Yoga And Badminton

A PROJECT WORK ON ROLE OF YOGA NIDRA IN BADMINTON

by

MR ADARSH RAJ GAUR

CHAPTER- I INTRODUICTION OF BADMINTON Badminton is one of the most well known games in the world. However, it is not well known that, at a competitive level, badminton demands many qualities from the shuttler: speed, strength, agility, stamina, skills, accuracy, smartness, mental power and team work. The badminton shuttle has been clocked at excess of 180mph. To strike the shuttle at that speed requires enormous skill and power (power = strength * speed), gathering the strength of many muscles in the human body to choreograph a thundering smash. At the other end, returning the smash requires quick response and agility. A slight misjudgement will result in losing the point. A badminton game can last up to 2 hours where most of the time the players are sprinting from corner to corner in the court while hitting the shuttle with amazing speed and accuracy. Such is the result of many years of rigorous and torturous training. Great techniques and physical fitness alone is not enough to win a badminton game, a successful player must play smart. Using quick thinking to adapt his/her play to the opponents tactics and weaknesses. Using varying

speed and position and deceptive plays to earn a edge over the opponent. In the court, the players are left to their own, help is not available from anyone. The player must maintain high concentration and will power, the game hasn't ended if the scoreboard doesn't say 15. While single games demand great stamina from the player, double games demand team work and cooperation between the two players. In a doubles game, in addition to thundering attacks and swift defense, one often see quick drives attempting to penetrate and dissolve the coordinating opponent. Any miscommunication between the players may result in gap in the defense. Yoga - Introduction Yoga provides one of the best means of self-improvement and attaining one's full potential. In the advanced stages of yoga, superconscious states are attained which result in a feeling of bliss, deep peace and the emergence of psychic powers. Yoga was developed and perfected over the centuries by philosophers and mystics in India. It is basically a method by which we increase the body's supply of energy and remove any interference to the transmission of energy

throughout the body. Yoga has specialized in this subject for thousands of years, and streamlined the methods to attain this aim. These days, yoga classes are being held at most health and wellness centers across the United States. Along with meditation, it is probably one of the most popular alternative therapy. Many physicians, who are skeptical about the efficacy of alternative medicine, support yoga with a passion. There are many clinical studies that show the effectiveness of yoga. And the best part of it is that it is something that can be done in the comfort of your home. A few breathing exercises recommended by yoga will go a long way towards better health and relaxation. Practiced for more than 5000 years, yoga is one of the oldest forms of healing therapy. The amazing results of yoga are now being studied by scientists all over the world. Teams of doctors at the various yogic health centers in India, keep detailed records of patients treated with yoga for diabetes, respiratory ailments, digestive complaints and obesity. Now it is studied and accepted across the globe for its many healing and relaxation effects.

Why Yoga? Yoga works on the mind and the body at the same time, as well as exploiting their interdependence. No other system does this. Western psychology studies the mind, western exercise physiology studies the effect of exercise on the body, but there is no emphasis on the interrelationship of the mind and the body. Yoga asanas (postures) and breathing deal with the physical body, but due to their effect on the brain, they also affect the mind. All the wonders of modern science will not bring happiness, peace of mind, health or a long life. Although wonders have been achieved in our external environment – space travel, computers, etc.- our internal environment has been neglected. Thousands of years ago the ancient yogis turned their minds inwards and discovered their true nature. This allowed them to work out a system of body and breathing exercises which results in vitality, rejuvenation and peace of mind.

CHATER - II YOGA NIDRA - YOGA RELAXATION

Yoga-Nidra ("Yoga sleep"), is an expression widely used to denote the highest state of consciousness. Although yoga nidra means yogic sleep, it is actually a wakeful state of deep introversion. Some contemporary Yoga authorities employ the phrase yoga-nidra to designate a state of deep relaxation. In the initial stages, the process involves relaxing the body, part by part, and harmonizing the mind. In this aspect, it has some similarity with the progressive relaxation of Jacobson. Yoga nidra, however, is an inner awareness, a movement of consciousness, rather than a deliberate autosuggestion. You cannot relax by trying to relax. You need to feel relaxed. Yogis also believe that you cannot relax your body unless your mind is relaxed. So, yoga yoga relaxation is a complete package that involves relaxing the mind, body and spirit. After relaxing your body and calming your mind, you can plant a few intentions, sankalpas, or assertions in your subconscious, before detaching your mind and experiencing the final stage of deep relaxation. Yoga nidra goes well with visualizations and meditation

CHAPTER -III METHODOLOGY

Before Performing Yoga Nidra Before beginning yoga nidra, do some exercises to warm up your whole body. At a minimum, you should perform some stretching exercises to relax your shoulder and neck muscles. Then do two rounds of the Sun Salutation. Following this, relax in Yoga Nidra for twenty minutes. Before starting yoga nidra, it is helpful to make a tape of the Yoga Nidra sequence. You can do this yourself or have it recorded by someone whose voice you like. The tape will help to guide you through the practice, and allow you to benefit fully from the relaxation without having to recall what you should do. When making the tape, allow sufficient time for the pauses and breaks between the steps. Now prepare yourself by relaxing each part of your body in turn. Lie down in the Corpse Pose. Detach your mind and close your eyes, breathe normally. Do not "try" to do anything, not even to relax. After a minute, loosen up your body, part by part, with slight movements

Yoga Nidra - Preparation Before initiating the rotation awareness, do the following • Relax your toes. • Flex your ankles. • Loosen up your legs, without bending your knees. • Roll your hips from left to right, and lower them down. Lift them up and down, gently. • Relax the lower part of your body. • Move your fingers. Flex your wrists. • Relax your arms and shoulders. • Keeping your head and hips on the ground, lift your chest gently up and down. • Roll your head from left to right. Keep your head straight. • Relax the upper part of your body. Detach your mind, and lie peacefully for a minute.

