The Juju act

Many athletes go through various rituals before they step on the ground, as studies prove that it helps them place themselves better in the game. While, rituals do not just happen in the sporting world but can basically take place anywhere performance takes place and even among artists. A recent study, ‘Rituals decrease the neural response to performance failure’ by Nicholas Hobson, a behaviour scientist shows that though rituals might appear on the surface to be a waste of energy and time, the presence of rituals in different performance contexts suggests they are critical to self-regulation and goal attainment.

Since, Bengaluru is well-known for its athletes and artistes, so we spoke to a young athlete and a few artistes and asked them about their ‘Rituals’ and how it helps them to give their best performance. Karthik Gubbe, a Bengaluru based rapper says that, “On the days I have my shows I am on super light or liquid diet. I have made it a habit to never ever drink before a show. That habit became a strong belief when two years ago, when I was performing at a mall, an elderly lady came up to me after my show and told, goddess Saraswati doesn’t bless or reside in everyone. She has, in you. Take care of her.”

He adds further and says, “I am not a very religious person. I believe knowledge is power and goddess Saraswathi depicts that. So no matter what I have been following that all the more rigorously. Firstly cause of the genuineness with which that elderly lady told what she did and secondly if my rap could appeal to different age groups, there can’t be a bigger blessing.”

While for the 27-year-old Nakul Dev KN, a national Volleyball player, praying before going for the match helps.  He says, “Before I enter the ground, I do a ‘Namaskara’ and put my right leg forward on the ground. It might sound a little superstitious but I believe it helps me perform well in the match”.
“I also strictly follow a vegetarian diet, a few days before my match and avoid any heavy food items as well for it makes a big difference in your performance and recovery as an athlete,” Nakul says.

Shamini Venkat, a vocalist and a music teacher who says that a pep talk before her performances really helps her to warm up before she takes the stage. She says, “A pep talk is a ritual for me, which I must always do and I picture myself doing really well while I do the talk. So, when I convince my brain that it will go well, it automatically reflects on my performance.”

We asked a behavioural therapist about the reason behind these rituals. Avantika Sharma tells us that, “Pre performance ritual is our way of trying to take control of the outcome of a situation where the odds are unknown. One carries out pre-performance rituals we gradually move from tasks that we have successfully completed, towards those that we are expected to perform on all the while maintain the momentum of positive attitude.” “These rituals can also have a negative impact on performance if the act itself becomes compulsive and unavoidable. At the end of the day, good performance is a result of technique and practice, rituals just ensure that we have a sure-shot positive start at the beginning of a game!” Avantika adds.