The use of psychological interventions in
sports has become increasingly popular' and
has been described in several publications.`
The efficacy of such interventions has been
poorly documented. Recent reviews, however,
suggest that more than 85% of studies addressing
the issue have reported significant improvement
of performance after mental training.'`'
On the other hand, the validity of these studies
has been questioned. Causality between the
psychological intervention and performance
could be inferred in fewer of the studies. The
lack of manipulation checks, appropriate controls,
and clearly described interventions has
been pointed out as other major research problems.'
2
A variety of psychological interventions has
been used, and meditation-not the most
frequently used technique-may be classified
as relaxation based.' The technique is normally
used in sports for the purpose of upgrading the
rate of recovery or enhancing performance by
improving the handling of anxiety pressure. Its
possible effect on sports performance, however,
has not been well investigated. Among
non-athletes, different types of meditation are
widespread. Some effects related to relaxation