YOGA & SPORTS

By
Dr.J Samuel Jesudoss
 Yoga
Definition of Yoga

The word Yoga has been derived from the Sanskrit word “ YUG ”
which means to join or to Unite.

Yoga is the Union of the Individual soul with the Absolute or Divine
Soul.

Yoga also means the unification of physical, mental, intellectual and

spiritual aspects of human being.

Yoga is the science of development of a Person’s Consciousness.

 Yoga regeneration exercise

How Yoga Helps To Rejuvenate Your Body and Mind

1) Reduces Stress and Anxiety

2) Nourishes the Circulatory System

3) Relaxes the Nervous System

4) Tones the Body’s Muscles

5) Makes the Body and Mind Flexible

 Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Yoga — the term comes with the sensation of a relaxing

exercise

Stress is the cause of all destructive processing happening

within the body,

in fact presence of stress spikes up the catabolic

(destructive) activities inside the body which lead to early
ageing.

The practitioner learns to respond differently to the stressors

As the elimination system of the body loses its potency with

ageing the toxins remain lingering within the body systems
affecting their efficiencies.

Yoga for staying young help cleanse the body of these toxins.
 Nourishes the Circulatory System

yoga is promoting the flow of blood throughout the human

body system.

Yoga asanas make sure each and every part of the body
receives a substantial amount of blood.

Blood flow brings energy to the body and one feels highly
rejuvenated.

The practitioner learns the mind calms down and the issue of
high blood pressure gets healed.
 Relaxes the Nervous System

Yoga is one of the most effective restorative exercises on the

planet.

The ancient science helps the nervous system relax so that the
whole body remains refreshed.

Various poses free the muscles from their tensed state.

Yoga relaxes the body and strengthens the nervous system to

help you face stressful situations quite easily.

The deep breathing and meditation which controls your

sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight response that
keeps your body cued up) as well as the parasympathetic
nervous system (this tells you to chill out). so when your body is
calming down, your brain gets the message that all is well.
 Tones the Body’s Muscles

There are a number of yoga poses that are highly dynamic in

nature.These exercises are known for their ability to tone
various muscles of the body

No matter your level of fitness, yoga will leave your body

feeling capable, powerful, and strong. To help you get started
on your journey to a leaner, toner body,
 Makes the Body and Mind Flexible

Flexibility is again a major contributor to a rejuvenated body

and mind.

The more flexible you are, the better your life is expected to
be. Be it the flexibility of the physical body or the mental
aspect, the ancient science of yoga will certainly help you in
both ways.

Yoga’s mental exercises such as Mantra Yoga, Meditation,

etc. nourish the brain to face distinct situations and take
swift actions. All these traits are related to inner
revitalization. When you enjoy your life unhindered, there are
more chances of being a happy soul.
 Power Yoga

Power yoga means practicing Astanga yoga With more

powerful breathing techniques

Power yoga is considered to be a very athletic form

of yoga with postures that are physical, fiery and
powerful

Ashtanga is a very dynamic and athletic form of

hatha yoga
 Difference between Power Yoga and Yoga

Main difference is the breath With each movement,

In & out of a posture, is a prescribed inhalation or
exhalation

Power Yoga includes asanas, exercises and followed

by a stretch – this entire set is typically known as an
Exercise Module

Power Yoga basically consists of Surya Namaskar In

which two new challenging positions

Surya Namaskar

Two new positions in Power Yoga Hip Hinge, Table top

 Surya Namaskar in Power Yoga

In the various Surya Namaskar position in Power

Yoga

We are doing strength and functional training

Thus it is a combination of cardio and strengthening

exercises
 A Typical Module

Power Yoga Module

A module consists of

➢ Warm up

➢ Surya Namaskar Exercises

➢ Move fluidly from one posture to another

➢ Cool down
 Why warm up?

✓ Warm up is done generally to familiarize the body to

the exercise

✓ It assists in preventing injury

✓ It improves person’s level of performance and

accelerates the recovery process needed before and
after the training
 What is warm up?

✓ Warm up basically consists of stretches

✓ Stretches start from the toes and gradually

progresses upwards

✓ For example for toe stretch it is holding in point &

flex position

❖ Calf stretch stand up on the toes

❖ Ankle rotation

❖ Shoulder stretch

❖ Neck rotation
 Benefits of warm up

✓ Direct physical effects

❖ Release of adrenaline (gets your body ready)

❖ Increase of temperature in the muscles

❖ Increase of muscle metabolism

 Yoga postures

5 kinds of postures

➢ Standing, Seated, Twisted, Inverted and Supine or Prone

➢ These poses have accumulative effect on the body and so

it is important they are practiced in the right order

➢ Start with standing posture, seated posture are introduced

next, followed by twist then inversions, prone and supine
are done at the end of the practice session which should
always be closed with relaxation
 Advantages of the postures…1

