fitness for cricket

8/10/2019 fitness for cricket

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CHAPTERI

INTRODUCTION

Cricketis

basically

abat

and

ball

game

played

between

two

teams

of

eleven

players.Itisoneoftheoldestsportsintheworldandhasitsoriginin16th

century

in England. The expansion of the British Empire spread this once colonial

recreationalsportintoaspiritedgametoallcorners.Todaycricketseemstobea

virtual lifelineofmanycommonwealthnations.Cricket isagame inwhicheach

team has to bowl and bat according to certain rules and regulations. A team

whichscoresgreaternumberofrunswillbethewinner.

In olden days, the game was played in different names in different

countries. ThegameofCricket isdeveloped froma simplegameofhittingan

objectwithapieceofwood. Basically it isthebattlebetweenbatandtheball,

buttheapproachhaschangedfromtimetotime. Cricketisplayedinmanyforms

suchas

Test,

One

day

International,

First

class

Twenty

20,

Super

Six,

Eight

aside,

IndoorCricketMaxCricket,DoublewicketandSinglewicket.Cricket isplayed in

morethan105countriesaroundtheglobe.

Thewordtrainingmeansdifferentthingsindifferentfields.Insportsthe

word training is generally understood to be synonym of doing exercise. In a

narrow sense training isphysicalexercise for the improvementofperformance.

Traininginvolvesconstructinganexerciseprogrammetodevelopanathletefora

particular event. This increasing skill and energy capacities are equal

consideration(Singh,1991).


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Trainingisthemaincomponentandthebasicformofpreparingtheathlete

forhigher levelofperformance. It isasystematicallyplannedpreparationwith

thehelp

of

the

exercise

which

realizes

the

main

factors

of

influencing

athletes

progress. Thecontentoftrainingincludesallthebasictypesofpreparationofthe

sportsmensuchasphysical,technical,tacticalandpsychological.

SPORTSTRAINING

Sports performance is complex mixture of genetic makeup and

environmentinfluencesliketrainingetc. Performanceincricketisdeterminedby

severalfactorsnamelyskill,technique,tactics,fitness,training,etcetera.Training

plays an important role inmodern day Cricket. Harre et.al (1982) opine that

Sports training is the physical, technical, intellectual, psychological and moral

preparationofanathletebymeansofphysicalexercise.

The main aim of training is to prepare the Cricketers for outstanding

performance in competition. Nowadays, technicotactical training has become

very highly scientific and systematic. Physical fitness is the sum of numerous

factors,whichcanvaryfromindividualtoindividual.

Different sports required different type of fitness emphasizing on a

particular fitness factors. Similarly the trainingvariessportsdiscipline tosports

discipline. Field training is a highly coordinate and well planned exercise.

Generallyin

military

this

type

of

training

is

very

common.

In

modern

sports

training thegamespecific field training isgaining tremendouspopularity,which

focusongamespecificfitnessaswellasperformancerelatedskillfactors.


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3

PHYSICALFITNESSANDCRICKET

Cricket is a sport inwhich fitness is traditionally not thought of as very

important.However, the success in the 1990s and 2000s of theworld beating

Australian teamhasbeenattributed to theirprofessionalism,and inpart to the

waytheyaddresstheir fitness.Theothertestplayingnationshaverightfullyput

moreemphasisonfitnessrecentlyandarereapingthebenefits.

WiththeintroductionofonedayCricketandmorerecentlyTwenty20,the

gamehas

gone

through

major

changes

and

the

physical

demands

made

on

a

Cricketer'sbodyhavealso increaseddramatically. Dependingon theversionof

thegamebeingplayedandtheroleoftheplayerintheteam,theimportanceof

fitnesswillvary:thefitnessrequirementsofafastbowlerwillbegreaterandalso

different than that of an opening batsman, and oneday Cricket will be more

demandingthanatestmatch.

Kapil Dev former Indian Cricket team captain and one of the best all

roundersintheworldofcricketstartedtrainingataveryyoungageandhefirmly

believes that it is complete physical fitness that has contributed to his overall

successinallaspectsofthegamebowling,battingandfielding.Hecontendsthat

physical fitness achieved during offseason periodshelpedhim in bowling long

spellsoverandoveragainwithoutfatigueorlapseofconcentration.Kapilbegan

his test career in1978.A truly remarkable accomplishment! Evenas aboy,he

would go in for energeticjogging, springing and stretching exercises. Also he

would bowl at the nets for as long as possible till the point of exhaustion

(Amarnath,1996).


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Bompa(1996)observethat,almostallphysicalactivitiesincorporateoneor

more of the elements of force, quickness, duration and the range of motion.

Whenagiven

exercise

is

required

to

overcome

resistance,

it

is

called

astrength

exercise. Whenquicknessandhighfrequencyismaximized,itisreferredtoasa

speed exercise. If distance, duration or the number of repetitions is high, an

enduranceexercise isperformed. On theotherhand, if the rangeofmotion is

maximized, a flexibilitymovement is being performed. And finally,when in a

given exercise a high degree of complexity is required, this is known as co

ordinationexercise.

Buchanan(2010)formerCricketAustralianationalcoachsaysthatthereare

fourmajor performance skills for all elite sportsmen andwomen, these being

technical,physical, tacticalandmental.The later skill isone that canmake the

crucial difference for athletes performing consistently to their abilities. Sport

psychology has played a significant role in the understanding, training and

ultimatelytheuseofmentalskillsforpeakperformance.

