Role of yoga in the improvement of sports performance are given below:
i. Yoga practice increases sports performance:
The physiological benefits like improved respiratory system, improved cardio-vascular system, improved muscular system etc., and psychological benefits like positive attitude, developed intelligence, controlled emotions, overcoming anxiety etc. helps athlete to perform better in the respective field of sports, ii. Increased social health develops sports
Yoga assists in the gaining social health means social values like sense of responsibility, cooperation, peace and harmony, friendship, helpfulness etc. which create appropriate environment and helps in the produces development of sports.
ii. Yoga created sports culture:
Yoga practice is followed since from the ancient time and yoga is treated as in Indian heritage and it is the culture of India from the very beginning. Physical exercises involve asanas, pranayamas are practiced in every sports and games.
iii. Better learning:
Yoga provides us opportunities to learn well and perform better. Yoga practice play important role for better learning of sports skills, that leads to better performance in sports field.
iv. Yoga develop motivation in sports person:
Yoga play important role in developing motivation in sports person. Benefits of yoga and improved personality with balanced mental status sports persons develop motivation.
vi. Yoga creates in sports:
With the help of regular yoga practice sport persons able to pay more attention and concentration on sports. Yoga practice assists in creating interest in sports through its various practices of controlling emotions, providing mental relaxation and motivating athlete to perform well.
vii. Yoga maintains sports ethics:
For the development of sports, sports ethics are required to be maintained yoga practices develops social valves in sports persons, which directly or indirectly enhances sports ethics in an athlete.
viii. Yoga improves status of sports:
Through the yoga philosophy, which develops factors like self-discipline, self-control, character, respect, intelligence etc. standard or status of sports also increases.
ix. Yoga makes sports more educative:
Yoga practice and its philosophical valves make sports and games more educative and valuable for the sports person and society. Yogic philosophy assists to developing good cooperation and sportsmanship.
x. Yoga as a sport:
Yoga is performed as a competitive sport in the whole world. Yoga itself a sport shows it’s valuable in the field of sports. In the regions where sport is not well developed, sports like yoga is being introduced to create interest in the field of sports.
xi. Interdependence of Yoga practice and sports skills:
Yoga gives more practical experience to sports skills or vice versa. Most of the yogic asanas develops the fitness components like strength, flexibility, speed, and endurance etc. that helps in better performing of sports skills. Yogic asana practices helps in sports skills acquisition or better learning of skills.
xii. Yoga as an important part of sports training programme:
In the modern sports training programmes, yoga has got its place in daily routine. Every nation, international team is undergoing yoga practice programmes. This helps in the enhancement of strength, power, flexibility, concentration etc., which increases sports performance.
xiii. Yoga is also essentially required for the game officials:
Presenting quick judgments during the tense game situation is not an easy task. Looking to the benefits of yoga it is quite clear that yoga practice is essentially required for the officials.
A wrong decision by an umpire may spoil the whole career of that player, therefore officiating require high level of concentration, peace of mind, calmness like qualities to do justice in sports field.