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THE EFFECTS OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION PROGRAM ON ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE M. KESAV REDDY, B.A., DIP. ATH.; A. JHANSI LAKSHMI BAI, M.A., D.M.S.P.; and V. RAGHAVENDER RAO, M.D. A. P. Sports Council, Lal Bahadar Stadium, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India Nilouffer Hospital, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India Research completed August 1974.

Athletic performance, neuromuscular integration, cardiovascular efficiency, and intelligence improved in athletes after they began the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique.- EDITORS Research on the Transcendental Meditation technique suggests that athletes practicing this simple technique could improve their physical and mental condition, and hence their athletic peiformance, more quickly than nonmeditating athletes. To examine this possibility, athletes desiring to learn the Transcendental Meditation technique were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group, each with 15 subjects. Athletic performance tests, physiological tests, and an intelligence test were administered to both groups before the. experimental group received instruction in Transcendental Meditation and again six weeks after the experimental group was taught Transcendental Meditation. The meditating athletes improved significantly more than the nonmeditating control group in the 50-meter dash (p < .001), the agility test (p = .0025), the standing broad jump (p = .0056), and a reaction time and coordination test (p < .001). The meditators also improved more than the controls in the shotput and in a strength test, but not significantly more. The physiological improvement of the experimental group was superior to that of the control groups on all measures: cardiovascular efficiency (step test) (p = . 0011), respiratory efficiency (vital capacity) (p < .001), body weight (NS), systolic blood pressure (p < .001), diastolic blood pressure (p = .0011), and hemoglobin (p = .048). The meditators also showed a greater increase in intelligence (p < .001) than controls. These results indicate that the Transcendental Meditation program helps the athlete to develop a broad range of qualities essential to his performance: agility, speed, endurance, fast reactions, and mind-body coordination. INTRODUCTION

Scientific research on the Transcendental Meditation technique, as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, has demonstrated a wide range of physical and mental benefits. The Transcendental Meditation technique provides a state of deep rest for the body, while the mind remains alert. Research has shown that while practicing Transcendental Meditation (15-20 minutes twice daily) the meditator's physiology is characterized by decreased oxygen consumption, metabolic rate, breath rate, cardiac output, and blood lactate (9, 10). The consequence ofthis deep rest for the meditator is increased mind-body coordination (2), faster reactions (7), more effective interaction with the environment (6), increased intelligence (8), increased learning ability (1), and decreased anxiety (3, 5, 6). These benefits are of great potential value to athletes in improving their performance. Individual athletes, especially in America, have reported improved sports performance after beginning Transcendental Meditation, but this study is the first to report a systematic

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investigation of the effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on athletic performance.

METHODS

In March 1974 about 50 athletes of the Hyderabad regional coaching center attended an introductory lecture and color television presentation on the Transcendental Meditation program. After the lecture 34 athletes representing a variety of athletic specialities expressed a desire to learn the Transcendental Meditation technique and volunteered to take part in this study. Of this group, 15 were randomly selected to begin TM and 15 to serve as controls who would not begin Transcendental Meditation until after the study was completed. All subjects were examined and were found to be medically fit. All were free from disease, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and skeletal diseases or abnormalities. The mean age of the TM and control groups was 19.27 years and 20.4 years, respectively, and the range was 16-24 years for

REDDY ET AL. MOTOR AND PERCEPTUAL ABILITY, AND ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE: ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

SUBJECT NUMBER

1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13

14 15

TABLE 2 WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN

CONTROL GROUP

TMGROUP Age (yrs)

17 19 18 22 18 16 18 24 24 16 21 18 18 19 21

5

TABLE· 1 AGE AND VocATlON OF SUBJECTS

Vocation

College student Govt. dept. (post) College student College student Govt. dept. (post) College student College student Govt. dept. (post) Govt. dept. (post) College student Govt. dept. (post) College student College student College student College student

Age range Mean age S.D.

