Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Psychological game of cricket: Why India may have won the World Cup!
“I would like to thank the support staff especially Mike Horn who joined us at the start of the tournament and was there for our last couple of games. He worked on the mental side and has helped us deal with the expectations and pressure” – Sachin Tendulkar
Apart from physical fitness and cricketing skill, an area of strength the Indian team seemed to display was that of being able to handle pressure and manage their own self-doubt. According to folklore, cricket is 90% a mental game. And this is backed by research in sports psychology that suggests psychological strength is equally or more important than physical strength.
No wonder Sachin Tendulkar and other team players acknowledged the work of Mike Horn, who coached them on the psychological aspects of the game. This was reflected even in small ways like Gambhir and Yuvraj’s self talk saying ‘come on’ to themselves (caught on camera) before every ball they batted or Dhoni’s calm yet strategic focus after losing two important wickets . Like somebody mentioned, “With a match like India v/s Sri-lanka, where both the teams are equally good, it ultimately boils down to which team can handle the pressure better’.
Studies conducted by Dr Rob Duffield at the Charles Sturt University, and Dr Marc Portus, the Sports Science Manager of Cricket Australia, have found that you do not need to be as physically fit to play cricket as you do other sports such as football. However you do need to be psychologically strong and have a level of endurance and recovery. “Physical conditioning and muscle training is not going to necessarily improve your performance in cricket,” Dr Duffield said. “Having a high oxygen consumption or a faster twenty metre sprint time doesn’t mean you are going to be able to bowl better, or get more wickets, or score a century. The key to being a good cricketer is the ability to tackle the psychological aspects of the game by the use of mental conditioning.”
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Talk it out
An interesting write up about the benefits of talking it over! Appeared on Bangalore Times, The Times Of India Bangalore: 2010 Oct 15
Talking is key to our existence. As we are social beings, most of us are accustomed to conversing with our family, friends, colleagues and classmates. But at times, people tend to become reserved and keep their problems to themselves. Men especially tend to find it hard to discuss issues that are bothering them, whereas women are known to open up to friends about their lives. Research says that trying to deal with everything by yourself only stresses you further. Having a tight network or support system can, in fact, be beneficial to your health.
Some people are better at communicating than others. Whether you’re one of them or not, it’s vital to share your feelings. Even if the person cannot offer a solution, talking about it makes you feel better. You’ll realise you’re not alone.
At times, people get overwhelmed when things stress them out. It might seem like you’re on a downward spiral and losing control of your life. At this point, getting a different perspective can help. Someone who isn’t part of the problem will be able to give you an unbiased opinion or offer a solution you hadn’t thought about.
Everyone wants an empathist. A little bit of empathy makes you feel better and also shows that the other person understands your point of view. A sympathetic listener could also remind you that your situation, however hard it may seem, will improve.
Having a friend, a family member or a lover to talk to is important. He or she will be able to know about your situation and can guide you accordingly. Talking helps overcome emotional difficulties like depression and mood swings. Your mate can then be there for you if he or she thinks you are getting too depressed or negatively affected by your problems.
If you find it hard to confide in someone in your circle, talk to a counsellor. Or find someone who you’d feel comfortable with. Talking to a psychologist doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. It’s better to get some help before your problems affect your physical and mental well-being.
Talking is key to our existence. As we are social beings, most of us are accustomed to conversing with our family, friends, colleagues and classmates. But at times, people tend to become reserved and keep their problems to themselves. Men especially tend to find it hard to discuss issues that are bothering them, whereas women are known to open up to friends about their lives. Research says that trying to deal with everything by yourself only stresses you further. Having a tight network or support system can, in fact, be beneficial to your health.
Some people are better at communicating than others. Whether you’re one of them or not, it’s vital to share your feelings. Even if the person cannot offer a solution, talking about it makes you feel better. You’ll realise you’re not alone.
At times, people get overwhelmed when things stress them out. It might seem like you’re on a downward spiral and losing control of your life. At this point, getting a different perspective can help. Someone who isn’t part of the problem will be able to give you an unbiased opinion or offer a solution you hadn’t thought about.
Everyone wants an empathist. A little bit of empathy makes you feel better and also shows that the other person understands your point of view. A sympathetic listener could also remind you that your situation, however hard it may seem, will improve.
Having a friend, a family member or a lover to talk to is important. He or she will be able to know about your situation and can guide you accordingly. Talking helps overcome emotional difficulties like depression and mood swings. Your mate can then be there for you if he or she thinks you are getting too depressed or negatively affected by your problems.
If you find it hard to confide in someone in your circle, talk to a counsellor. Or find someone who you’d feel comfortable with. Talking to a psychologist doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. It’s better to get some help before your problems affect your physical and mental well-being.
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