thomas daniels
Semi-Pro
If you are a competitive tennis player, the first thing that you should know it that...
"You are not playing tennis in your matches, you are playing the mental game".
And all your matchplay results will be determined by how well you learn how to play it.
This is why 90% of tennis players are losing their matches.
They don't know what game they are really playing and their coaches don't know either and that is why coaching is at an all time low in my book, but that's for another post.
Not to get off track though.
Here are 3 tips to help you start playing the mental game better.
Emotionally detach from the outcome.
Notice how easier it is to peform at something, when you aren't emotionally attach to it?
Same thing applies here.
"Before your matches, mentally picture yourself playing at your best and run this picture over and over again in your mind and when you play the match, emotionally detach from it and go with the flow, with whatever is happening".
Most juniors are too tense and too emotional before their matches and they bring that same emotion and energy into the match, resulting in them losing it.
Choose how you feel.
Your feelings will always affect your play, so choose how you feel and this start with choosing how you will react after a point, if you react at all.
Try not to react in any type of way and stay emotionally detach all through out the match.
I call this FLOW TENNIS.
I should add here.
Get all your training in before the match and trust in that training.
If you do that, you shouldn't have to worry about anything else, and just play in an effortless way.
Okay, last thing.
Let your breath be your anchor during the match.
Most tennis points are short, because the players are holding their breath while playing them!
The one thing you can do right now is learn how to relax under pressure by being more aware of your breathing after points.
During them.
It's just about exhaling at contact, while breathing normal, but after each point, you should take at least 5 deep breaths and mentally recover from the point.
This is how you let your breath be your anchor in matches.
And it's very powerful when mastered by players.
These are just 3 tips for you to start playing the mental game better.
So.
Please test them out as soon as you can and see what happens for yourself!!
"You are not playing tennis in your matches, you are playing the mental game".
And all your matchplay results will be determined by how well you learn how to play it.
This is why 90% of tennis players are losing their matches.
They don't know what game they are really playing and their coaches don't know either and that is why coaching is at an all time low in my book, but that's for another post.
Not to get off track though.
Here are 3 tips to help you start playing the mental game better.
Emotionally detach from the outcome.
Notice how easier it is to peform at something, when you aren't emotionally attach to it?
Same thing applies here.
"Before your matches, mentally picture yourself playing at your best and run this picture over and over again in your mind and when you play the match, emotionally detach from it and go with the flow, with whatever is happening".
Most juniors are too tense and too emotional before their matches and they bring that same emotion and energy into the match, resulting in them losing it.
Choose how you feel.
Your feelings will always affect your play, so choose how you feel and this start with choosing how you will react after a point, if you react at all.
Try not to react in any type of way and stay emotionally detach all through out the match.
I call this FLOW TENNIS.
I should add here.
Get all your training in before the match and trust in that training.
If you do that, you shouldn't have to worry about anything else, and just play in an effortless way.
Okay, last thing.
Let your breath be your anchor during the match.
Most tennis points are short, because the players are holding their breath while playing them!
The one thing you can do right now is learn how to relax under pressure by being more aware of your breathing after points.
During them.
It's just about exhaling at contact, while breathing normal, but after each point, you should take at least 5 deep breaths and mentally recover from the point.
This is how you let your breath be your anchor in matches.
And it's very powerful when mastered by players.
These are just 3 tips for you to start playing the mental game better.
So.
Please test them out as soon as you can and see what happens for yourself!!
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