Dynamic focus needed in sports is effected by the correct body posture and the correct face expression.

So Focus - the dynamic focus in sports program - comprises the correction of both; that, in turn, opens the third eye chakra and the crown chakra.

Timing In Sports Performance

Psychophysiological Analysis Of Technique In Male And Female Athletes:

The purpose of the present study was to examine if timing may be determined through differences in muscle tension. One hundred and six athletes (77 male and 29 female), from several technically-demanding disciplines within sports (20 archers, 50 golfers, 17 ski marksmen, 10 mini-golfers, 6 rifle marksmen, 2 discus casters and 1 boxer) participated in the study. The participants were divided into three groups: International level, National level and Club level. Each participant was then instructed to carry out his/her action technique, precisely as usual, in the respective sport. Electromyography (EMG) registered impulses from the chosen muscles (extensor digitorum and flexor digitorum). Results indicated that athletes at international level mobilize both muscles in complete or near-complete synchrony compared with athletes at national or club levels. Furthermore, international level athletes evidenced lowest peak amplitudes for bending and stretching during each respective activity. The findings are important to sports psychology and have many implications such as contributor to performance prediction and in terms of therapeutic implications.

The concept of Flow, defined as ”an optimal psychological state in which complete absorption in the task at hand leads to a number of positive experiential qualities” (Jackson, 2000, p.135), has achieved a progressively greater attention within the sports psychology literature (e.g., Jackson, 1996; Jackson, Kimiecik, Ford & Marsh, 1998; Pates, Oliver & Maynard, 2001). Higher behavioral efficiency has been attributed to the influence of the flow state (Canter, Rivers and Storrs, 1985) but the physiological correlates to flow have been scarcely investigated and have been only generally or partially described, or in the case of somatic and neural responses, not described at all (Marr, 2001). Jackson (1995) noted that factors obstructing or disturbing flow of athletes are considered generally to be uncontrollable. One such important basal component is ”physical readiness” (Jackson, 1992) which is necessary for the coordination of all the units of movement involved. Physical readiness may be interpreted as a putative mind-body collaboration to accomplish the ’timing’ of muscle activity (e.g., Benvenuti, Stanhope, Thomas, Panzer, & Hallet, 1997; Hase & Stein, 1999; Strauss & Klich, 1999). Timing may be defined as ”temporal coordination of parallel activities or actions” (Nationalencyklopedins ordbok, 2000). More explicitly, timing involves the temporal coordination of agonistic and antagonistic muscle groups to facilitate even and effective movements by the limbs involved (Williams & Barnes, 1987), e.g. electromyographic (EMG) studies demonstrate the curbing effect of antagonistic muscles in inhibiting sharp/abrupt limb movement. These types of studies pertain also to the necessity of taking into account gender differences with regard to both intensity and acceleration of movement (Buchman, Leurgans, Gottlieb, Chen, Almeida, & Corcos, 2000).

Technical skill affects both timing and muscle tension. Aggelousis, Mavromatis, Gourgoulis, Pollatou, Malliou, and Kioumourtzoglou (2001) performed a study involving 41 subjects, aged 19-26 years, who were required to develop a new way (taking the elbow as starting point) of ’throwing a ball’. EMG-analysis of four muscles in the elbow region showed that conditions allowing more training gave better performance accompanied by reduced tension in the agonist muscle (biceps brachii) and in the most important antagonist muscle (aconeus). These results confirmed those of an earlier study (Engelhorn, 1988) on children aged 7-11 wherein better performance through exercise was associated with reduced EMG-activity in the muscles analyzed.