❑ Standing asanas build a strong foundation

❑ Help to develop strength, stamina and determination

❑ Example – Tadasana, Tree pose, Warrior 1,2 & 3, Extended

triangle pose
 Advantages of the postures…2

❑ Seated asanas improve flexibility of the hips, knees and

ankles

❑ Reduce tension in the diaphragm and throat making

breathing smoother

❑ Example – Dandasana, Full forward bending, Head to knee

pose

➢ Forward bends are beneficial for a good night sleep

 Advantages of the postures…3

Twist or Twisted asanas extend and rotate the spine and

torso

❑ Good for relieving back ache and stiffness in the neck and
shoulders

❑ Internal organs are stimulated – aiding in digestion

❑ Example – Trikonasana, Artha Matsyndrasana,

 Advantages of the postures…4

Inverted asanas revitalize the entire body system, Any pose in

which your heart is higher from the ground than your head is
considered as inversion asana

❑ Brain is nourished by the blood that flows towards it

❑ Example – Lying down angle posture, Shoulder stand, Head

stand (Sirasana)
 Advantages of the postures…5

❑ Supine or prone asanas stretch the abdomen and increase

flexibility in the spine and hips

❑ Some are restful while others strengthen the arms and legs

Example

➢ Supine – Reclining hero pose, Prone leg stretch

➢ Prone - Bow pose, Bhujangasana

 Benefits of Power Yoga

❖ Power yoga bolsters flexibility, stamina and strength

❖ Improves concentration

❖ Releases tension

❖ Develops good and proper posture

❖ Tones the body

❖ Bodily toxins are removed from the system

 Role of yoga in psychological preparation of
Athlete
❖ Through the practice of yoga an athlete can develop his
mental health, physical health and empowerment

❖ strengthen the power of concentration

❖ strengthen the mind-body connection,

❖ bring calmness and relaxation to mind,

❖ enhance self-confidence,

❖ strengthen self-discipline and self-resolve,

❖ reduce stress / anxiety and

❖ increase vitality and energy throughout the body

❖ yoga has extensive benefits and can help us to be a more

balanced, relaxed, focused, efficient and effective Sports
How Yoga can significantly enhance their
performance.
 what is required to play a sport
 develop the basic skills
 continually train the body
 considerable time, energy and commitment to practice
 Having a body that is flexible, strong and controlled
 endurance or stamina for the required duration
 focus and concentrate with confidence
 “sporting skills require the attainment of deep focus”,
 distractions and adverse conditions ‘score the goal’ or ‘serve
the ball’ at the critical match point or deal with crowds
 Yoga is the application of physical postures, control of breath,
purification and relaxation of mind / body
How Yoga can significantly enhance their
performance.
 bringing greater unity and balance to the mind and body
 Pranayama and breathing techniques prescribed in Yoga
enables a person to focus on breath and helps to calm and still
the mind and cultivate concentration ability
 Being able to hold a posture with steadiness,
 Through asana the functioning and efficiency of internal organs
is improved
 Yoga is able to mobilize joints,
 stretch tissues and ligaments,
 tone muscles,
 bring flexibility to the spine
 strengthen internal organs
 yoga is beneficial to a professional athlete as it enables them to
strengthen their concentration ability,
 Mental wellbeing

Mental wellbeing is an integral part of our overall

health. Mental wellbeing, in general, is the state of thriving in
various areas of life, such as in relationships, at work, play,
and more, despite ups and downs.
 Anxiety

Definition

Anxiety is the vague form of fear which involves bodily

responses or stress reactions
 Effect of yoga on Physiological System:
 Improved general health, posture, muscle tone,
 sleep, immunity and pain tolerance•
 Weight normalizes
 Stable autonomic nervous system•
 Increased cardio-respiratory efficiency,
 musculoskeletal flexibility, range of joint movement,
 physical endurance, strength and energy levels •
 Decreased HR,BP,RR and
 Normalizes GIT and endocrine
function(Gastrointestinal) (hormonal regulation of
digestion)
 Effect of yoga on Circulatory System:
 Yoga exercise helps to prevent various circulatory ailments and
illnesses such as high blood pressure, shallow breathing, muscle
tension and coronary heart disease.

 Our findings suggest that specific poses of Yoga directly benefit

and enhance the circulation of blood and body fluids throughout
the body.

 The different organs of the body are also positively impacted due
to the effective flow circulation to the various parts.

 reduces the causes of hypertension heart attack or stroke

 effects of short term (15 days) regular pranayama and meditation

practice on cardiovascular functions (reduction in resting pulse
rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean
arterial blood pressure)
Effect of yoga on Skeletal System:
 yoga increases lubrication within the joints, ligaments
and tendons

 Yoga help to correct and balance the roles that the

joints, ligaments and tendons play together, in
providing the support that the body’s limbs need to
function properly.

 Yoga poses provide relief to stiff and damaged joints.

 Yoga’s controlled movements and gentle pressures

reach deep into troubled joints.

