Books

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So far, I have read the Inner Game of Tennis and Winning Ugly. What other recommendations do you guys have? So far, I am thinking about Mental Tennis by Braden, mind gym: an athlete's guide to inner excellence, the best tennis of your life, and inner tennis, playing the game. What are your thoughts on these books?

Thanks!
 
Depends what you are looking for, but as the titles you have mentioned so far are all to do with mental skills/toughness...

The Chimp Paradox - Dr Steve Peters
Mindset - Carol Dweck
Unbeatable Mind - Mark Divine
The Art of Thinking Clearly - Rolf Dobelli
 
Best tennis book Ive ever read, by far. Covers everything, including the mental game. Lots of self-assessment tools too. Available on iBooks.

I dont know why this doesnt get more accolades.

51uzjMfP1zL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
 
Technical Tennis (Cross & Lindsey) is an excellent book for those who interested in the technical aspects of the game. It does a good job of covering the science/physics of the game for the tech-minded layman. It covers the theory and dispels the myths without getting bogged down with equations.

I have only skimmed Inner Tennis, the sequel to The Inner Game of Tennis. While some reviewers have gained some additional benefit from this follow-up, others have indicated that they felt that the original was a better book. There are a number of books on these topic that are more recent -- perhaps more in-depth and current in their coverage. While I've not yet read them, I've have seen & heard some very strong endorsements for these three:

Welcome to the Zone: Peak Performance Redefined (Scott Ford)
Play Zen-Sational Tennis (David Ranney)
Zennis (Peter Sprang)


Some other tennis books that come highly recommended:

The Art of Doubles (Pat Blaskower)
Finding Your Zone: 10 Core Lessons for Achieving Peak Performance in Sports & Life (Lardon)
The Secrets of Spanish Tennis (Lewit with Bruguera)
Tennis Anatomy (Paul Roetert)
.
 
Has anybody read Welcome to the zone: peak performance redefined?
 
I don't think any book really helps that much at a sport like tennis. YMMV. Lessons with a pro, hitting with a good player, video, advice from teammates etc. Book is way way down the list.. Better then forums though..
 
GuyClinch said:
I don't think any book really helps that much at a sport like tennis. YMMV. Lessons with a pro, hitting with a good player, video, advice from teammates etc. Book is way way down the list.. Better then forums though..
Click to expand...
You definitely cannot become a better ball striker just by reading, but winning ugly says that you should arrive one hour early and Practice each and every stroke before the actual match warm up. I know it is obvious but the club player who does it is king, for the first set against peers at least. (Winning ugly is focused on that type of player)

Now OP, I saw you trying to improve your strokes, but what about improving your game planS like the smart kids. I recommend " the tennis parents bible" I don't know your objectives, but it will give you an idea of what it takes to become a top level player and maybe how to find a style/coach that suits you. One that maybe don't follow the cookie cutter approach
 
You definitely cannot become a better ball striker just by reading, but winning ugly says that you should arrive one hour early and Practice each and every stroke before the actual match warm up. I know it is obvious but the club player who does it is king, for the first set against peers at least. (Winning ugly is focused on that type of player)
Click to expand...

You can get a little something out of reading books no doubt - but its way way way down the list of things you could be doing to improve your tennis game. I'd argue that you should read some kind of book that will help your career instead. This way you can make more money - and with that you can buy private tennis lessons that will do more for your game then reading every tennis book every made 10x over.
 
Some interesting books posted here I will have to try. As far as reading not helping your tennis I would have to totally disagree. I used the knowledge from books and videos to help my daughter in juniors. She ended up playing 4 years in D1. My favorites for instruction and fun are

Instructional/Mental

· Winning Ugly – Brad Gilbert (if you play tournaments or son or daughter, must read)

· Mental Toughness Training for Sports – James Loehr

· Coaching Tennis – Chuck Kriese (for tennis parents, HS and College Coaches)

· Think to Win – Allen Fox (another must read)

· Play Better Tennis in Two Hours – Oscar Wegner (interesting take on strokes)

Non Fiction/Biography/Fiction

· Levels of the Game – John McPhee (What a book and look at this time period in tennis)

· Open – Andre Agassi

· Can’t Be Serious – John McEnroe

· World Class – Boyar (fiction book on start of pro circuit)

· You don’t Know Jack – Jack Marion (if you play USTA tennis you have to read this one)

· Tennis and the Meaning of Life (makes you think why we play this game)
 
I have just read World Class, after Kip recommended it above.

Wow. What a book, I loved it so much I read it in three days (and it is long). I would say obligatory for any player who loves the game, its history and roots.

Thanks a lot. Amazing reading.
 
GuyClinch said:
You can get a little something out of reading books no doubt - but its way way way down the list of things you could be doing to improve your tennis game. I'd argue that you should read some kind of book that will help your career instead. This way you can make more money - and with that you can buy private tennis lessons that will do more for your game then reading every tennis book every made 10x over.
Click to expand...

One can't play more than six hours of tennis in a day. That still leaves 19 hours in which to read.
 
I guess You already know my suggestion: the ultimate book series ever written/that ll have been ever written within the last few hundred years, in the field of sports technique and achieving high performance....and preventing and managing injury
 
Alien said:
I have just read World Class, after Kip recommended it above.

Wow. What a book, I loved it so much I read it in three days (and it is long). I would say obligatory for any player who loves the game, its history and roots.

Thanks a lot. Amazing reading.
Click to expand...

Glad you liked World Class. Did or have you read "Levels of the Game" and/or "You don't no Jack". If so, what did you think? Like WC, I thought the plot and tennis action in both were excellent. Also. YDNJ was pretty doggone funny. Any recommendations from your end?
 
Kip said:
Glad you liked World Class. Did or have you read "Levels of the Game" and/or "You don't no Jack". If so, what did you think? Like WC, I thought the plot and tennis action in both were excellent. Also. YDNJ was pretty doggone funny. Any recommendations from your end?
Click to expand...

I have You dont Jack in my phone but havent started it yet.

I have just finished Les Mousquetaires, good from a history point of view, but in French.

Then I have read lots the auto biographies> Mc Enroe, Sampras, Spadea, Connors, Agassi, Santoro, Pioline, Nadal, Spadea, Blake. Then the training ones, Braden, Fox, Gilbert. Missing Becker, not interested in Federer[s as still playing nor Nole and his diet. Maldita Davis, on Argentina[s questfor the DC.

I think Spadea s was a good surprise for me, as a book from someone which is not a top player and struggles.
 
Has anyone found the following two books helpful in terms of tennis?

A new earth
The power of now
(Both by Eckhart Tolle)
 
Quick update:

Instructional: "The Teaching Tennis Pro" by Don Leary. This is great book if you can find it. I keep going back to it time and time again. It's like getting a lesson and the tennis pro is trying to give you a visual aid for correcting a stroke. Book does through pictures and short descriptions. Another excellent book is "Junior Tennis for Parents - a Sweat equity Approach" by Jack Marion which is a newer one. Wish I had this one around when I started my kids out. Would have saved time and money. Perhaps will help with the grandchildren when they take up tennis (notice I did not say "if")

Biography: "The Outsider, A Memoir" Jimmy Connors" - Wow what a terrific book. Of course always was a Connors fan! Especially liked insights as to his mother and Pancho in his early stages. Unlike Agassi, sounds like Jimmy was appreciative of what tennis has provided him.
 
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