Now, for this week’s mental tennis tip.
Have you ever come into a match and just sort of “gone with the flow?” You know - “letting the game come to you.”
Now if you have, and you lost the match in the process, that quote was probably a big part of it. And to be honest, I really don’t like that quote at all.
It’s trying to convey the message of “not forcing it.” But it’s really unclear and pretty vague. And it tends to lead a lot of players in the wrong direction.
They end up taking it too far and then find themselves being too passive. As a result, a lot of players just don’t have that fire or that drive they need to start them off and carry them throughout the match.
Then the thought of “I’ll just warm up now, and turn it on when the points really mean something; it’s only the second game right now… No need to rush things” floods your mind.
Then you start out too slow. Your opponent gets a jump on you. And you end up playing catchup for the rest of the match. And that’s NO FUN!
I can tell you that. It’s no fun when your opponent has all the confidence in the world because he’s got a sizable lead and has you scrambling.
He can afford to take more risks, because he’s got a cushion and you don’t. Bummer 
. But hey, no worries. You just had a passive mindset. Just learn from it. And correct it before it happens again and causes you to lose another match.
If you want to be in the hunt, with hopes of winning any match and getting that sizable lead right out the gate, you’re going to need a warrior-like mindset, not the passive one mentioned above. What do I mean by that? Well, you must be ready to really extend yourself to the max from the coin toss or the racket spin.
You can’t afford to “wait” to get it going. After the warm-up, you’ve got to be on your toes and ready to attack. I’m talking about things like sprinting full speed to catch a short ball if necessary and contesting every shot (..not saying that’s too good man). You’ve got to approach and play every point as if it’s one that would fall in the make or break category.
Yea, you can’t be afraid to break a nail or get dirty out there. You’re supposed to sweat. It’s good for ya! You have to be relentless, and go ALL OUT! There is no in between, no middle ground. Either you’re giving your 110% or you’re failing.
Now in order to do this… In order to reach that 100%. Excuse me… 110%. You’ll need to do two things:
2 Mental Tennis Training Tid-bits:
| Mental Tennis Tid-bit #1: Prepare your mind for battle: You have to get your mind right so that you’re able to breakthrough your normal boundaries and limitations. It’s takes extreme efforts to attain extreme results. Push the limits… Breakthrough the barriers… Search for new highs!
Expecting to reach further, higher, and faster can be a major weapon in your arsenal. If you’re conscious of this and aware of that mindset and what it takes to get there, it’ll transmit to your play and produce much better results. Just a warning… Make sure, you don’t explode and turn into the erratic man or woman and start spraying shots everywhere. Being able to harness and stay in control of your aggression is also very important to your victory. Once you achieve that balance, you’ll be in great shape. Mental Tennis Tid-bit #2. Ready your body for battle: Another way to prepare yourself to bring your best is by reading your physical side, your body. You can do that first by getting enough rest. If you want to perform well, you need to have enough gas in the tank, especially at the start of the match. You can’t start off on a half-tank and expect to win. Fill your body with the right fluids and nutrition ahead of time. These easy to apply but often forgotten elements can greatly strengthen your endurance, energy levels and will enhance your probability of getting the win! Lastly, adequately fight the possibility of dehydration, fatigue, and blisters by packing an extra set of clothing (socks, shirts, and band aids). |
Best regards,
- Brian
PS. If this mental tennis tip of the week helped you or made you realize anything that could positively help your game, please do leave your comments below.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I really enjoy and appreciate your articles
tnanks for tips. The mental side of thr game is so crucial.
I agree with what you said but also you need to warm up properly and not be so casual that when your match starts you’re not really ready to go all out. Too many players are afraid they’ll give away how they play by not doing too much in warmups. Then, how do you expect to do your best stuff when the match starts.
GReat advise……but sometimes you need to feel your way into the match by hitting out and making some errors. But, I do understand that you have to be intense out there too. Confidence in what you can do is the big factor here.
Rafael
Thanks Brian,
At 62 I need to add more endurance drills. I feel lazy sometimes or I am playing a friend that is a lesser player and I don’t put out. This week I have to push.
thanks,