Batsmenstayatthecreaseforaslongaspossible,sometimesforperiodsof

overfourhours.Inordertooccupythisposition,agoodbatsmanmustbeableto

stay focused, have good ball / eye skills, and have the strength and fitness to

makeeachplayedshotproductive.Ontheotherhand,powercomesfromhaving

astrong

core,

abdominal

mid

section

and

the

ability

to

generate

explosive

upper

bodyactions.Whileon theother, thekineticenergyof theballmaybeused to

scorefourrunsbythebatsmanbyaslightchangeindirection.Unfortunatelythis

skill has only been given to a few class batsmen. Fielders need the ability to


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sustainaconcentratedeffortforaperiodofsixhoursormorewithoutfatigueand

insometimesverywarmconditions.Thebodymustbecapableofexplosivebursts

atany

given

time

such

as

racing

for

aball,

jumping

for

acatch.

Every

cricket

player can contribute hispart to fielding unlikebatting and bowling. In a tight

game,fieldingperformancewillinvariablybethedecisivefactorbetweenwinning

amatchandlosingit.(Muralikrishnan,2010)

Cricketerswhileprogressingthroughdifferentstagesoftheirdevelopment

should find fielding enjoyable rather than a tiresome chore. Fielding drills and

mechanismsthereof

are

taught

from

avery

young

stage.

Even

in

international

cricketonecouldobservefielderspickinguptheballwith improperbalanceand

findingitdifficulttomakeaccuratethrowstoeffectarunout.Learningtopickup

theballoneither sidewillmake the fielder confident to stop theballand this

makesthebatsmana littlenervoustostart forarunespeciallywhen theball is

withinthe30yardscircle.Fieldingtooisanimportantskillofthegame.Inrecent

times,more

attention

is

being

paid

to

fielding.

Thethrillthatspectatorsgetwithabrilliantpieceoffieldingcanseldombe

matchedbyahugesixor thesightof thestumpssent flyingbyaquickbowler.

Good fielders likeRhodesarealwaysmorepopularthanbighitters.Fielding isa

regularpartofeverycricketgame,bighittingmaynotalwaysbe seen inevery

match(Gavaskar,2009).

Bowlers requireboth explosive strength and speed, combinedwith good

muscularendurance, inorder tobeable tomaintainahighcountofnumberof

overs. Poor fitness andmuscular strengthwill result in inaccuratebowling and


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greater risk of injury, especially for high speed bowlers and also allows the

batsmentosettledowninthewickettoscoremoreruns.Allplayerswillatsome

timein

the

game,

bat

and

field.

A

cricket

training

programme

shall

be

designed

withtheseasobjectivesinthemind.

Flexibility is very important for a fast bowler. Dennis Lillee (1984) says

"Flexibility is designed to give the bowler full freedom of movement when

bowlingafullspeed,withoutthreateningdamagetohismuscle".

InCricket,

we

find

an

excellent

integration

of

these

physical

attributes

in

differentactionsexecutedbybatsmen,wicket keepersand fielders. Ingeneral,

strengthisrequiredwhenexecutingapowerfulhitoutofthegroundortobowla

bouncer;speed isrequiredtotakeaquicksingle,tostopaballbefore itcrosses

theboundary line; flexibility is shownbyanacrobatic fielder;a squaredrive,a

square cut speeding through the cordonof fielders showsahighdegreeof co

ordinationand

apace

bowler

bowling

through

the

entire

session

shows

ample

evidenceofendurance.Evenasinglestrokeexecutedbyamasterbatsmanshows

anexcellentcombinationofallthesecharacteristics,when, toacasualobserver

what was apparent was only good timing. Let us take an example of a well

executed cover drive. As a bowler runs in, the batsman has to concentrate&

watchandtheninasplitsecondhelungesforwardshowingspeedandflexibility

timesthe

ball

well,

showing

strength

and

co

ordination.

If

he

sees

achance

to

takeaquick single,he speedsoff to takeone,andhedoes this,ballafterball

showingstamina.(Sharangapani,1992)


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The game is spread over five days (in tests) and the result is often

dependent on what happens on the fifth day. An opening batsman, wicket

keeper,fast

bowler

and

an

all

rounder

need

ample

endurance.

A

player

who

gets

breathlessaftertakingtworunscannothaveapropercoordinationorstrength

toexecuteagoodstrokewhen facing thenextball.Abowlerwho isbreathless

afterbowlingthreeballs loseshis lineand lengthforthenextthree.Developing

these attributes is different for different muscle groups, as also for different

individuals in respect of the individual requirement. Even though a training

scheduletends

to

be

generally

uniform,

it

has

to

be

individualized

taking

into

considerationtheneedforit.

Running,jumping,throwingarereferredtoasthefundamentalsofnatural

human locomotion (Romanov,2008).Anessentialelementof successful cricket

performanceistheabilitytoaccelerate,changedirectionquicklyandmoveones

feetquicklywhileatthecrease.Thisrequiresdevelopmentofspeedandagility.

A Cricketer needs static and dynamic strength in an altogether different

way. In Cricket, one does not need such strength but proper development of

strengthisveryimportant.(Sharangapani,1992)

Tendulkar stressed the importance of physical fitness and mental

toughness which has helped him to have a prolonged successful career in

International Cricket."Physical fitness helps you in being mentally tough,

enhancingyouconfidencelevel,"the37yearoldsaid.


