...

What if the key to becoming a great improviser is the number of failures you accumulate? That moment when you feel like you have failed in a scene, or a scene is falling flat, can feel awful. But it is also one of the most valuable data points for your growth. In this episode, I help you reframe failure as a solvable technical problem. You will learn a toolkit of seven specific, actionable techniq...

To be a successful improviser, you have to communicate effectively with everyone on your team. But what happens when people think, communicate, and experience the world differently? In this episode, I break down the common causes of communication breakdown between improvisers, and why assuming everyone is on the same page can lead to invisible struggles and burnout. Discover the single most import...

That feeling of your mind going completely blank on stage is a top fear for any performer. But what if it's not a personal failure? This week, I explain how this is often a biological response to being overwhelmed, not a lack of ideas. In this episode, you'll learn a simple, three-step system to effectively reboot your brain when it crashes. This practical technique works with your body's natural...