Abstract

The author describes sports psychophysiology interventions with the Indian Olympic gold medal winner, Abhinav Bindra, who performed in the air rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The article proposes an evolutionary psykinetics approach, accenting “psykinetic states”—postural patterns linked to dominant personality characteristics. The interventions included biofeedback training using respiration, thermal biofeedback, electro-dermal biofeedback, neurofeedback, and heart rate variability. Training objectives included assisting the athlete to remain extremely calm (to avoid any trembling during sighting) while also remaining mentally alert and reactive. The neurofeedback training was customized to this athlete, and the breathing interventions included training tolerance for extended breath holds, because athletes shoot during a suspension of respiration for stability in sighting. Chiropractic manipulation and muscle activation completed the training regimen.