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SPORTSPHYSIOLOGYANDCRICKETPERFORMANCE

Whenphysical training isdone, thephysiologicalchangesoccur inalmost

everysystemofthehumanbody. Thesechangesdependonfrequency,duration

andintensity.SportsPhysiologytellsaboutthecompletestoryofvariousinternal

functionsofthebodyduringrestandplay.

Traditionally,Crickethasbeenperceivedasa relativelymild sport froma

physiologicalpointofview.Theintermittentnatureofthegamewithitslongrest

intervalsprovides

plenty

of

recovery

time

between

any

short

spells

of

higher

intensity activity. However, the demands of cricket may be underestimated

(Noakes&Durandt,2000).

High level of performance of a Cricketer might be dependent upon his

physiological make up and it is recognized that physiological fitness is much

neededforhighlevelperformance. Ithasnumerousparameterssuchasaerobic

capacity,anaerobiccapacity,pulse,vitalcapacity,bloodpressure,breathholding

timeandetcetera. Certainphysiologicalvariablesplay importantrole inCricket.

Most of physiological variables can be tested only in laboratory. Foster et.al

(1986) opines that fast bowling is predominantly an anaerobic activity which

requiresanaerobicbase. Inonestudyofthe1999SouthAfricanWorldCupside,

a number of physiological tests for explosive power and aerobic endurance

capacityshowedtheywereas'fit'astheSouthAfricannationalrugbyside.


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SPORTPSYCHOLOGYANDCRICKETPERFORMANCE

Cox et.al (1993) defines Sports Psychology as the Science of applying

psychologytosports. It isastudyofbehavioralscience insportssetting.Sports

psychologyisgraduallyandsteadilygainingmomentuminthefieldoftrainingof

high level sportspersons. Today, sport isnomorea recreation. It isnotjusta

gameofnervesaswell. Withthewinningmarginofcompetitivesportnarrowing

down to fractionof seconds,modernday sportwarrantsanessential supplyof

psychologicalsupporttocometotermwithreality.

Tendulkar,acurrentIndianCricketer,whoholdstherecordofmostnumber

ofrunsbothTestandOnedayInternationalCricket,Inpressconference(2010)he

said, "Whenpressurebuildsup in thegame I try to focuson thenextballwith

calmnesswithoutthinkingofthefuturecourseofthematch.Mymoodundergoes

achangebeforeeverymatchasIstartmentallypreparingmyselfforthegame,"

headded.

Weinberget.al.(1995)wrotethatinanysport,aplayerssuccessorfailure

results from a combination of physical and mental abilities. Most coaches

considerthatsportisatleastfiftypercentmental,withcertainsportssuchasgolf,

tennisandfigureskating,consistentlyreceivingpercentagesinthe80percentto

90percentrange. AccordingtoSmith(1994),aformerEnglishCricketer,Cricket

isplayedinthemind,morethananyothergame.

AnxietyandSelfconfidencealsoplayimportantroleinCricket. Anxietyisa

negativeemotional statewith feelingsofnervousness,worryandapprehension

associatedwithactivationorarousalofthebody. (WeingbergandGould,1995).


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Anxietydependingupon thedegree isdefined indifferentwayssuchas tension,

panic,etcetera.

Selfconfidence

is

being

confident

of

ones

own

abilities.

In

other

words,

it

is theCricketerwho realisticallybelieves thathe is capableofperformingwell.

Gould, Weiss & Weinberg, (1981) opine that the most consistent factor

distinguishing highly successful from less successful athlete is confidence This

means that top athletes, regardless of the sport, consistently display a strong

beliefinthemselvesandtheirabilities.

Preponderanceof

scientific

evidence

obtained

from

different

investigations

hasrevealedthatapartfromphysicalandphysiologicalvariables,techniquesand

tactics, high level performance of a sportsman is dependent upon his

psychologicalmakeup. Differentpsychicabilitiesplaydecisiveroles inachieving

toplevelperformanceintrackandfieldathletics. Thereforesuperbpsychological

fitness and training of the individual are important factors, which help in

achievingoutstanding

performance

(Manicam,2009)

The concept of Anxiety occupies a very important place in the study of

humanpersonalityandmultitudeactivitiesofthemind.Trendswerethefirstto

define Anxiety within the context of Psychological theory. According to him,

Anxiety is something feltunpleasant effectof stateorCondition. Spielberger

(1966), had defined Anxiety in different angles. These definitions lead to the

conceptualizationof

Anxiety

as

a

combination

of

apprehension,

uncertainty

and

fear.ManystudiesofthepastrevealthatanxietyplaysinfluentialroleinCricket.

Success insportsdependsontrust inyourownstrengthandability. Ifan

athlete iswell prepared for competition from a physical, technical and tactical


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pointofview,themostimportantfactordecidingabouthis/herdegreeofsuccess

is SelfConfidence. SelfConfidence is considered to be one of the leading

elementsfor

asuccessful

athlete.

Believe

in

ones

self

is

the

centre

of

sports

performance. One of themost important factors determining SelfConfidence

involvestrustinourabilitytoexecuteatask.Likeanyothersport,inCricketalso

selfconfidenceaswellasSportsAchievementMotivationplayscriticalrole.

YOGA

Yogaistheoldestknownscienceofselfdevelopment,originatedinancient

India.Yogicpractice isaphysicalandmentalexercisespracticedthroughoutthe

world.Manyresearchstudiesofthepastreportthatyogictraining improvesthe

physical&mental fitness levelaswellas theperformanceof sportspersons in

varioussportsdisciplines.