The Rotation of Awareness Your yoga practice will help you to be more in touch with your body, able to recognize tension and relaxation and thus to bring them under your conscious control. The Rotation of Awareness involves six steps during which we progressively relax all parts of our body. During these steps, focus your mind on the parts of your body and not on your breath. Relax each part of the body in turn. During this exercise it is helpful to see your body as an object and your mind as an instrument of your inner spirit directing the flow of prana into your body. As you go through the step of relaxing a specific part of your body, imagine that the prana, the essence of life, is flowing through this part relaxing and revitalizing the whole part, as you inhale and exhale freely. It is also important that as you move your mind from one part of the body to another, keep your body still. To bring your consciousness back to your body, gently move your fingers and toes, take a deep breath and as you exhale, sit up

Yoga Nidra -1: Feet and Legs The first step in yoga nidra involves relaxing the legs and the feet. Be aware of: • Your left toes, one by one, from the little to the big toe • The sole of the foot • The heel • The ankle • The top of the foot and back again to the toes • The calf muscles • Your shin bone • Your knee joint Move your mind from your left ankle up your leg to the knee, becoming aware of:

Now direct your mind and awareness downward, feeling the relaxation and regeneration of each part. Imagine the flow of prana, or a gentle current, along the leg, upward as you inhale and downward as you exhale. Repeat a few times. Move your mind up your thigh, from your knee to your pelvis, and down again. Be aware of the muscles, bones, ligaments and joints, as you inhale and exhale freely. Repeat along the right leg Yoga Nidra -2: Abdomen Be aware of the rise and fall of your abdomen, as you inhale and exhale. Feel the muscles relaxing and being regenerated. Move your mind to your abdominal organs. Dwell on each for a few seconds: • The colon • The bladder

• The sexual organs • The intestines • The spleen to the lower left • The liver to the upper right • The pancreas • The stomach Yoga Nidra -3: Buttocks Be aware of your buttocks, your lower and upper back. Move your mind along the spine upward and downward, from the coccyx to the cervical vertebrae, feeling the regeneration of the discs, joints and the spinal cord. Synchronize the movement with your breath, inhaling with the upward breath and exhaling with the downward Yoga Nidra -4: Chest Be aware of the movement of your chest, feeling the relaxation and regeneration of the muscles.

Direct your awareness to your: • Left lung • The right lung • The bronchial tubes connecting the trachea • Along the oesophagus • Sense the heart beat • Left kidney • The right kidney Yoga Nidra - 5: Hands and Arms Be aware of the fingers of your left hand, from the little finger to the thumb, the palms, the back of your hand and wrist. Move upward along your forearm, from the wrist to the elbow, and downward. Repeat with your upper arm. Do the same with the right arm. Yoga Nidra - 6: Head and Neck

Be aware of your: • Throat and neck • The back of your head • Your jaws • Your cheeks • Your chin • Your lips • Nose • The inside of your mouth and nose • Your left eyelid • Inside of the left eye • Your right eye • Inside of the right eye • Your left and right eyebrow

• Your forehead • Your left and right temple • Your left ear • Inside your left ear • You right ear • Inside your right ear • And finally, to the top of your head. Feel the coolness of your breath inside your head, as you inhale. Detach your mind, and lie peacefully for about five minutes Auto -suggestion with Yoga Nidra A powerful way to enhance the benefits of yoga nidra relaxation sequences is to combine it with auto-suggestion. It is very simple. After practicing the sequence, visualize your body in your mind's eye, and repeat this simple formula mentally: "I relax the toes, I relax the toes. The toes are relaxed." " I relax the calves. I relax the calves. The calves are relaxed"

Continue on up the body, applying the formula to each part along the way the stomach, lungs, heart, jaw, scalp, brain, etc. Feel a wave of relaxation rising up your body as you guide your awareness through each part

YOGA NIDRA WITH MEDITATIVE VISUALIZATIONS Another way to augment the yoga nidra exercises is to incorporate visualization and mediation. There are many different techniques you can use. One of the most effective is to concentrate on the flow of the breath. You can use the inward and outward flow of the breath to develop an awareness of an inner peace. With the in-breath you can imagine the peacefulness flowing into your being. With the outward breath, you can imagine your inner tension flowing out of you leaving your mind calm and relaxed like a deep, still lake, without a ripple. Now dive deep into the center of this lake, deep within yourself, and experience your true nature.

Once you have mastered this awareness, you can plant a few intentions in your subconscious, using words such as "peace" and "freedom". Visualizing images requires more practice and experience. Start with very simple images such as a clear blue sky, and slowly progress to more complex images such as a meadow and surrounding woods. This is how Swami Shivapremananda, author of "Yoga for Stress Relief" describes the process: "Visualize a clear blue sky, a symbol of the infinite spirit, of love and goodness, enveloping you. Then an open field, with its light- green grass. It is your subconscious. In the distance, dark-green woods surround it. They are your unconscious. Imagine a gentle breeze, the universal energy, smoothing out the grass, all inner conflicts, and penetrating into the woods, ventilating the deep recesses of the unconscious, purifying and sublimating its nature. Relax your mind, and remain detached for a while.

Now plant into your subconscious three intentions, which you can choose to suit you, such as: • I should take things calmly and practice detachment. • I should restrain impulsive reaction and hold my tongue • I should practice tolerance and patience. Detach your mind after several minutes of deep relaxation. Now be aware of your body. Slowly turn on one side and curl up in the fetal position, and rest for a few minutes. Then get up.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT PROJECT 1. This project will help in the coching in badminton. 2. It helps to improve performance of badminton players. 3. It will give guidline for forthcoming coaching diploma students.