For this week’s tip, I’ve decided to go deeper into serve strategies since I’ve been receiving so many emails about it in the last few weeks. I actually posted some quotes of some of the others who were experiencing serve problems, and the major issue that I saw across the board was consistency (see below).

Have you felt like Jon, Megan, or Nick at any time during the course of a set? If so, I think I’ve got something that just might get them, and you, over the hump.

Well, first, let me tell you, it’s not magic. There are actually some factual reasons behind why this happens to you. Check them out below.

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3 KEY REASONS FOR YOUR

SERVE INCONSISTENCY

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If you feel those reasons apply to you, don’t worry. There’s an easy way to fix this.

You need to develop a ritual. And by ritual, I mean a series of mannerisms or body movements that you do EVERY single time you step up to the service line. It’s been proven to dynamically boost consistency of performance in the sports world for ages.

You see it in basketball when players are at the free-throw line, when the quarterback is getting ready to hit his receiver for a touchdown, and in baseball right before a strike out. Why? It works! And it’s the same for tennis.

I’ve listed some of the most common and effective ways to produce a working ritual for your serve below. Go ahead and check them out.

SERVING RITUAL THAT WORKS FOR MORE THAN 93% PRO PLAYERS

This ritual strategy will help to eliminate the lack of control and consistency problems that you were having on your serve, and give your confidence a royal boost at the same time - especially if you’re involved in a rather long match!

Yes, this is definitely win-win-WIN situation for you. Give it a try, and let me know how it works.

Here’s to winning,

Brian Hall, Head Coach

Tennis Mind Camp
http://www.Myspace.com/TennisMindCamp
webmaster@TennisMindCamp.com

P.S. If you have any suggestions for future tips of the week or have concepts
that you would like covered, simply reply to this post.

I don’t know about you, but my mind is still on those pushers. I just couldn’t stop thinking about them for the past 2 days. Is it an obsession? I sure hope not :wink:.

Anyway, I was so consumed with that style of play that I went back and reviewed our last tip of the week, and I noticed that I left something out, and I’m really sorry.

I didn’t even tell you how to really “take it to them.” It was more of how to “hang in there.” So, let me ask you a question.

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Why are the pushers so successful?
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It’s easy. They’re on the attack! No, they’re not attacking you with powerful strokes, but they’re penetrating into your game plan, the spot where you’re the most comfortable and the thing that really drives your game.

They know you love balls that have nice pace so you can find your rhythm, but they’re not giving you any of them. So, what do you do? Attack them back! Hey, it’s the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It’s only fair.

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What’s the best way to do that?
*******************************

Yank them out of their comfort zone by coming to the net the first chance you get. You have to be decisive with it though. So, when you get a short ball (…which pushers seem to hit a lot of), BOOM, you’re coming in!

When you come to the net, it puts added pressure on that pusher of yours and forces him to think. They’re going to be saying to themselves, “Where should I go, cross-court pass, down the line, or should I hit it right into their body?”

So, all of a sudden, you’ve forced them into having to make very quick strategic decisions. And that’s definitely not their strong point.

I mean, just the thought of seeing you in an unfamiliar spot on the court can be extremely frustrating for them. It’s sooooo much easier for them to hang out behind the baseline in a huge open space.

So as a result, they’ll be the one coughing up unforced error after unforced error, while you’re the one laughing on the inside about how so much easier winning the match has become.

Try this out on the next pusher you face, and let me know how it works for you. The results should be amazing, and the stress you used to experience should have decreased by at least 75%.

Have a good day, and an even better game!

All the best,

Brian Hall, Head Coach
Tennis Mind Camp
http://www.Myspace.com/TennisMindCamp
webmaster@TennisMindCamp.com

P.S. If you have any suggestions for future tips of the week or have concepts that you would like covered, simply reply to this post.

Tennis Tip of The Week: 3-3-09: Patience For Pushers!

I just came from a tennis match that a good friend of mine was involved in. It was some pretty exciting tennis, but her opponent was one of those types of players that make so many of us cringe. Oh yes, she was a PUSHER!

It was hard to watch my friend run around like a rag doll out there. I mean, she was trying to use her solid ground strokes to overpower “the pusher” but nothing was working. It looked so incredibly frustrating. And it is, trust me.

I had the same problem with these types of players early on too. I would go through hard practices every day, and beat the players with hard shots, but the ones who simply acted as a human backboard literally gave me fits.