Yogais

an

ancient

physical

and

spiritual

discipline

and

branch

of

philosophy

that originated in India reportedlymore than 5,000 years ago. Theword yoga

comes from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means to yoke,join, or unite. The

IyengarSchoolofyogadefinesyujasthe"joiningor integratingofallaspectsof

the individualbody with mind and mind with soulto achieve a happy,

balanced and useful life." The ultimate aim of yoga, they claim, is to reach

kaivalya(emancipation

or

ultimate

freedom).


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Sri Aurobindo says Yoga helps us to become conscious of the great

complexityofournatureandthedifferentforcesthatmakeit

Thereis

no

written

record

of

the

inventor

of

yoga.

It

was

practiced

by

yogis

(yoga practitioners) long before humans knew how to write. Yogis over the

millennia passed down the discipline to their students, and many different

schoolsofyogadevelopedas itspread.Theearliestwrittenrecordofyoga,and

Samadhi(Vertical

Mediation)

Dhyana

(Contemplation)

Dharana

(Concentration)

Pratyahara

(SenseControl)

Pranayama

(Breathcontrol)

Asana

(Posture)

Niyama

(Selfpurifciationandstudy)

Yama

(Moralcodes)


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one of the oldest texts in existence, is generally believed to be written by

Patanjali,an Indian yogic sagewho lived somewherebetween2,000and2,500

yearsago.

Patanjali

is

credited

with

writing

the

Yoga

Sutras

(sutra

means

"thread"

inSanskrit),whichare theprinciples,philosophy,andpracticesofyoga thatare

still followed today. Although many schools of yoga have evolved over the

centuries,theyallfollowthefundamentalprinciplesdescribedbyPatanjalimore

than2,000yearsago.BuddhismandotherEasternspiritualtraditionsusemanyof

theyogatechniquesorderivationsofthosetechniques.

AftertheBhagavadGita,thenextseminalworkonYogaistheYogaSutras

ofPatanjali.The Yoga Sutras are a compilationof Yogic thought that is largely

RajaYogic innature, itwascodifiedsometimebetweenthe2ndcenturyBCand

the3rdcenturybyPatajali,andprescribesadherenceto"eightlimbs"(thesumof

which constitute "Ashtanga Yoga") to quiet one's mind and merge with the

infinite.

YogaforCompletePhysicalFitness

Itwouldbean interesting fact foryou that,peoplewho carryoutyoga

regularly,canmarkedlygrowuptallerandit isbecauseofthetruththatthey

canholdthemselveswellandtheirvertebraestretches.Thereareinnumerable

benefits which people get from yoga and because of this reason yoga has

become one of the fastest growing activities of theworld. Yoga, in reality,

creates balance in the mind as well as in the body. It helps in developing

flexibilityandstrength.Differentposesorasanasofyogahasdifferentphysical


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andmentalbenefits. Therearenumerousof aasansof yoga and each gives

amazingbenefitstothepeople.

Yoga can make you more flexible, robust, and stronger. Due to the

techniquesused forbreathing inyoga,allyourjointsgetmovement in full

range.Youwillnot feelpainfulwhenyougetawake in themorning.Yoga

willcompletelyrejuvenateyou.

Yogacanhelpyoutoimproveyourposture.Itcannotonlyrealignyourbody

butitcanhelpyoueventogrowtaller.

Yogacan improveyour looksandmakesyoufeelfitandfine.Yourmuscles

willbecomefirmandyourcomplexionwillgrowup.

You can discovermuchmore about your body and its functionswith the

helpofyoga.Youcanunderstandthathowyoursconsciousandunconscious

mind affects your body.Asmore youwill practice yoga youwill discover

moreinsight.

Ifyouhavesleepdisordersthenyogacanprovetobeverybeneficial.Yogais

asoothingactivity.Itmakesyourmusclesrelaxed.Variouskindsofsleeping

disorderscanbecuredbypracticingyogaregularly.

ThevariousYogicpracticesmaybeclassifiedinto:

1.Asanas

2.Pranayamas

3.Meditation


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1.Asanas

Thesearespecialpatternsofposturesthatstabilizethemindandthebody

throughstretching.

Their

aim

is

to

establish

the

proper

rhythm

in

the

neuromusculartonicimpulsesandimprovethegeneralmuscletone.

2.Pranayamas

Thesepracticesbring controlover the respiratory impulseswhichoneof

the channelsof the followofautonomicnerve impulses. Themainpurposeof

Pranayamais

to

gain

control

over

the

autonomic

nerve

system

and

through

it

influencethementalfunction.

3.Meditation

Meditation is thepractice involving controlof themental functionwhich

starts from the initial withdrawal of the senses from external objects to the

completeoblivious

of

the

external

environment.

Meditation isagreat tranquilliser. Thebasicprincipleofmeditation is to

developinternalawareness.

The nature of all Yogic practice is Psycho physiological. Some practices

whichemphasizeonthedirectcontrolofmentalprocessaremorepsychological

otherpractices

are

more

physical

or

psychological.


