Athletes are most vulnerable to physical and psychological reactions to stress and anxiety. There are certain relaxation techniques that can help players to relax and these techniques if followed regularly can help them improve their game these techniques can e followed before a match and even during a match to control stress.

The different techniques that can help the athletes are breathing, meditation, muscle relaxation and visualization exercises. It is a known fact that sport is more a mental than a physical feat and to be ready mentally for a big game, athletes can rely on these relaxation techniques.

Step 1. Deep breathing

It is common for sportsmen to succumb to anxiety before a match; the athletes experience muscle tightening and an increased heart rate as a result. These side effects of anxiety act as a handicap and come in way of the performance of the players. They find it difficult to concentrate on the game and lose focus and concentration. Deep breathing can immensely help them to relax and loosen their tight body muscles.

Deep breathing help the players to get rest and this technique when used in combination with other techniques proves all the more powerful.

Step 2. Meditation.

Meditation is another useful technique that can help a player to reduce stress and to perform at a peak level. This technique emphasizes that one concentrates only on the present thought and blocks out all the other thoughts that confuse the mind. The catch is to focus on a word or a manta that will help the athlete to forget about all his fear and anxiety and help him to concentrate better on his game.

Step 3. Muscle relaxation.

The most damaging effect of stress on athletes is that it causes the muscles to contract and the breathing to slow down. This causes the hear rate to increase and a lot if energy is consumed. Muscle relaxation technique should be practiced by an athlete on a regular basis. This way he can relax the tensed muscle whether it is a clenched jaw or a still fist.
While taking deep breath the athlete should focus on tightening the muscles and relaxing then when he is exhaling.

Step 4. Visualization.

The key to win a game is to believe and visualize that you can actually win the game. Confidence or the lack of it can make or break the athlete. The athlete must take some time and in a quiet place to visualize the proceedings of the game. For example if he is a basket ball layer he should visualize how his muscles tense up when he is about to shoot the ball and how his fingers react to it when the balls are about to leave the finger tips. Visualizing a perfect match and a win can make all the difference to your confidence and like wise to your game.

Relaxation is a luxury that few of us can still afford.

Our lives have become a constant chore, an endless list of “things to do,” both at work and at home.

With all the technology available today, we can take our work anywhere, even during our holidays we are supposed to “get away from it all” and recharge our batteries.

We are constantly bombarded by stress.

Apart from the constant stress to make a living, many of our relationships we are stressing in one form or another.

Add to that the stress of constantly responding to the ever-growing needs of our children and our aging parents, and the countless other demands if routine life today.

It is easy to understand why we have so little time to relax.

Yet without a daily dose of relaxation, success will continue to get away from anyone who intends to reach. To succeed, you must first take time to relax and not an idea as crazy as it sounds.

The relaxation is part of what is necessary for a productive and successful life. Do not ever commit the mistake of confusing relaxation and idleness. People who find the time to relax are anything but lazy.
The key is to find time in your busy schedule to slow down and recharge yourself. Too often, people mistakenly think they have no time to relax, so they do not.

That may be what you think, too. If so, then it is time to change your way of thinking.

Here is a simple way to start, dust help you restore your energy when the batteries weaken our bodies.

Do you ever come to go out and instinctively turn your face towards the sun? I do this all the time, and maybe you too. You may understand why, but the sensation of sunlight on your skin warms you, refreshes you, invigorates you. The reason may be related to the fact that the sun produces solar energy source including plants, animals and even humans need to thrive and survive on land.

Although other energy sources exist, such as electricity, are all derived from the sun. Without the sun, these other sources of energy could not exist and neither should you!

So why not harness energy from the sun the next time you need a little help? You may be doing already without even thinking, and think how many benefits you will reap.

What’s even better is that you can reap the benefits, even without the sun. Maybe you’re stuck inside, or at night, or there are clouds outside when you need an energy boost. When this happens, you just need to press your visualization capabilities.

Here’s how:

Close your eyes and visualize yourself in the process of radiating energy from within, as the sun does. In your mind, create an image of the energy that fills every part of your body from the soles of your feet to the top of your skull, which warms and heals everything it touches. Sit calmly and continue with this visualization as long as you need. When you open your eyes, you should feel energized. Go ahead: try it now.
Or you can see a star ends its life in a giant supernova explosion. Close your eyes, relax and enjoy the material that falls on the basis of what remains of the exploding star, which forms a thick layer composed mainly of helium. Then visualize your body that captures the huge mass of energy that is released when the helium layer merges with other particles.

Finally, let this energy flow captured in every part of your body and feel that instantly energized.

These 2 examples are intended to illustrate how easy it is to use the power of visualization to imagine a source of energy fill your body every time your body needs rest and relaxation.