The influence of psychological variables upon timing and EMG analysis of muscle tension has been subject to investigation (Braathen & Svebak, 1990) indicating effects of frustration (Rychtecky, 1978), anxiety and worry (Adam & van Wieringen, 1988), deep relaxation with Flotation-REST (Norlander, Bergman & Archer, 1999), fantasizing (Harris & Robinson, 1986) and meditation (Harris & Robinson, 1986). Bird (1987) describes an experimental case-study in which an elite level 23-year-old rifle marksman demonstrated that the most successful performances were associated with ability to attain relatively low levels of cortical activation. Between ’taking-aim’ and ’firing’ EEG-amplitude remained stable until an instant before firing, when it descended sharply, rising again to normal level after firing. Lower levels of EEG during a series were associated with higher scores. Further, Janson (1995) reported a series of case-studies indicating that the most successful athletes within different disciplines (bowling, boxing, archery, discus, shot put, hammer, javelin, cycling, golf, marksmanship and weight-lifting) often produced lower EMG levels, pre-, during- and post-action, than less successful athletes, in each respective sport, for the critical muscles: this finding was confirmed even in the case of boxing. Janson (1995) noted too that elite athletes showed a markedly higher degree of synchronization between agonist and antagonist muscles as compared to those less skilful. Norlander et al (1999) reported that international-level archers had lower peak amplitudes during performance as compared to other level archers after both relaxation and non-relaxation conditions.

Against this background, five hypotheses have been derived in the present study: (a) international level athletes show superior ’timing’ (i.e., a closer synchrony of bending-stretching) than those at club level, (b) international level athletes show lower peak amplitude values for bending and stretching, respectively, compared to those at club level, (c) international level athletes show lower mean muscle tension over the complete action sequence than those at club level, (d) international level athletes show lower mean muscle tension immediately prior to ’firing’, ’throwing’, ’hitting’ or ’lifting’ than those at club level, and (e) international level athletes show lower mean muscle tension immediately after the ’firing’, ’throwing’, ’hitting’ or ’lifting’ than those at club level.

The five hypotheses presented above may be discussed in turn on the basis of the present results obtained.

(a) Athletes at the International level demonstrate better timing (i.e. the synchronous mobilization of flexor digitorum and extensor digitorum) compared with athletes at Club level. This hypothesis was confirmed to the extent that the difference between the peak amplitudes for flexor and extensor was smaller in comparison with both the National and Club level groups. Peak amplitudes occur in association with ”action-release” of the drive, shot or throw. Furthermore, it was found that the International level group had significantly more synchronous mobilizations of flexor digitorum and extensor digitorum than the other groups. Surprisingly, there were no differences between the National and Club level groups regarding peak amplitude difference and the Club level group did show a higher percentage of simultaneous mobilizations of agonist and antagonist, compared to the National level group, after the three measures. One explanation may be that the Club level athletes had lower ’expectancy’ and thereby a lower level of ’performance-pressures’ allowing them to perform their actions in a relaxed, natural manner. Athletes at a certain level of experience and with certain self-imposed demands may be expected to exert more conscious control over events. Through intensive training, may these athletes performed at superior levels to those at Club level although the inherent tensions serve to interfere with optimal timing thereby presenting a hindrance to stepping up to International level. This timing mechanism does not appear to be Gender-related as there were no effects of Gender nor any Performance x Gender interaction effects on timing.

(b) International level athletes show lower peak amplitude values for flexor and extensor, respectively, than Club level athletes. This hypothesis too was confirmed in the International group, i.e. they showed the lowest peak amplitude values for flexor and a strong similar tendency for extensor, confirming the results of (1987) and Janson (1995). Nevertheless, it was not expected that the National group showed the highest values for both flexor and extensor. This finding reinforces the conclusion drawn from the a-hypotheses namely that several athletes at the National level were afflicted by ”unnecessary” muscle tension. There were no Gender differences here either even though the women tended to show higher peak amplitude values than the men.

