As a former professional sportsperson – I have played first class Cricket in India – I was exposed to a reasonably high level of physical and mental conditioning for elite sport. It seems strange now but Yoga did not play a significant part in my sports training then.

 

For a long time now, I have been intrigued by the contribution that Yoga can make to athletic training and frustrated by the relatively low level of scientific rigour in the evidence documented so far. I am really pleased with YSS’s emphasis on precision in research and the scientific approach to exploring, establishing and recording the impact of Yoga on sporting performance!

 

I have lived and worked in a number of countries and been exposed to many cultures. My experiences in India, Australia, South-East Asia and the Middle East-North Africa region have played a huge role in my conditioning as a human being and a global citizen.

 

In formal education, I have a post graduate Diploma in Sport Business from Victoria University, Melbourne. I have worked in sport management in Australia and India. I have been practicing Yoga for a number of years and am a Certified Yoga Trainer from the Yoga Vidya Dham, India.

 

As a YSS Yoga Sports Coach ™ and a former elite sportsperson, I believe I am uniquely equipped to understand the demands of a sportsperson as well as the role that Yoga can play in so many aspects of athletic preparation and peak performance. As a very hands-on coach, I focus on using the athletes distinctive physical, mental and emotional characteristics…the nuances and specific requirements of his/her sporting discipline…and the YSS approach to design a practical intervention for my athletes.

 

As one of my colleagues has aptly said, “the idea is not to teach Yoga TO athletes but to teach Yoga FOR athletes”.

 

YSS Case Study Research: Cricket

 

Primary Objective: to establish whether a sport-specific Yoga programme could help a Cricket Fast Bowler improve lower back strength and functional mobility, thereby positively impacting performance, muscular endurance and recovery.

 

Secondary Objectives: to determine whether specific Yogic techniques could help the athlete better control his performance nerves and temper.

 

Results: By providing the athlete with a sport-specific Yoga programme, key results were seen as below:

 

1.  Significant increase in lower back strength and mobility, leading to the athlete’s subjective assessment of lesser fatigue and a reduction in minor strains and niggles post bowling spells.

2.  Better postural awareness, balance and stability through the kinetic chain, leading to greater fluidity of movement, lesser strain, and greater mind-body connection.

3.  Decrease in performance nerves, in the athlete’s opinion, directly attributable to specific ‘pranayam’ breathing techniques delivered using the YSS methodology.

 

The research demonstrated that certain sport-specific Yoga techniques delivered using the YSS methodology positively impacted the strength, stability and mobility of the athlete’s musculoskeletal system, thereby helping to improve sporting performance, in this case, for a Cricket Fast Bowler. Furthermore, there is some subjective evidence that suggests a link between the practice of ‘pranayam’ based performance breathing techniques and the increase in focus, and a concomitant decrease in performance nerves and impulsive decision making.

YSS Faculty Member