So after seeing this match and reliving quite painful memories :), I felt compelled to address this issue with you so you could avoid a major headache.

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THE PUSHER SOLUTION
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What I’ve found over playing so many matches is that you MUST have patience if you want to defeat a pusher.

You see, many of us tend to get overly anxious and overload the pace on our shots (…hitting them a foot long or wide), because we want to get out of those pusher-points asap.

And I don’t blame you, but this is exactly what your opponent wants to happen. We do this because they challenge us emotionally, because they’re always making us hit one more shot.

But if you think about it, this shouldn’t really bother you. Why? They have no real weapons to hurt you. They’re not going to rip a forehand out wide or crush a volley down the line.

So, all you have to do is relax yourself. Just breathe and slow things down. When you’re trying to hurry, you tend to do things uncharacteristic of your game plan.

Instead, put the thought in your mind, that you are going to be there as long as it takes to win. Take it one shot at a time. Have the mindset that you’re going to be there as long as it takes.

So, if the pusher or “retriever” want to be out there all day, you’ve got the time. Don’t let his unorthodox technique bother you or get you rattled.

If you can stay calm the whole way through, you having to hit that extra shot won’t make you lose your cool.

Ok.  Other than moving on to the next round, where you you have to be? Nowhere. That’s the approach you want to have.

Adopt this type of mindset, then you, like many of the top pros out there, will be able to look at the “pusher” or “retriever” (…at the pro level) game as just another style of play you can conquer.

Have a good day, and an even better game!

All the best,

Brian Hall, Head Coach
Tennis Mind Camp
http://www.Myspace.com/TennisMindCamp
webmaster@TennisMindCamp.com

P.S. If you have any suggestions for future tips of the week or
have concepts that you would like covered, simply reply to this
post.

Hey,

When you find yourself on the brink of winning the set, and the score is 5 - 2 or something of that nature, a lot of players find themselves tensing up and a lot of times get extremely nervous.

This usually results in the loss of their competitive edge and makes it very difficult to finish out the set properly.

Does that ever happen to you?

You don’t hit out on your shots. All you keep saying to yourself is, “One more point, don’t miss it, don’t miss it.” When this happens, you begin to develop the mentality of trying NOT to lose instead of trying to win.

You never want this to happen, because this kind of thinking and match play can open the door for your opponent and could help ignite a comeback on their behalf. And I know this is true, because it’s happened to me.

So how can you prevent this from happening?

Mental Method #1: Give your brain a break :)!

Don’t look too far ahead. Many players actually begin thinking about too many external factors that really have nothing to do with the immediate task at hand, winning the match. They begin looking towards their supporters to make sure they’re feeling good about what they’re doing, visualize themselves on the podium holding the trophy, and a host of other things.

This will undoubtedly screw up your focus, and then when your opponent begins to take advantage of your “mental slippage,” you freeze up mentally and play tentatively like it’s your first match ever because you were caught off gaurd . Well, I got news for you. Don’t think about holding the trophy yet. Simply play one ball at a time.

The game is filled with so many things (…serves, volleys, court positioning, recovery shots, offensive vs defensive awareness, picking out your opponent’s weaknesses etc.) it’s virtually impossible to take on everything all at once, deal with the extra stuff you’re thinking about, and still maintain your focus you need to get the victory.

Mental Method #2: Think positively!

If you’re mind is filled with negative thoughts, the self-fulfilling prophecy will take over. For example, if you’re hanging on to a bad point you played earlier in the match, all that does is help your opponent even more, which can easily lead to more bad points played on your behalf. And this horrible cycle will continue to haunt you until the match it over.

You have to let points go. Singles is a one on one sport. You don’t need two people beating out there. So instead, you should say to yourself what you’ve done correctly after the point is completed (…even if it’s a point you weren’t successful on), the difference in your game will be quite noticeable.

Try out these two mental methods, and you should become much more calm when you can see the end of the game, or better yet, the match in site.

Stay tuned for next weeks tip. And have a great day and an even better game!

All the best,

Brian Hall, Head Coach
Tennis Mind Camp
http://www.Myspace.com/TennisMindCamp
webmaster@TennisMindCamp.com

Have you played in a high-level tennis match recently? If so, I’m sure you know that having great confidence when you’re playing can instantly take your game to a whole new level.

However, the problem is that a lot of people don’t have the ability to keep their confidence at an all-time high for every single match.

So if you fall into that category (…as does most of the tennis world) and think your confidence could use a huge boost, the mental strategy below may really do the trick.