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Yogaforthepromotionofsports

ApplicationofYogicExercisehas considerable scope in thepromotionof

sports. Promotionofsportsdependson

1. Basicfitnessfactors

2. Specificsportsskilland

3. Psychologicalfactors

1.PromotionofBasicfitnessfactorsthroughYoga

Excellentperformanceinanysportsisgovernedbyseveralfactorsof

physical fitness. The important one may be mentioned as speed, strength,

stamina, suppleness, stability and neuromuscular coordination. Although not

many scientific researchers have been done, the works of Herbet A.devries

(1961a,1961b,1962),Gharote(1964,1976),Dhanaraj(1974),Giri(1966),Gharote

andGanguly

(1976)

have

shown

enough

evidence

about

how

yoga

could

be

gain

fully employed in the promotion of basic fitness factors. Using elaborate

FleishmanBatterybasic fitness test,Gharote (1974)has shownhoweven short

termYogictrainingcouldimprovedifferentbasicfitnessfactors.

2.Promotionofspecificsportsskills

Developmentof

sports

skills

depend

on

the

proper

neuromuscular

coordination. Thiscoordinationseemstobebettertheyogicexercise.Stretching

improvestheperformanceofallsports. Ithasnowbecomealmostcustomaryto

say:Ifyoustretchyourmuscles,youcanrunfaster.


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3.PromotionofPsychologicalfactors

Emotionalfactor isvery important intheperformanceofsports. Ifrightly

usedemotioncancontribute tothe improvementof theperformance insports.

Emotionsaregovernedbyworkingofautonomicnervous system. Controlover

the autonomic nervous system brings the emotional disturbance down. Yogic

exercisesasagrouppaya significant role in trainingof theautonomicnervous

system. Stretching exercise like Asanas, relaxation techniques and breathing

exercise in the formofPranayamaareexcellent in conditioning theautonomic

nervoussystem. A fewstudiesmadeon theeffectsofshorttermYogicroutine

haveshowntheutilityofYogaintheachievementofemotionalstability.

Maintenance of physical fitness during participation period and in off

season. Physical fitness ismust foranygoodperformance insports. Different

sportsrequiredifferenttypeoffitnessemphasizingonaparticularfitnessfactor.

However,general

level

of

physical

fitness

is

necessary

for

every

sportsman.

The

lawofuseanddisusethatifyouwanttobefityoumustexercise. Theroutineof

exercisedifferfromindividualtoindividualaccordingtopurpose. Sportsmenalso

selectdifferentroutinesofexerciseduringtheseasonofparticipation.

CONTRIBUTIONOFYOGICEXERCISESINTHEFIELDOFSPORTS

Yogacan

be

practiced

by

males

and

females

of

all

ages

and

it

can

be

taken

upatanystageoflife.Itisnevertoolatetobegin.Throughyogaonecanachieve

the successof life. It is the fact that yogaplaysan important role for reducing

stress, tensionandanxietyof commonmanaswellasofathletes. .Mainly the


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stressandanxietyplayanimportantroleinsports,astheseareanintegralpartof

the"motivationforpeakperformance"inasportsactivity.Inrecentcompetitive

situation,impose

tremendous

stress

and

tensions

on

sportsman

while

aiming

of

winningamedal.Thehigh levelof sportsanxietydisturbsbodyawarenessand

affect physiological functions which resist the smooth movement of muscles,

jointsetc.Differenttypeofyogicexercises increasethe flexibilityofback,spine,

hip, improve the concentration andbalancing ability, improve the efficiency of

liver and digestive system, cure theneurosis and cardiac diseases, remove the

bloodpressure

problems,

strengthen

the

back

and

shoulder

muscles,

improve

breathandreleasethementaltensionandcenteringemotionsofthesportsmen,

which are the main essentials related to the performance of the athletes in

differentgamesandsports.ofimmenseusein improvingthesenseofaesthetics

in sports.However, tilltodateneither any information nor research report on

yogainrelationtoaestheticsinsportsisavailablesofar.Itwas,thereforethrough

desirableto

see

ifyoga

can

contribute

to

enhance

the

aesthetic

aspects

so

that

an

athlete improves case in movements and skill for performance. Yoga can be

practicedbymalesandfemalesofallagesanditcanbetakenupatanystageof

life.Itisnevertoolatetobegin.ThroughYogaonecan(Sharma,2010)

Thevitalroleplayedbyyoga i.e.physicalfitness,fitnessrelatedtohealth,

skillandperformancehasassumedtremendous importance inrecenttimes.The

life style changes leading to positive energy balances has been the causative

factor formanyof themetabolic disorders like hypertension, diabetesmalites,

cardiovasculardiseasesandobesityandrelatedproblems.Yoga,whichisatime

tested method, has shown great positive influence on physical, mental,


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psychological, social and spiritual personalities of a person.With the above in

background various research works have been undertaken to measure the

changesthat

take

place

during

yoga

practice.

BENEFITSOFYOGA

Yoga isasystem thatbenefitsbody,mindandspiritby teachingselfcontrol

through series of postures and exercises as well as through breathing and

relaxation and meditation techniques. The most important benefit of yoga is

physicaland

mental

therapy.

The

aging

process,

which

is

largely

an

artificial

condition, caused mainly by autointoxication or selfpoisoning, can be slowed

downbypracticingyoga.Bykeepingthebodyclean,flexibleandwelllubricated,

wecansignificantlyreducethecatabolicprocessofcelldeterioration.Togetthe

maximum benefits of yoga one has to combine the practices of yogasanas,

pranayamaandmeditation.

1.Yogaworksfortheentirebody

InsportssuchasFootball,hockey,ortennis,onetendstoutilizeonly10to

15 per cent of the body, whereas yoga provides a workout that covers every

muscle,jointandorgan.

