History:
Yoga Sports was born approximately 2000 years ago. Originally comes from India. From its very beginning, Yoga Sports has been, above all, spiritual competition among the various philosophy schools and monasteries in India. This art was devoted to ancient deities as well as happened in Greece with Olympic Games.
The mythological god of this art is Shiva as Nataraj. As a sport is basically founded on spiritual education. Mental and physical techniques are only taken into account if the control of human spirit has been attained.
Sport Definition:
Sport is every ruled play, under regulations that include competition between two or more persons. Every competition or sport shows whether a human being is competent in several skills, talents, techniques, strategies, tactics or other competition way, evaluated from physical, mental, spiritual, social, ethological and ecological point of view. Sport is Life itself teaching, since life is competition second to second.
Definition of the Play: Yoga Sports
Yoga Sports is a spiritual discipline that values spiritual education of human being and his control over sensations, emotions, passions and feelings. Awarding spiritual intelligence of Human Being, evaluating it through affective and emotional intelligence during play performance, for each competitor, technician and trainer.
Play Objective: Yoga Sports
Yoga Sports objective is individual spiritual realization, using competition as a self-improvement mean and as spiritual training towards the obstacles that we daily find in our path through life. Yoga Sports aim to achieve development of spiritual intelligence, affective intelligence and emotional intelligence of human being, during the competition, facing negative situations that might cause dissatisfaction, anxiety and stress. Each competitor is trained mostly spiritually despite the mental and physical training, Yoga Sports uses the yoga techniques contest as a mean and the ultimate aim is the spirituality.
Yoga Sports divisions
Yoga Sports have four Branches, Styles or Modes:
1. Athletic yoga sport
2. Artistic yoga sport
3. Rhythmic yoga sport
4. Yoga asanas sport
1) ATHLETIC YOGA SPORT
The Athletic yoga evaluates the perfect execution of an asana. Perfect alignment, strength, balance, resistance and accurate flexibility range. Perfect pranayama execution (energy control) and adequate breath or swara yoga.
The achievement of Pratiahara (introspection), Dharana (concentration) and if possible a meditative state (Dhyana).
Spirituality : The competitor cannot be nervous, distressed, anxious. To show calm, harmony, happiness or joy make the competitor to obtain higher marks.
These spiritual states are more valuable than physical skills such as flexibility, strength, resistance and balance.
The attitude is also evaluated, the right attitude and the competitors’ acts (karma yoga) where the person complies with his dharma (duty) without expecting a benefit or result. If the competitor is worried or anxious for the result, he loses the contest.
2) ARTISTIC YOGA SPORT
The Artistic Yoga is made of kramajis or asanas series that should be performed as a flowing sequence.
Besides the issues mentioned for Athletic Yoga, here is added the music, the attire, natural artistic qualities, general elegance, performing rhythm and the breathing rhythm.
The asanas sequence is performed to the rhythm of a music chosen by the competitor with proper criteria (good taste).
The asanas are linked with harmonious movements to connect them. The links should be the shorter movement to connect with next asana in the minimum time.
The competitor must show his spirituality and happiness while performing his vinyasa.
It is of fundamental importance that the competitor shows spirituality and the joy of movement in his performance.
The competitor should try to achieve a relationship of sympathy and empathy with the public and the jury.
3) RHYTHMIC YOGA SPORT
Rhythmic Yoga is played in couples, working on a mirror base (they both perform the same asanas, in the same range and with synchonicity) and keeping all the issues described for Artistic Yoga Sport.
4) YOGASANAS SPORT
It is a sport related with Yoga Sports
The Yogasanas Sport is based in the building up and execution of Yoga postures, performed to the maximum of flexibility, strength, balance, alignment and resistance.