16-24 19.27 2.46

Age (yrs)

19 24 21 19 16 18 24 21 19

21 22 24 21 21 16

Vocation

College student Govt. dept. (post) College student College student College student College student Govt. dept. (bank) Govt. dept. (post) College student College student College student Govt. dept. (bank) College student College student College student 16-24 20.40 2.50

TM vs. Control t

p

1.203 NS* (0.12)

*NS =not significant.

both groups (table 1). The Transcendental Meditation group consisted of ten students and five government workers, and the control group consisted of 11 students and four government workers. Both groups contained athletes representing a variety of athletic specialhies. The experimental group practiced Transcendental Meditation for 20 minutes twice daily-in the morning after a 30-minute training session and in the afternoon 30-60 minutes before the evening training session. While the experimental subjects were meditating, each control subject rested with eyes closed for 20 minutes either sitting in a chair or lying down, depending on the subject's preference. Both groups were given a variety of physiological and performance tests over a two-week period before the experimental subjects were taught the Transcendental Meditation technique by a qualified instructor. Six weeks after the experimental group began Transcendental Meditation, both groups were given the same tests a second time, again over a two-week period. All the tests for both groups were administered before the evening session of Transcendental Meditation (experimental group) or rest with eyes closed (control group). For two months prior to the beginning of the study the athletes had been in a transition period (active rest) consisting of swimming, basketball, football, light gymnastics, and cross-country running. During the six-week

SESSIONS PER WEEK 3 2 2 2 ~3

DESCRIPTION Strength training Endurance training General and specific gymnasium exercises Technique training (individual events) Games and general training

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TIME PER SESSION (hrs) 1.5-2.0 0.5-1.0 1.0-1.5 1.0-1.5 1.0-1.5

interval between test periods, the athletes were engaged in general preseason training (table 2). Subjects trained six days a week, twice daily. Each training session started with a 15-20 minute warm-up period (not included in the times given in table 2). The various aspects of the study were conducted by an athletic coach (performance tests and body weight), a medical doctor (blood pressure and blood hemoglobin), and a psychologist experienced in athletic research (intelligence test). The following methods were used for the tests. RUNNING SPEED TEST (50-METER DASH)-After a 20-minute warm-up the subjects ran 50 meters on a grass track twice, with a ten-minute rest interval between trials. In this test and all others involving timing, three watches were used. If two or three timers concurred in their timing, that time was recorded. If all disagreed, the slowest time was recorded. AGILITY TEST-The East German Boomerang Agility Test utilized four poles at the comers of a square, each 15 feet from a center pole. At a signal, the subject started at a comer pole and ran in the pattern shown in fig. 1 as quickly as possible. Each subject performed the test three times, with ten-minute rest intervals between trials. The time reported was the slowest of the three times recorded from start to finish. STANDING BROAD JUMP-The subject stood behind the starting line with legs slightly apart, knees bent, and hands at the rear, then jumped forward as far as possible. The distance from the starting line to the nearest heel mark was measured. The shortest jump of three trials was reported. SIXTEEN-POUND SHOTPUT (STANDING THROW)-The subject stood behind a line with legs apart, knees bent, and both arms in front of the chest holding a 16-pound iron ball (shot), then threw the ball forward as far as possible.

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I· SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON THE TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION PROGRAM: COLLECTED PAPERS, VOL. I

(-1

t

fully as possible into a rubber tube connected to a waterless expirometer. This procedure was repeated three times. BODY WEIGHT, BLOOD PRESSURE, AND HEMOGLOBINBody weight, blood pressure, and blood hemoglobin were measured by standard techniques. During the two test periods weight was measured on Monday mornings, after a day of rest. INTELLIGENCE TEST -For assessing intelligence Bhatia's Battery, a performance test of intelligence standardized for use in India, was used.

'I tI ' •t

FINISH

START

The five dots represent vertical poles. The subject must run around the poles in the pattern shown as quickly as possible. A short elapse of time for completing the pattern indicates superior agility.

FIG. I. THE EAST GERMAN BOOMERANG AGILITY TEST.