2.Yogaworksforeverysize

Itdoesnotmatterhowone lookwhenpractice yoga.Whether you'rea

250pound linebacker or a 150pound triathlete, yogawill push ones personal

boundariesbyincreasingyourownflexibility,enduranceandmusclestrength


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3.Yogadecreasesmusclesoreness

Yoga ishugelybeneficial inworkingoutstiffnessfromothersports.When

musclesare fatigued, theybuildwith lacticacid,andyoga,whichstretchesand

releases tension,helps flush thataway.Runners inparticular findyoga thebest

activityafteralongendurancejog.

4.Yogarestoresenergylevels

Yoga practice doesn't deplete energy completely, like a gym workout,

whereonesbody isentirelytiredafterthesession.Instead, itactually increases

thevigor,makingtofeelmoreawareandrevitalized.

5.Yogabalancesthemind

Yoga has such a great sense of community to it and it really allows for

mental clarityand focus.After the yogapractice,one can feelmoregrounded,

less selfabsorbedandpeaceful.This typeofmentalclarity reallyhelps inother

sportsoractivitiesinvolvedin.(Ceroni,2009)

Yogaplacesahugeemphasisonbalance, flexibility,andmentaldiscipline,

traitsessentialforasportlikesoccertoo.Simpleyogaexercisesareagreatwayto

warm up before soccer practice or loosen up after a game. The incidence of

injuriescan

also

be

reduced

ifone

practice

yoga

as

it

also

sharpens

reflexes.

Specific exercises include poses like the spreadleg forward fold or

UpavistaKonasana.Inthispose,playerssitonthefloorwithyourlegspartedas

wideaspossible.Then leanforwardandplacehandsonthe floor.Maintainthis


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stretchfor15secondsandrisebackup.Repeatthisabout1015times.Withthis

posture, the hamstrings and calf muscles are stretched making them more

flexible.This

is

agood

yoga

pose

to

begin

soccer

practice

with.

Inorder toprovide thenecessarypower to legsbackmusclesneed tobe

strong.ThedogposeortheAdhoMukhaSvanasana isusefulforthis.Todothis

pose,sitontheflooronallfours.Afterthis,gentlyliftuphipsalonewhilekeeping

legsandhands completely stretchedout.Make sure thatback is fully straight.

Return to the original pose and repeat this 1015 times aswell. This exercise

strengthensbackmusclesoftheplayers.

AgoodexercisetofinishcricketpracticewithistheheroposeorVirasana.

This is a simple pose where player need to kneel down with feet pointing

backwards. Keep back straight and take in deep breaths. This posewill loosen

hips,kneesandanklesandrelaxjointsafteratiringworkout.

CricketplayerscanalsopracticebreathingtechniqueslikeUjjayibreathing

to help to be calm. For this exercise, take in full deep breaths through both

nostrils for at least 10 minutes. This will increase breathholding time and

strengthenlungsthusincreasingendurancelevels.

Sowe'veallheardthatmanyprospracticeyogaforsportstraining.Butwho

exactlydoes

yoga

benefit

the

most?

Does

it

work

better

for

some

sports

rather

thanothers? Iwasquitecurious to findout,so Idida littlebitof researchand

found a very impressive (and diverse) list of famous professional athleteswho

practiceyogatoimprovetheirgameperformance.Innoparticularorder:


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1. Le Bron James. Perhaps the most wellknown player in the NBA, Le Bron

attributeshisgoodhealthtohisregularyogapractice.

2. MariaSharapova.

Famous

for

her

grace

and

performance

in

tennis,

she

says:"

When I travel to tournaments I put the disk inmy computer three or four

timesaweekanddoyogaforaboutanhour.Ithelpsmyflexibilityandgetsme

morerelaxed,especiallyafteragoodworkout.Ienjoyit,andithelpsmygame

tremendously."

3. The entire Philadelphia Eagles NFL team. The famous Baron Baptiste yoga

guruled

the

team

through

their

yoga

for

sports

training

for

four

years!

4. TimThomas.TheBostonBruinsandUSOlympicgoaltendersayshe"hadno

idea what [he] was getting [himself] into" and he was sweating within 5

minutes."MywholecareerhasbeenaboutprovingtopeoplethatIcanplayin

theNHLand that I canbe very successful in theNHL so yoga'spartof that

journey."

5. ExLaker

Kareem

Abdul

Jabar.

He

has

been

quoted

saying

"There

is

no

way

I

couldhaveplayedaslongasIdidwithoutyoga."

6. Daylan Childress, Cincinnati Reds Pitcher. This baseball player uses yoga to

relievestressesinhisbodyandcurebackpain.

7. TheOttawaSenatorsNHLteam.Theyreportedthatthefewer injuries inthe

200607seasonswerethefruitoftheiryogatraining.

8. ShaquilleO'Neal.

Wow!Whatadiversegroupofwellknownprofessionalathletes!Inthislist,

wehavegotbasketball,tennis,football,hockey,andbaseballplayerswhoall


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23

useyogaforsportstraining.Ithinkitissafetosaythatnomatterwhatsport

youareplaying,youwillbenefitfrompracticingyoga.

RATIONALEFORSELECTINGTHEPROBLEM

The investigator,beingaCricketer,coach,selector,andYogicpractitioner

wasmotivated to find out the impact of field trainingwith andwithout yogic

practice on selected physical, physiological, psychological and performance

variablesamongtheCricketplayers.Moreover,verylittleresearchhadbeendone

onfield

training

and

yogic

practice

among

Cricket

players.