 The controlled stretches in conjunction with deep

breathing exercises relax and release the muscles
that have seized up around the joints to protect them.
Effect of yoga on Nervous system:
 Physiological changes to the nervous system

 Stimulation of the Vagus nerve through breathing

practices

 Activation of the Parasympathetic NS (Yoga plays an

important role in reducing stress, reducing sympathetic
activity increasing parasympathetic activity, decreasing
blood pressure, improving sense of well-being, and
decreasing anxiety levels)

 Induction of the relaxation response

 Yoga practices repetition which rewires deeply embedded

physical, psychological, or emotional patterns
 Effect of yoga on Nervous system:
 Meditation observation of behavior patterns

 Change, and cognitive learning, becomes realized

 Yoga Sutras “When after a moment of stability, the mind

ceases its fluctuation and remains naturally quiet, it
begins its transformation to stability”

 Meditation Turning mind to positive qualities

 Positive qualities become dominant

 Negative qualities become dormant, weakened

 Negative reactions (fear, anger, anxiety, resentment) that

trigger the sympathetic NS less likely to occur awareness
– self-observation - repetition
 Effect of yoga on Respiratory System:
 The respiratory system connected with the whole body and supplies

oxygen to every cell.

 It includes lungs, nose, mouth, sinuses and all the passages through the body
which transport oxygen through the blood

 yoga exhibits a powerful and profound effect on the respiratory system. With
‘Pranayama’ breathing exercise in yoga

 you can increase your intake of oxygen up to five times

 The more oxygen rich blood to brain, heart, lungs and digestive organs will
enable these organs work better

 deep breathing can help you to improve the flow of your lymph system thereby
helping the body to get rid of toxins.

 The regular practice of breathing exercises can sort out me problems in

respiratory system like sinus, asthma, hay fever, shortness of breath and
allergies.
 Effect of yoga on Respiratory System:
 Physical yoga poses that support the respiratory system in doing its work by
expanding the lungs and giving them space to breath

 Yoga asana such as backbends and some standing postures open up chest region
not only relax the tight muscles that area but also one begins to use areas of the
lungs which had formerly consisted of ‘dead space’ due to bad posture, emotional
tension and environmental factors

 By doing inverted postures, circulation throughout the body is radically altered and
areas above the heart receive on increased supply of blood due to the effect of
gravity.
 Effect of yoga on Excretory system:
 The process of excretion of the waste matter from the body involves
four organs are responsible, they are kidneys, intestine, skin and
lungs.

 Kidneys excrete and waste matter through the urine, intestine

through the stool, skin through the perspiration and lungs through the
exhaled air.

 The imbalance of human excretory system arises due to the improper

diet including excessive protein consumption, non vegetarian foods
and alcohol.

 The instability of the excretory system can be removed by the

practice of yoga.

 Regular exercise of yoga makes the internal imbalance of the body to

come to normalcy and it helps to rejuvenate the working level of the
systems.
 Effect of yoga on Excretory system:
 Some yogas like Makarasana, Suptapavanamuktasana, Pavanamuktasana,
Agnisara asana, Utkatasana, Nauli, Uttanamudukasana. Basti is also
helpful to cure problems with excretory system.

 Practice of asana, pranayama and kriyas (cleansing techniques) can keep

the internal organs healthy, particularly improving the overall function of
the kidneys.

 Asanas like gentle twist and backbends contracts and massages the
kidneys. The practice enables and activates the efficient function of the
kidneys.

 Practice of pranayama like Nadi Sodhana, Anuloma-Viloma can control

and balance the nervous system and relieve the mind from stress.

 Kriyas are great cleansing techniques to remove the toxins out of the
body. By purifying the entire system, one feels light and blood is cleansed
by the flow of the prana to every single cell of the body.
Psychological effects of meditation:
 Improved relations at home & at work•
 Able to see the larger picture in a given situation•
 Helps ignore petty issues•
 Increased ability to solve complex problems•
 Purifies your character•
 Develop will power•
 react more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event.•
 increases one’s perceptual ability and motor performance•
 higher intelligence growth rate•
 Increased job satisfaction
Psychological effects of meditation:
 decrease in potential mental illness
 Better, more sociable behaviour•
 Less aggressiveness•
 Helps in quitting smoking, alcohol addiction•
 Require less time to fall asleep, helps cure insomnia
Spiritual Benefits of meditation:
 Helps keep things in perspective•
 Provides peace of mind, happiness•
 Helps you discover your purpose•
 Increased compassion•
 Growing wisdom•
 Deeper understanding of yourself and others•
 Brings body, mind, spirit in harmony•
 Deeper Level of spiritual relaxation•
 Increased acceptance of oneself•
 helps learn forgiveness
Spiritual Benefits of meditation:
 Changes attitude toward life•
 Creates a deeper relationship with your God•
 Attain enlightenment•
 Helps living in the present moment•
 Creates a widening, deepening capacity for love•
 Discovery of the power and consciousness beyond the ego
Psychological effects of meditation:

 It gives you the feeling of being “Centered”.

 It keeps you in the “now” or present moment.
 anxiety decreases
 emotional stability improves
 creativity increases
 happiness increases
 intuition develops
 gain clarity and peace of mind
 mental agility increases
 relaxes the mind
 Better memory and retention
 Spiritual effects of meditation:

 Meditation is “listening to yourself” and praying is “talking to God”.

 When listening to yourself, you connect with the “real you”.

 Spiritual effects of meditation:

 The fruit of Prayer….. is Faith

 The fruit of Faith……..is love
 The fruit of Love …….is Service
- Mother Teresa