Concrete Confidence For Tennis 101:

Always remember, you’re going to hit some low points as well as some high points during a match, everyone does in fact. So don’t get down on yourself if you start to slide a little.

If you get stuck thinking about what you’re doing wrong, you’re never going to get out of that rut. I’m telling you,  these things have a way of balancing themselves out more than 97.9% of the time.

And believe me, I understand if you feel that balancing out often takes a lot longer than you’d like. So, a great way to increase your confidence right away is to play some opponents whose games aren’t quite as developed as your own.

Now, to some that may sound cowardly and counter productive, but that’s not the case at all.  Sometimes you can see real progress until you take a step back a little.

Because what is usually the core around the confidence is in the mind not in the game itself.  You need to start feeling good about yourself ASAP. Otherwise you’re going to keep going deeper and deeper into the hole of negativity. And you may never get out.

So, the faster you rack up a few consecutive wins, you’ll see your demeanor and the way you feel about your own game start to shift in the right direction. And you’ll begin to look forward to playing your matches again because you actually feel like you have a real shot at winning them.

Now, one thing is critical.  Don’t get anxious and agitated if the success doesn’t come as rapidly as you might like. The truth is, it may not happen right away.

It may take a couple to more matches than you may anticipate. Just stick with it, and before you know it your confidence will begin to shoot up, and it will show in your results.

If you do that, you’ll be having a lot more fun out there.

It’s always more fun when you win :)!

Have a great Wednesday and an even BETTER GAME!

All the best,
Brian Hall, Head Coach
Tennis Mind Camp
http://www.Myspace.com/TennisMindCamp
webmaster@TennisMindCamp.com

P.S. If you have any suggestions for future tips of the
week or have concepts that you would like covered, simply
reply to this post.

Tennis Tip of The Week : Prevent Volley Body Shots!

When you’re at net, that is one of the best places to apply a heap of pressure on your opponent. The problem is, even though this is a known fact to a lot of players, a good percentage of those same players never venture up there.

Does that makes sense to you? Blatantly ignoring something that could give you a huge advantage? Of course not. But they’re not doing it on purpose of because they’re try to be masochistic and hurt themselves. Then what’s the problem?

They’re afraid… afraid of getting hit! They don’t want a Wilson or Penn tattoo on their thigh (…or worse) across their forehead. Now, this is understandable. Though it’s small and light, when it’s traveling at possibly 100mph+, it can really hurt!  And it’s for that reason that they panic.

Sound familiar?

Well, let me tell you, the only reason why you truly fear going to net is because you don’t know what to do if a ball DOES come flying at your midsection. So, you freeze. Then what? Exactly, BAM it hits you. I mean, nobody is usually “gun-ho” or 100% confident in something if you don’t know what you’re doing or you feel lost.

So, if you don’t know the correct strategy to defend against a volley that’s aimed directly into your mid-section, you’re bound to get pegged a few times. And then, your trips to the net will be even more scarce.

So, let’s fix it!

Follow the easy-to-apply strategy below to keep this terrible thing from happening during one of YOUR matches:

Volley Strategy 101:

When you’re at the net, and your opponent sent a real “screamer” into your ribs, you want to defend against it by using your backhand volley.  No ands, ifs, or buts about it. Then, simply block it into the open court. Now, why choose the backhand?

A) You’ll find yourself in a better position. You won’t have to contort your body in a funny position to where you look like a pretzel to in an attempt to make good contact. With the forehand, your elbow hitting arm will tend to dig too far into your chest.

And you’ll be essentially handcuffed, with a slim to none chance of succeeding on the next shot. Yea, in other words, shank city!

B) It’ll be easier to recover for the next not. By you being in better body position will enable to regroup in much better time. You’ll be able to get your feet under you and get your center of gravity low. This will give you a much stronger base and help you extend the point even further.

C. Less pain and wrist damage. When you use your backhand, your wrist is straight and streamlined and has very little friction.

But when you use your forehand, you instantly feel the muscles and the tendons pulling and bending in ways that don’t necessarily feel that comfortable to you. Hey, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t like pain in my game !

Now, after all of that… You still want to try using your forehand because it’s going to give you more offensive authority, just remember this warning.

WARNING: Hitting a forehand volley from this position is 10 times as difficult.

And if you’re extremely lucky enough to get the forehand volley back over the net, your body will be in such an awkward position, you probably won’t be able to finish the point out anyway.

