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.

When my wife Silvia and I recorded our first relaxation CD, it was met with considerable success. It was quickly being sold on iTunes and Amazon daily and we were happy to have met a need. However, we do still get some questions about how biblical relaxation is for a Christian.

If a Christian Relaxation or Christian meditation CD is going to be effective, the content should be about 75% scripture; the rest is teaching deep breathing, muscle relaxation and peaceful mental images. Certainly the God of the Universe; Jesus Christ is OK with deep breathing; He created lungs, ditto for muscles. Peaceful mental images are a natural outcome of pondering His wonderful creation, to me anyway. I do believe that our bodies are supposed to feel good. Being in the body God made for us should feel good. Think about that.

We should live at peace with ourselves and others, whenever possible. Stress and anxiety are the first indications that something is not right. When our bodies do not feel good, this is bad. This may seem overly simple, but it really is that simple. If we do not “listen” to what our bodies are telling us, and anxiety begins to build the next level is panic attacks.

There are a number of panic disorder treatments, but the single most important treatment for panic disorder is to control your self talk. Next to talking with God, the most important conversation you will have each day is with yourself. The goal of this treatment for panic attacks is to teach you to speak as lovingly and respectful as you would to anyone else. Odds are if you are having panic attacks, you’re not.