Hey guys…

Ready for your Thanksgiving weekend? I know it couldn’t come sooner, right ?  OK. Now for the news… Even though you guys know I love to talk and type tons of stuff on these posts… I think this video really does express everything that I want to get off my chest and reveal to you. So, just press PLAY (..then pause it). Once it’s done loading, then press PLAY to resume. There are a lot of really cool visuals in this one – So it’s going to take a little longer to process.

All the best,

Brian.

P.S. Let me me know what you thought of the video. Did it help in any way? Did you learn anything new? I’d love to get your feedback. Oh, and remember to check out the “Flow With A Pro Interview #1″.

Tennis Tip of The Week: (part 2) 3-9-09 :: The Perfect Way To Punish A Pusher!

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 .

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.

**********************************
Why are the pushers so successful?
**********************************

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.

*******************************
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.

TennisMindCamp: Tip of The Week (1-30-09)

Playing Sets In Tennis Practice 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.