This

also

motivated

the

investigatortotakeupthestudy.

STATEMENTOFTHEPROBLEM

At present most of the Cricket players lack physical, physiological,

psychological and performance components in terms of speed, strength,

enduranceand

flexibility;

resting

heart

rate,

aerobic

power,

anaerobic

power

and

breathholdingtime;anxiety,selfconfidenceandsportsachievementmotivation

andCricketplaying abilitywhich canbeovercomeby special exercises such as

Asana, Pranayama and Meditation. Most of the researchers havent hitherto

treaduponthisfield.Sotheinvestigator attemptstotakeupthisproblem.

Thepurposeof thisstudywas todetermine the impactof field trainingwith

andwithout yogicpracticeon selectedphysical,physiological,psychological and

performancevariablesamongCricketplayers.


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24

HYPOTHESES

1. There would be a significant improvement on the selected physical,

physiological,psychologicalandperformancefactorsamongCricketplayers

due to the influence of field training with and without yogic practice

package.

2. Therewouldbeasignificantdifferencebetween theexperimentalgroups

onselectedphysical,physiological,psychologicalandperformance factors

afterthetrainingperiod.

SIGNIFICANCEOFTHESTUDY

1. Thestudywouldhelptoexploretheeffectivenessoffieldtrainingandyogic

practiceonselectedphysical,physiological,psychologicalandperformance

variablesamongCricketplayers.

2. Thefieldtrainingandyogicpracticescheduledesigned inthisstudywould

help theyogaexperts,physicaleducatorsand coaches indesigning these

packages.

3. Thefindingsofthestudywouldaddtothequantumofknowledgeinthe

areaofSportstrainingandYoga.

DELIMITATIONS

1. FortyeightmaleintercollegiateCricketplayersstudyinginvariouscolleges

affiliatedtoMaduraiKamarajUniversity,Madurai,TamilnadustateinIndia

wererandomlyselectedassubjectstheiragerangesfrom18to25years.


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2. Thesubjectshadpastplayingexperienceofat leastthreeyears inCricket

andonlythosewhorepresentedtheirrespectivecollegeteamsweretaken

assubjects.

3. Byusingthematchingprocedureonthebasistheirinitialtestperformance

scoresonCricketplayingability,thesubjectsweredividedintothreeequal

groups in which each group consisted of sixteen subjects and named

GroupI was involved field training, GroupII was given field training

combinedwithyogicpractice,GroupIII(Controlgroup)wasnotexposedto

anytraining/conditioning

other

than

their

daily

routines

activities.

4. The experimental groups underwent field training for twelveweeks. In

addition to the above field training, GroupII had also undergone yogic

practicepackageschedule.

5. The selected variables for the present study are Physical fitness

components namely speed, endurance, explosive strength and flexibility;

Physiologicalvariables

namely

resting

heart

rate,

aerobic

power,

anaerobic

powerandbreathholdingtime;Psychologicalvariablesnamelycompetitive

state anxiety, cognitive, somatic, self confidence and sports achievement

motivation and performance was subjectively rated by three qualified

Cricketcoacheswereonlyselectedasvariables.

6. Onlypreandposttestsweretaken.Thefollowingstandardizedtestswere

usedto

measure

the

Physical

fitness

components

namely

50

metres

run,

12

minutes run, standingbroadjump and sit& reach. Physiological factors

was measured by standard protocol using Digital heart rate monitor,

AstrandAstrand Nomogram (bench stepping), MargariaKalamen power


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26

test and Digital Stop watch used to measure breath holding time.

Psychological factors were measured by standardised questionnaire,

namelySports

Competitive

Anxiety

Test

(SCAT)

developed

by

Martens

(1990)andCompetitiveStateAnxietyQuestionnaire II (CSAI2)developed

byMartens,Burton,Vealey,BumpandSmith (1990),SportsAchievement

Motivation testQuestionnairedevelopedbyKamlesh (1983).Tomeasure

thebatting,bowlingand fieldingperformance inCricket, the subjectively

ratingbythreequalifiedcoacheswasusedtomeasuretheirperformancein

playingability.

LIMITATIONS

1. The subjects selected for the study were nonresidential Cricket players

with different economic background. Therefore, variations in their living

conditions,lifestyleanddietwererecognizedasalimitationofthestudy.

2. Theprevious

experience

of

the

subjects

in

the

field

of

Cricket

which

might

beinfluencingonthetraininganddatacollectionwerenotconsidered.

3. Theinvestigatordidnottakeanyefforttocontrolorassessthequalityand

quantityoffoodingestedseparatelybyeachindividual.

4. Thequantumofphysicalexertion,physiological&psychologicalstressand

otherfactorsthataffecttheresultswerealsoconsideredaslimitations.

5. The meteorological variations such as air, temperature, atmospheric

pressure, relative humidity during the testing periods could not be

controlled and their possible influence on the results of the study was

recognizedasalimitation.


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6. TheresponsestothesubjectstothestatementsintheQuestionnairewould

depend upon various factors such as understanding of the statements,

seriousness

and

sincerity

of

the

subjects.

DEFINITIONOFTERMS

FIELDTRAINING

Thephysicaltrainingwhichwasspeciallydesignedtoimprovethetechnico

tacticalpartofthegameandalsothefitnesscomponentsessentialforCricketers.