(c) International level athletes show lower average muscle tension during the complete action than Club level athletes. The pattern of the previous results, (1) and (2), was replicated, generally: the International group showed lower total muscle tension in flexor digitorum than both the National level and Club level groups. However, there was no effect of Performance level regarding extensor digitorum. It ought to be noted that there were no effects of sports discipline on extensor digitorum for the average muscle tension during the complete action despite the different levels of effort required in the disciplines. It is possible that the athletes involved were secure in the knowledge that the test measures were being taken without particular ’competitive’ performance requirements. Differences due to performance level during extensor engagement may be forthcoming under conditions of competition because the antagonist muscles (in most cases a stretch muscle) are engaged first, i.e. the stretch reflex is quicker than the bend reflex. It may be that certain defensive mechanisms initiate a reaction associated with ‘performance stress’ (Larsson, 1991, Pinell, 2000). There was a clear Gender effect upon muscle tension during the complete action, whereby female athletes showed higher values than male athletes for both flexor and extensor. One possibility, pertaining to flexor digitorum, is that the women required mobilization of greater muscle effort in order to complete a given action; on the other hand, the higher tension level in extensor may be caused by an, as yet, unexplained level of ‘performance stress’ during measurements.

(d) International level athletes show lower average muscle tension immediately before the shot, hit or throw than Club level athletes. The observed pattern, during the complete action, was evidenced also immediately before (0.1 sec) the action itself, i.e. International level participants showed lower levels of tension in flexor digitorum compared to both National and Club level participants, whereas there were no differences regarding extensor digitorum. Similar Gender effects were observed whereby female participants displayed higher values than males for both flexor and extensor.

(e) International level athletes show lower average muscle tension immediately after the shot, hit or throw than Club level athletes. The observed pattern, was evidenced also immediately after (1 sec) the action itself, i.e. International level participants showed a clear tendency to lower tension in flexor digitorum compared to both National and Club level participants, whereas there were no group differences with regard to extensor digitorum. There were no differences in regard to Gender either for flexor digitorum or extensor digitorum.

This summary of the results indicates that the hypotheses were confirmed in the case of the International level group, not only regarding the overall analyses but also in each discipline itself. For example, after three measurements the International group showed the greatest number of synchronous mobilizations of agonist and antagonist within golf, archery and mini-golf as well as perfect timing at all three measurements for ski marksmanship, rifle marksmanship, discus and boxing. A closer analysis at discipline level seems necessary in order to describe the mechanisms involved in timing with more certainty. It would appear that the relationships between National and Club level performances need to be better understood. For the most part there were no differences in muscle tension between these levels and, indeed, after three measurements the Club level participants achieved more synchronous mobilizations. Nevertheless, the National level group performed better than the Club level. There was no age difference between these two groups and there was no interaction between performance level and Gender. It is possible that although the National level achieved better results, due mainly to more training dedication, certain irregularities in muscle tension, perhaps due to stress-anxiety, preclude the major step up to the International level.

The present study had some limitations. The participants’ actual performance was not recorded and used for comparisons. Further, data from other muscles than the two used in the study would have been useful. This should be addressed in future studies. Future studies should also seek to carry out measurements under conditions of competition. An earlier study (Norlander, Bergman & Archer, 1999) showed that deep relaxation through the application of a Flotation-REST technique, immediately prior to competitive archery, reduced significantly muscle tension in extensor digitorum thereby reducing degree of effort whereas the best archers demonstrated more constancy shooting than the least skilful archers. This difference was not observed in the condition that did not receive Flotation-REST. It possible that under competitive conditions differences between performance levels, regarding extensor, are more clearly evident. Further, possible Gender differences in EMG-measured muscle tension and timing in sports performance ought to be carefully analyzed by taking into account the biological and behavioral prerequisites in the underlying mechanisms. It is important that future studies investigate possible connections between good timing and different flow components and thereby adding to our knowledge of psychological factors and muscle tension. Finally, the issue of whether muscle tension and sports performance are related is important to sports psychology research and application and is certainly a valuable area for future research given its potential for applied implications, e. g., as contributor to performance prediction and in terms of therapeutic implications.

In my weekend training session for the dynamic focus in sports, I just correct your body posture and face expression; and the dynamic focus in sports ensues.

You discover the real physical nature of your body that makes you feel dynamically singleminded and energetic instantly as a result of undergoing the dynamic focus in sports program.

The only thing left, then, is to turn this personal discovery into your spontaneity - of body and mind; and the instant dynamic focus in sports turns into the lasting dynamic focus in sports for life!