- Thursday, Apr 2nd, 2026
| TITLE | Impact of Yoga Training on Mental Toughness and Competitive Anxiety in Sports Persons |
|---|---|
| ABSTRACT | The psychological aspects of sports performance, especially mental toughness and competitive anxiety, are being increasingly acknowledged as important factors that influence sports success. While physical fitness has always been at the forefront of training programs, the inclusion of mind-body therapies like yoga can provide a comprehensive solution for building the necessary psychological toughness for optimal sports performance. This paper reviews the effect of yoga training on mental toughness and competitive anxiety among sportsmen in Tamil Nadu, presenting an analysis of recent research in the region. Studies carried out in Tamil Nadu have established that focused yoga training programs can greatly improve mental toughness and decrease competitive anxiety among sportsmen. A study on hockey players from Namakkal showed a marked increase in self-confidence and decrease in aggression after twelve weeks of yogic training. A study on tennis players from Chennai showed improved mental toughness and decreased sports competition anxiety after six weeks of yoga and relaxation training. Further validation of these results has been obtained from studies conducted on cricket players from Perambalur and football players from Coimbatore. This paper provides a thorough analysis of the experimental results, including pre-post intervention analysis, statistical validation, and comparison of effectiveness. The results obtained from this study have shown that yoga is an effective and low-cost intervention strategy for improving the psychological basis of athletic performance. The results of this study support the inclusion of yoga programs in the regular athletic training regimen of institutions in Tamil Nadu. |
| AUTHOR | Dr. S. Ramesh Kannan Director, Dept. of Physical Education, S.K.S.S Arts College, Thiruppanandal, Thiruvidaimaruthur (TK), Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India |
| VOLUME | 13 |
| DOI | DOI:10.15680/IJARETY.2026.1302002 |
| 2_Impact of Yoga Training on Mental Toughness.pdf | |
| KEYWORDS | |
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