The distance from the line to the nearest edge of the mark made by the shot was measured. The shortest distance of three trials was recorded. STRENGTH TEST (HAND-GRIP DYNAMOMETER)-A springtype hand-grip dynamometer that registered 0-40 kg was used for this test. The subject placed his forearm on a flat surface and gripped the dynamometer handle, pulling down as far as possible and thereby producing a deflection of the dynamometer. The test was repeated three times at ten-minute intervals, and the lowest value was reported. REACTION TIME AND COORDINATION TEST -At the start signal, the subject made as many marks as possible with a piece of chalk on a blackboard during the five-second interval before the stop signal was given. The test was repeated three times at ten-minute intervals, and the lowest score was recorded. CARDIOVASCULAR EFFICIENCY TEST (STEP TEST)Subjects stepped up onto and down from a 11h-ft stool 90 times in three minutes. The rate of stepping was regulated by a metronome set at 30 beats per minute. Resting pulse rate was taken before the test and again during the first, second, and fourth minutes after the test. The mean of these four values was reported. RESPIRATORY EFFICIENCY TEST (VITAL CAPACITY)-The subject inhaled as deeply as possible and then exhaled as

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The statistical analysis of the results of these various tests utilized a one-tailed t-test for independent samples. The difference on each measure between the first and second test periods was computed for each subject, and the means of these individual difference scores were computed for each group. These group means were then compared by the t-test. The mean scores for the two groups on each measure for the first test period (before the experimental group began Transcendental Meditation) were also compared by the t-test. Ifp was less than 0.05, the results were regarded as statistically significant. RESULTS

For the first set of tests there were no significant differences between the two groups on any of the measures except for diastolic blood pressure (p = .028). Six weeks after experimental subjects began the Transcendental Meditation program, the improvement in their performance was superior to that of the nonmeditating control group on all measures. On ten of the 13 measures, the difference was statistically significant. RUNNING SPEED TEST (50-METER DASH)-In the running speed test (50-meter dash) 12 of the athletes in the experimental group improved their performance over the six-week interval, and three showed no improvement (table 3, fig. 2). Seven improved by 0.2 second and five improved by 0. 1 second. Of the athletes in the control group, none improved by as much as 0.2 second, five improved by 0.1 second, nine showed no improvement, and one decreased by 0.1 second. The mean improvement for the TM group was 0. 127 second as compared with 0.027 second for the control group. Statistically this is a highly significant difference (p < .001). AGILITY TEST-Thirteen meditating athletes improved their performance on the East German Boomerang Agility Test over six weeks and two remained the same, whereas nine athletes in the control group improved and six remained the same (table 4, fig. 3). The difference in the

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p< .001 TABLE 3

-.12

1-

0 -.06

1-

RUNNING SPEED TEST RESULTS (50-METER DASH) CONTROL GROUP

TMGROUP SUBJECf NUMBER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15

Before (sec)

After (sec)

Diff. (sec)

Before (sec)

After (sec)

Diff. (sec)

5.8 6.0 6.3 5.8 7.0 6.1 6.3 5.8 6.1 5.7 6.1 5.9 5.8 6.2 7.1

5.6 5.9 6.2 5.8 6.8 6.0 6.1 5.6 6.1 5.5 6.1 5.8 5.6 6.0 7.0

0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1

6.1 5.8 7.0 6.2 5.7 6.0 5.6 7.0 6.2 6.0 6.2 6.1 6.3 5.8 6.8

6.1 5.8 6.9 6.2 5.6 6.1 5.6 7.0 6.2 6.0 6.1 6.1 6.2 5.7 6.8

0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0

6.007 -0.126 0.077 0.356

6.133 0.451

Mean S.D.

6.187 0.370

C'-l

z 0

u

~

en

-.03

6.160 -0.027 0.057 0.418

TM vs. Control

Before

After

Diff.

t

0.341 NS* (0.37)

0.974 NS(O.l7)

3.892