Field hockey is one of the fastest moving games played in the modern Olympic Games. The game is a combination of a high level of physical fitness, along with mental skills practicing outmaneuvering one’s opponents. The aim of this research was to investigate and compare the mental skill status in field hockey players based on the level of participation. For the purpose of the present study, a sample comprising 44 field hockey players from various colleges of the University of Delhi was randomly chosen and consisted of 9 national-level players, 16 university-level players and 19 college-level players. A descriptive psychological profile was administered to the players using the Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool (OMSAT-3) on a 5-point Likert scale. There are altogether 48 items in the questionnaire, investigating three main skills, including: foundation, psychomotor, and cognitive mental skills with sub-skills for all. Mean and standard deviation were calculated to explore dispersion of scores, while analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine differences in the athletes’ sub skills across latent constructs by domain. There were no differences between and within groups in core skills of foundation (self-confidence, goal setting, and commitment); psychomotor (activation control, relaxation, fear control, and stress reaction) and for cognitive mental skills (mental practice ability, competition planning, imaginary ability, refocusing attention, and focusing attention). It is concluded that the level of participation has no impact on mental proficiency status among field hockey players. However, mental skills are also important in terms of performance and therefore athletes should be given structured mental training alongside physical and technical preparation to maximize their potential.

Background: Yoga has gained considerable importance in sports training due to its positive effects on physical fitness, postural control, and mental concentration. Balance and coordination are essential motor abilities for athletic performance, yet limited studies have examined the specific impact of yoga practices on these abilities among competitive athletes. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of yoga practices on the balance and coordination of athletes in the Bankura district. Methods: For this purpose of the present study total forty (n=40) male athletes were selected from various clubs in Bankura District who had participated at least at the state or inter-collegiate level tournaments. The participants were selected through purposive random sampling. The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 25 years. All participants were free from injuries during the data collection period and did not consume any ergogenic aids or nutritional supplements. An eight-week yoga training programme was implemented, consisting of three sessions per week, with each session lasting 60 minutes. The programme included 10 minutes of pranayama emphasizing breathing exercises, 35 minutes of asanas emphasizing flexibility, followed by 15 minutes of cool-down, mindfulness, and relaxation practices. Pre-test and post-test assessments were conducted before and after the intervention programme. Balance was assessed using the stork balance stand test, while coordination was measured through the alternate hand wall toss test. The collected data were analysed using the descriptive and analytical statistics viz. mean, standard deviation, and paired ‘t’ test. Results: The findings revealed a significant improvement in balance performance, as the calculated ‘t’ value (6.098) exceeded the tabulated value (2.022). However, coordination did not show a statistically significant improvement, with the calculated ‘t’ value (1.703) was lower than the tabulated value (2.022). Discussion: The study found that yoga practices are effective in enhancing balance among athletes by improving postural stability, muscular control, and proprioceptive awareness. However, the intervention was not sufficient to produce significant improvement in coordination, possibly due to the limited duration of training and the sport-specific nature of coordination abilities. Conclusion: Yoga may be considered an effective supplementary training method for improving balance in athletes.

Yoga is one of the oldest and most comprehensive systems of health promotion and self-development originating from Indian civilization. Rooted in ancient philosophical traditions, Yoga aims to establish harmony among the body, mind, and spirit through the integrated practice of asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation, and ethical disciplines. The present review examines the historical development, philosophical foundations, classifications, health benefits, and therapeutic applications of Yoga in contemporary society. The review traces the origins of Yoga from the Indus Valley Civilization and ancient Indian scriptures to its systematic formulation by Maharishi Patanjali through the Yoga Sutra and its subsequent global dissemination by eminent Yoga masters such as Swami Vivekananda. Various classifications of Yoga, including Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Kriya Yoga, are discussed with reference to their distinct objectives and practices. The review further highlights the role of regular Yoga practice in enhancing physical fitness, muscular strength, flexibility, immune function, cardiovascular efficiency, respiratory health, digestive function, cognitive performance, and psychological well-being. Special emphasis is placed on the contribution of Yoga to the prevention and management of lifestyle-related disorders and selected health conditions, including constipation, acidity, asthma, diabetes mellitus, insomnia, menstrual disorders, and haemorrhoids. Evidence suggests that Yoga serves as an effective complementary approach for improving physiological functioning, reducing stress, promoting emotional stability, and enhancing overall quality of life. Although Yoga should not replace conventional medical treatment, its integration into healthcare, education, sports training, and community wellness programs offers significant potential for promoting holistic health. The review concludes that Yoga remains a scientifically relevant and universally applicable practice capable of contributing substantially to preventive healthcare, disease management, and comprehensive human development in modern society.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the impact of the Indian Knowledge System (IKS)-based Lagori game on the cardio respiratory endurance of school girls. To conduct the present study, thirty (N = 30) school girls from the Alagappa Physical Fitness Academy (APFA) Programme, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India, were selected randomly as subjects. Their ages ranged from 12 to 14 years. The selected subjects were divided into two groups of fifteen each (n = 15). Group I served as the Indian Knowledge System-based Lagori game training group, while Group II served as the control group and did not receive any training. The Indian Knowledge System-based Lagori game training was considered the independent (manipulative) variable, while cardio respiratory endurance was considered the dependent variable. Cardio respiratory endurance was assessed using the cardio respiratory endurance tested by 9 minutes run or walk test and performance was recorded in meters. The training programme was conducted for six weeks, with training sessions held five days per week. Data were collected before the commencement of the training programme (pre-test) and after the completion of the six-week training period (post-test). The collected pre-test and post-test data were analysed using the paired sample t-test to determine the significance of improvement resulting from the training programme. The findings revealed that six weeks of Indian Knowledge System-based Lagori game training significantly improved the cardio respiratory endurance of school girls compared to the control group that did not undergo training.

This study aims to examine the impact of 6 weeks Yoga and Pilates training programme on selected physical fitness variables of school badminton athletes. 30 school level badminton athletes aged 13 to 16 years were randomly selected into 2 groups. An experimental group (n = 15) will be undergoing yoga and pilates training and a control group (n = 15) underwent there regular physical training programme. Experimental and control group underwent the training for 6 weeks, 5 days per week. The selected physical fitness variables are flexibility, balance, core strength, and agility which is examined using standardized test (Johnson & Nelson, 1986; Davis et al.,2000). Bothe the group underwent the standardized test a pre-test and post-test data were collected. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was employed to determine the significant differences between the groups at a 0.05 level of significance. The study resulted a significant improvement in flexibility, balance, core strength, and agility of the experimental group than the control group. The study findings indicate that integration of yoga and pilates into badminton training programmes can effectively enhance physical fitness components essential for school-level badminton performance.

The study assessed the general endurance status of 08 male athletes aged 16 – 18 years of the Jujitsu youth team of Dong Nai City with more than 02 years of training seniority. Through the synthesis of monographs and interviews with 15 experts and expert coaches, the project sets up a combination of measurement tools including 06 biological function indicators and 05 pedagogical tests to assess general endurance. Pre-experimental data showed that the endurance capacity of the sample system was relatively uniform with a low coefficient of variation in most test standards. However, when compared with the scientific works of domestic and foreign authors, the basic aerobic capacity and cardiovascular response function of the young male athlete Dong Nai currently stand at the low average threshold, not approaching the load norm of modern competition trends.