Pocket notes

[Figjam]

Hey guys I was going to make a small little card with some simple reminders/notes to keep in my pocket that I could glance at quickly between points/games or change overs.

what would you put on yours?

IE for example:
Serves: toss in front, Watch the ball

Groundstrokes: get low, prepare early.


Take your time, FOOT WORK.


OR game notes, like come to net, look for oportunities etc etc


sometimes I used to keep on in my bag but it didnt really work much, cause I'd forget everthing as soon as i walked way from my bag.

[Figjam]

anyone?
10

[CrispyFritters]

You know....I don't have any written notes with me when I play. I think it takes away from being in the moment. Plus...playing tennis isn't like cramming for an exam....you're not going to get any better with a last few seconds of studying.

However, if I read a tip I like, I'll email it to myself and leave it in my inbox. I check email a bajillion times a day, so it's always there, which means it stays top of mind.

[Figjam]

I forget things very fast, I get tired of reminding my self to do something a thousand times, it just doesnt work.

works when someone tells me to do it OR I read/see it then do it.

[polski]

Serena keeps a journal in her bag that she can open up & read things her coach has told her. I don't know about having it in your pocket (I'd sweat too much & ruin it), but it might be cool to have something to look at during changeovers.

[Nor'easter]

I have a notebook of tips I've accumulated from attending drills, watching Tennis Channel's One Minute Clinics, and listening to the various commentators calling the ATP and WTA matches. I refer to these notes from time to time before matches.

For singles my notes read something like this: solid, steady, work the point, patience, find the right opportunity to come to the net, expose your opponents flaws, magnify your strengths, play with a purpose, utilize the whole court, set the tempo of the match, minimize unforced errors, don't go for too much when unneccesary.

For the mental aspect of the game: stay in the moment, confident body language, emotional control, controlled aggression, believe in yourself, if you are the underdog the pressure is on your opponent.

For the mechanics of the game: stay low, balanced, head and eyes down at contact point, don't pull your head off the shot, footwork.

This is probably old news for the seasoned veterans out there, but these simple strategies can come in handy when you find yourself in tough match situations.

[SweetH2O]

I've never had so much to tell myself that I can't remember what it was that I wanted to focus on. I have a match strategy in my head before the match, and know what I've been working on lately with my strokes. I'll remind myself mentally of these things during a match, but have never felt the need to write them down.

If you have so much that you need to remind yourself that you can't remember it on your own, you probably need to simplify some things and just focus on the most important.

[Sherlock]

You can't think of more than two things at once (try it!).

As the last poster said, it can be detrimental to have so many things to think of that you can't remember them all. I typically will think of just a couple things I have been working on recently. Most lately it has been to hit the ball out in front of my body and look for opportunities to hit an aggressive forehand.

That said, there are various cues you may have accumulated throughout your playing life that have allowed you to play successfully at times. Recording these and skimming through them in a difficult match may help you find the right cue to get your game on track. It is especially important in tense situations (serving for the match, late in the final set, tiebreaks, when your shots are breaking down, etc.) to keep things simple and focus on one shot and one point at a time. Having a specific cue for a few of these situations to help deal with them can help you focus properly.