All the best,

Brian Hall, Head Coach

P.S. If you have any suggestions for future tips of the week or have concepts
that you would like covered, simply reply to this post.

I’ve noticed that a lot of players overlook one very important concept that’s absolutely crucial to succeeding at any level. I’m talking about that moment or split second right before you strike the ball, the prep-time.

What you do to get ready in advance will put you in a greater position to get the absolute most out of that upcoming stroke.

Not being in the correct position ahead of time will cause you to rush and do things quicker than you’d like. And often times, you’ll end up with an unwanted result.

1. Stay on your toes

Yes, I know this sounds easy, but if you analyze the play of others and that of your own, you’ll see how easy it is to become flat-footed which causes you to be late on almost every swing (…no matter how desperately you WANT and STRAIN to get to that ball).

To make this easier, try shuffling your feet from side to side. It’s extremely difficult to do this if your heals are touching court surface. It’ll keep you loose and your entire body in rhythm automatically.

2. Unlock Your legs

The term “legs of steel” is only for exercise videos and gym workouts but, for tennis, it’s the exact opposite.

You need to keep a slight bend in your legs (…not beyond 90 degrees) just enough until you feel a small crease in both knees. This will give you the ability to make the necessary movements quicker and easier.

This also lowers your center of gravity and keeps the muscles firing until you’re ready to explode into the next shot. Easier said than done (especially when you’re tired), I know. It’s expected for the body to wear down as the match progresses. You tend to stand straight up without even noticing.

Note: Strength and endurance training can help with this.

3. Ready Your Racket

Before the point starts, you MUST place the racket in the proper ready position.

I say this because, I’ve seen too many talented players lose points because they thought they could get their racket ready whenever they needed too.

What’s the correct way to position the racket?

Though it’s slightly different for many players. You’ll find for most, it’s held up with both hands about a foot in front of the chest with a slight tilt outward towards the net.

Note: Not hanging down by your ankles swaying back and forth.

And don’t just hold it up there without concern. You want to make sure you have the correct grip (western, eastern etc.) loosely in your hand so you’ll be able to switch as needed with each shot. There’s enough thinking being done out there already. Don’t complicate things more by having to rush.

4. Crack and Go!

Don’t wait until you see the ball coming over the net to start moving. There’s absolutely NO WAY that any human being can get ready that fast and execute the right shot consistently!

So, don’t feel bad if you’ve tried, it’s impossible :). Faster than the speed of sound, I think not. Look at a pro like Roger Federer, his racket is cocked as soon as the other player’s racket strikes the ball.

How do they do that? Well, it’s not about what they see. It’s what they hear. To get the best jump on the ball, you want to move as soon as you hear the infamous “CRACK” sound.

That, my friend, will keep you ready for anything. Stay tuned for next week’s tip.

Have a good weekend, and have a great game!

All the best,

Brian Hall, Head Coach

Playing Sets Eases Pressure!

Have you ever been frustrated because you have excellent practice sessions but perform poorly when it really counts - in match play? Here’s a tip for the serious tennis players out there.

Problem:

If all you do is rally during your practice sessions, you’re going to get too comfortable. I mean, just hitting the ball back and forth with nothing to lose isn’t going to adequately prepare you for a real match environment.

Answer:

The main difference between practice and a tournament match is the pressure and internal expectation you place on yourself in wanting to succeed.  To help with this, I strongly recommend you simulate as many game-ready situations as you can. How do you do that?

Play sets in practice!

This will elevate the pressure just enough as well as fill your mind and body with the emotion that you’ll have to deal with in a game.  Not only that, but by playing sets, you’ll also be working on and strengthening the most important elements of your game that any serious player MUST have if they want to win:

These include: focus, intensity, maintaining a lead, recovering from a deficit, break-points, match-points, baseline strategy, serve strategy, and volley angles.

So when you get to a match, your mental environment will be very much similar if not EXACTLY the same. A feeling of “been there done that” will take over and the anxiety and pressure you used to feel will be sliced by more than 50%!

Give this a try, and you’ll definitely begin to bridge the gap between practice and real game performance, I promise!

Stay tuned for next weeks tip. And have a great game!

All the best,

Brian Hall, Head Coach
Tennis Mind Camp
http://www.Myspace.com/TennisMindCamp
webmaster@TennisMindCamp.com

P.S. If you have any suggestions for future tips of the week or
have concepts that you would like covered, simply reply to this
post.