YOGICPRACTICEPACKAGES

Yogic practice package refers to a set of yogic techniques (asana,

pranayama

and

meditation) thatarecompletedsequentially (oneexerciseafter

another). Each exercise is performed: slow, relaxed, rhythmic and with total

awareness for a specific period. The duration of the yogic exercise package

trainingis45minutes.

YOGA

Pathanjalidefined inhissecondPathanjali'saphorismYoga :Citta Vrtti

Nirodhah.Yoga isaprocessofgainingcontroloverthemind. InYogaVasistha

oneof thebest textsonyoga, theessenceofyoga isbeautifullyportrayed thus

'ManahPrasamanopayahYoga ifyabhidhiyate' yoga iscalledaskillful trick to

calmdownthemind.Itisan(UPAYAH),askillfulsubtleprocessandnotabrutal,

mechanical gross effort to stop the thoughts in the mind. (Nagarathna and

Nagendra,2001).


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ASANA

"Asana is a steady and comfortable posture of body". The word Asana

comes from the Sanskrit root "Aas"meaning to sit. The two characteristics of

Asanaare 'stability'and 'comfort'. Itpracticallyanswersallquestions related to

asana. So pathanjali defines 'asana' in his yogasutras as "STHIRA SUKHAM

ASSANAM".

PRANAYMA

"Pranayamameanscontrollingtheprana".

Chandrasekaran(1999)opinedthatPranayamaisanexercisethatprolongs

life. The word pranayama is derived from the Sanskrit root called 'Prana' and

'Ayama'.Thesyllablepranadenotestheairthatleavesfromthebody.Ayamahas

twomeanings.

(i)

toelongate

(ii) towithhold

MEDITATION

Overcomingthefluctuationsismeditation.Meditationisthestudyofdeep

concentration,calmnessandtranquilityofthemind.

SPEED

Speed may be defined as the capacity of the individual to perform

successivemovementsofthesamepatternatafastrate.(Yobu,1988)


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STRENGTH

Strength is theability toovercomeresistanceor toactagainstresistance.

(Singh,1991)

ENDURANCE

Endurance is the capacity of a muscle to exert force repeatedly against

someresistanceoveraperiodoftime.(Yobu,1988)

FLEXIBILITY

It isdefinedastherangeofpossiblemovementaboutajointorsequence

ofjoints.(Clarke,1978)

EXPLOSIVESTRENGTH

The

ability

to

expend

energy

in

one

explosive

act

or

in

a

series

of

strong,

suddenmovementsas injumpingorprojecting someobject, as faraspossible

(kent,1994).

AEROBICPOWER

Maximum rate at which an individual can consume oxygen during the

performanceof

all

out,

exhaustive

exercise,

the

best

index

of

cardio

respiratory

fitness.(Kennet,1996)


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30

ANAEROBICPOWER

Themaximumrateofenergyreleasedformusclework.(Foxet.al.,1993)

RESTINGHEARTRATE

Theheartratebeatorheatfrequencyisdefinedasthefrequencyofheart

beatsinoneminute,whenaplayerisinrestingcondition.(Geddie,1964)

BREATHHOLDINGTIME

Thisis

the

duration

of

voluntary

holding

of

the

breathing

after

the

maximum inhaling. The holdingofbreath isperformed for amaximumperiod,

whichanindividualisabletowithstand,withoutrestoringtonormalbreathing.

PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology is defined as the scientific study of behaviour and mental

process(Crider,

1989).

SPORTSPSYCHOLOGY

Sportpsychologyisthebranchofsportsandexercisesciencethatseeksto

provideanswertoquestionsabouthumanbehaviourinsports.

ANXIETY

It is a negative emotional statewith feelings of nervousness,worry and

apprehensionassociatedwithactivationorarousalofthebody(Weinberg,et.al.,

1995).


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Anxietyisdefinedasatensestateofsuchseverity.Theworkefficiencywas

interfacedwithwandmedicaladvicewhichischaracterizedbyoneormoreofthe

followingcomplaints.

Persistent

feelings

of

tension

and

strains,

irritability,

unremitting worry, restlessness, inability to concentrate, feelings of panic in

everydaylifesituations.

COGNITIVEANXIETY

Cognitive anxiety is mental component of anxiety and is caused by

negativeself

evaluation.

Cognitive anxiety is characterizedby consciousawarenessofunpleasant

feelings about oneself or external stimuli,worry, disturbing visual images. In

sport,cognitiveanxiety ismostcommonlymanifestedbynegativeperformance

expectationsandthusnegativeselfevaluation(Martensetal,1990).

SOMATICANXIETY

Somaticanxiety refers to thephysiologicalandaffectiveelementsof the

anxietyexperiencethatdevelopdirectlyfromautonomicarousal. Itisreflectedin

suchresponsesasrapidheartrate,shortnessofbreath,clammyhands,butterflies

inthestomach,andtensemuscles(Martensetal,1990).

SELFCONFIDENCE

Selfconfidenceisthebeliefthatonethataidsanindividualto performany

desiredbehavioursuccessfully(WeinbergandGould,1995).


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ACHIEVEMENTMOTIVATION

Achievementmotivation isdominantmotivationalorientationinsituations

characteristisedby theattainmentofclear successor failure. The twomotives

areeithertoachievesuccess(mass)ortoavoidfailure(BirdandCripe,1992).

fitness for cricket

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