mental toughness

Wimbledon 2011 Official: Grunting Is Good Tennis Strategy But Unfair

by Head Coach

To grunt or not to grunt..

That has been the question of a lot of tennis players and fans alike for some time now.

I mean, does it really help? Or is belting out a loud yelp or scream just something that players like Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova do to be annoying?

Science says it’s both!

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Lakers’ Steve Blake’s Sports Psychology Will Toughen Up Your Tennis Mind

by Head Coach

http://www.tennismindcamp.com/images/steveblakeexcerpt.jpgThe subject matter discussed by Lakers’ Steve Blake directly correlates with one of the biggest problems that you as a tennis player have probably faced at some point.

And it can really kill your winning chances if you don’t do something about it, and quick!

So, what we’ll do is briefly talk about the common mental error, then I’ll give you a solution to help stop it from killing your winning chances.  Sound good?

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Tennis Tactic(s) – Improve Your Tennis Game Despite Bad Tennis Weather

Many players think that rain is another word for “tennis stop sign.” You know, all improvement of your game must stop just because it gets a little damp out.

Well, not true. You may very well not be able to run around the court smacking tennis balls, but your tennis training doesn’t have to be put on hold when it starts to pour.

Here’s how…


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Mental Toughness: Rafael Nadal And Pete Sampras Defeat Pressure

http://www.tennismindcamp.com/images/tennis-ball-break_5dec.jpgWhen you’re out on the tennis court, you’re always going to be doing one of two things:

1. Going Deep: Grooving something (…that already works well) deeper into your game,  so it becomes more second nature to you (…whether it be from an exhibition match, scrimmage and/or drills).

OR…

2. Going Wide: Expanding your game by adding something new that you hope will enhance or strengthen it (… i.e a new concept your coach told you or a new strategy you may have picked up on from watching some of the pros on tour).

Now with option one, there is rarely a problem. Most of the time, it’s when you’re operating under the second category where we as players can make a very detrimental mistake…

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Mental Training: Erase Your Tennis Mind And Get The Victory Each Time

http://www.tennismindcamp.com/images/memoryeraser.jpgThere are two kinds of tennis players…

1) The Recreational Player: This is the player that breaks out his racket simply because it’s something fun to do with the buddies and to have a good time or because the doctor said they need more exercise.

2) The Ultimate Competitor: This is the player or athlete who will do whatever it takes to get the win – the one who puts in hours and hours of intense training everyday (…giving his 110%), eats all the right stuff…

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Tennis Fitness Tip – 3 Stretching Strategies You’re Sure To See At The 2011 US Open

http://www.tennismindcamp.com/images/stretchdec.jpgThe 2010 US Open has finally arrived and it’s already starting to turn into one wild ride, with top-seeded players like Jelena Jankovic and Novak Djokovic almost getting ousted in the first round.  That’s what’s so great about this tournament – anything can

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Easily Give Both Your Tennis Forehand and Tennis Backhand More Impact

http://www.tennismindcamp.com/images/flightglove1.jpgNow like I stated in my last tip, bringing the aggression when you’re down is an extremely powerful strategy and can be great for pulling you out of a mental hole.

But unloading too much in the wrong situation or going into overload with its usage, is an ill-advised decision and one of today’s players most detrimental mistakes…


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Tennis Strategy – Querrey and Safina Show Aggression And Win Big

When everything seems to be flowing for you out there on the court, you’re hitting the balls with great accuracy and you can see you’re giving your opponent problems… What should be your next move?http://www.tennismindcamp.com/images/aggressiontrio_5.jpg

That’s easy!  We ALL know what to do when we’re playing well – just keep doing what we’ve been doing.  You never want to deviate from a plan that’s working.

But when the flip side happens and things aren’t going your way, that’s where it can be difficult.  Use the strategy in your next match that Sam Querrey, Dinara Safina, and Coco Vandeweghe used just last week (…when in this situation) that allowed them to conquer their nerves and pull out some terrific wins – just last week!

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Struggling With A Tennis Injury Like Tennis Elbow? Try This

http://www.tennismindcamp.com/images/dontthrowtowel_1.jpgIf you have a tournament or a big match coming up and you go down with a minor but nagging injury (…a tweak of the wrist, tennis elbow, soreness in your knees, or even a quirk in your shoulder), you can still exercise and train and be physically ready to go come match time! In fact, you HAVE to!

Your training might have to be revised, depending on your injury, but it’s incredibly important that you continue your strength work and your cardiovascular exercises.

Here are two great ways to keep the motor running on all cylinders during your recovery period:

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How Francesca Schiavone “Really’” Won The 2010 French Open!

http://www.tennismindcamp.com/images/schiavone_french_open_trophy.jpgSam Stosur…

In this 2010 French Open tournament, she rolled over Jankovic, roared back against Justine Henin, and stuck to a winning plan when she played the almost unbeatable Serena Williams – all former world #1s, essentially back to back to back.

And… went into the final as the overwhelming favorite. But… lost to a 17th seed girl by the name of Franseca Schiavone.

How did this happen? How could this happen? How did she manage to defy the 1 to 120 odds of winning this unbelievable tournament in Paris?

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