There are several approaches to relaxation and many types of techniques that can be utilized for different situations both internal and external. This article will explain three general approaches. It will also give an example of how to practice each one and then apply them by combining the three techniques in a game situation for better performance.
It first must be noted that as with all techniques such as relaxation and visualization, people with serious physical or mental health problems should discuss these techniques with their health care providers before doing. Relaxation techniques are generally considered very safe for healthy people.
Relaxation can take many forms
They range from:
• Meditation (Meditation is a large
umbrella term involving a lot of
different techniques or practices)
• Mindfulness (considered one type
of meditation)
• Diaphragmatic Breathing (stomach
or “belly” breathing)
• Muscle Relaxation (single area)
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation
(multiple areas)
• Pleasant Imagery or Guided Imagery
or Visualization
• Modified Progressive Relaxation
(you use both imagery and body
awareness/ relaxation)
• Self-Hypnosis & Hypnosis
• Biofeedback
The goal is similar in all of these which is to produce the body’s natural relaxation response. Most people will respond in a positive manner at some level to all of these techniques.
For this article we will talk about diaphragmatic breathing (“belly” breathing), mindfulness and progressive muscle relaxation. The example will illustrate a potential option on how to use these approaches together to help you stay-in-the-moment.
Anxiety, stress, excitement and shallow breathing
When you are anxious, stressed or excited it affects your respiratory and cardiovascular systems. During these states, most people breathe shallow and faster. From a biological standpoint, this actives the Sympathetic Nervous System, your “fight, flight or freeze” system – it’s designed to keep you safe from harm. Your heartbeat speeds up and you breathe faster and shallower in order to get more oxygen for fighting or fleeing. Although, in some people, they’ll almost stop breathing (freeze response). Not good either!
So when you become overly stressed, anxious or excited, you want to activate your Parasympathetic Nervous System - it applies the breaks. Proper breathing helps you take back control allowing you to calm down.
There has been growing number of studies that have revealed evidence demonstrating the positive effects of “belly” breathing on attention, negative thoughts/ emotions and stress. Deep breathing is not only relaxing, it's been scientifically proven to affect the heart, the brain, digestion, the immune system.
The diaphragm, a dome-shaped sheet of muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen, is the most important muscle used for breathing.
The Baseball Observer - Mental Skills Issue