ABSTRACT
Stress and recovery have been discussed extensively in the context of sport performance settings. There are three general fields of application for relaxation training: recovery, self-regulation for optimal activation and pre-requisite for psychological skills training. Relaxation serves many different functions in managing a variety of health conditions. In clinical practise, the value of relaxation as a supportive method has been shown repeatedly. Looking at long-term effects of training, relaxation techniques can be used to develop the personality of an athlete in the sense of increasing his/her inner balance. Recovery processes in elite sports also serve to restore the individual operational conditions and well-being after training and competition. Almost every athlete spends some time before, between, and/or after competition or training with self-selected music from portable devices. Relaxation techniques should be integrated as an essential part of an athletes’ training regimen. In the beginning of a long-term approach, systematic breathing should be introduced and practised.
