Okay...we have read all the books and heard all the mental tips to help with competition anxiety. Those are all well, good and not to be dismissed; however, anyone have any somewhat less conventional tips to share....Come on....don't be shy!! What crazy thing do you tell yourself to free your mind to play your best? What pre-match routine do you just HAVE to do to get in the right frame of mind? If it works for you, it might work for some of us others here.
Unconventional Match Anxiety Tips?
- Thread starter boosa683
- Start date
A
AlexDK09
Guest
This year I lost three sets while 5-3 or 5-4 ahead due to this 
Bagumbawalla
G.O.A.T.
This may, or may not, be "unconventional", but the best way to avoid anxiety is to be totally confident in your strokes.
The way to gain that confidence is to practice- learn all the shots and be able to hit them consistantly.
Work on your movement and endurance.
Work on your strategy and placement.
The biggest "inner fears" seem to be things like: Is he going to hit me shots I can't handle? Can I keep making great shots the whole match? Is he more fit than I am? Why is it so difficult to win points off this guy, what if I falter?
Pure practice will answer those fears. Make a list of all the various shots that you might ever encounter in a game- then, during the course of a week, practice them all- until until you feel comfortable and confident.
Anything else you might do would be some kind of "mental trick" to give you a sense of "false confidence"-- it's better to have the game- even though it will take time, commitment, and hard work to build that game.
The way to gain that confidence is to practice- learn all the shots and be able to hit them consistantly.
Work on your movement and endurance.
Work on your strategy and placement.
The biggest "inner fears" seem to be things like: Is he going to hit me shots I can't handle? Can I keep making great shots the whole match? Is he more fit than I am? Why is it so difficult to win points off this guy, what if I falter?
Pure practice will answer those fears. Make a list of all the various shots that you might ever encounter in a game- then, during the course of a week, practice them all- until until you feel comfortable and confident.
Anything else you might do would be some kind of "mental trick" to give you a sense of "false confidence"-- it's better to have the game- even though it will take time, commitment, and hard work to build that game.
ReopeningWed
Professional
Whenever I'm tight, I start grunting as loud as I can when I hit the ball.
When you're tight, your strokes are off because you've lost your footwork. I hear people hype all the time, be fluid with your strokes, stay loose, but your footwork needs to stay loose too.
The faster your feet are, the faster your racket head speed will be.
When you're tight, your strokes are off because you've lost your footwork. I hear people hype all the time, be fluid with your strokes, stay loose, but your footwork needs to stay loose too.
The faster your feet are, the faster your racket head speed will be.
GetBetterer
Hall of Fame
I tell myself: "You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them."
Good ole' alprazolam - haven't thought of that route. At least if you lose you don't care quite as much either I suppose. I did actually have an instructor at the courts tell me to down half a beer and then just swing away at the first few balls of the match to get the jitters out...
ollinger
G.O.A.T.
If a drug is called for, it should be propranolol (Inderal) 80 mg. taken an hour and a half ahead of time. Drug of choice for performance anxiety, shown initially with a study of musician stagefright (published in Lancet in the early 1970s). Alprazolam will cause sedation and diminish fine motor control.
subz
Rookie
1. If you have played against the opponent before, you can make a game plan. It doesnt have to be every detailed. For example: I will hit more short angles, etc
2. Try to get a good sleep and eat proper food, if you do this, you have one thing less to worry about.
3. Engage in some activity to keep your mind off the match e.g. watch TV or Movie (action or comedy is prefered), read something (book, internet), play a PC game etc.
4. Before a match listen to some music, these days I listen to Daft Punk.
5. Most importantly, if you cant keep your mind off the match tell yourself, in fact say it louder or shout "I will dig deep ! I will fight for each point even if I am 40-love down, I will play one point at a time and dont think about the previous or next point and I will give my 100%
6. DURING the match keep on reminding to yourself about your technique, For example: move the feet and keep the eyes on the ball
7. Pretend to be someone else e.g. if you are a fan of Federer, imagine yourself to be Fed when you play the match Act like him and you might overcome the anxiety.... Role play can actually work !
2. Try to get a good sleep and eat proper food, if you do this, you have one thing less to worry about.
3. Engage in some activity to keep your mind off the match e.g. watch TV or Movie (action or comedy is prefered), read something (book, internet), play a PC game etc.
4. Before a match listen to some music, these days I listen to Daft Punk.
5. Most importantly, if you cant keep your mind off the match tell yourself, in fact say it louder or shout "I will dig deep ! I will fight for each point even if I am 40-love down, I will play one point at a time and dont think about the previous or next point and I will give my 100%
6. DURING the match keep on reminding to yourself about your technique, For example: move the feet and keep the eyes on the ball
7. Pretend to be someone else e.g. if you are a fan of Federer, imagine yourself to be Fed when you play the match
Act like him and you might overcome the anxiety.... Role play can actually work !
shaysrebelII
Professional
I take hours to get in a "zone" and I make sure I eat a good meal beforehand.
Most important though is this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=579TLIfQ6xo
I listen to it for hours before the match. It really helps me shut out everything else and just focus on tennis.
Most important though is this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=579TLIfQ6xo
I listen to it for hours before the match. It really helps me shut out everything else and just focus on tennis.
A
AlexDK09
Guest
1. If you have played against the opponent before, you can make a game plan. It doesnt have to be every detailed. For example: I will hit more short angles, etc
2. Try to get a good sleep and eat proper food, if you do this, you have one thing less to worry about.
3. Engage in some activity to keep your mind off the match e.g. watch TV or Movie (action or comedy is prefered), read something (book, internet), play a PC game etc.
4. Before a match listen to some music, these days I listen to Daft Punk.
5. Most importantly, if you cant keep your mind off the match tell yourself, in fact say it louder or shout "I will dig deep ! I will fight for each point even if I am 40-love down, I will play one point at a time and dont think about the previous or next point and I will give my 100%
6. DURING the match keep on reminding to yourself about your technique, For example: move the feet and keep the eyes on the ball
7. Pretend to be someone else e.g. if you are a fan of Federer, imagine yourself to be Fed when you play the match
Great advice, thank you!
10s talk
Semi-Pro
alprazolam has no effect on motor control
Tried the role playing idea in a pickup match today and I must say it made a difference (of course this was casual tennis but, hey, it's a start). Pretended all eyes were on me and that I wanted to execute beautiful, pro-like strokes on each hit. I didn't get specific with a certain player but just imagined ME hitting the ball as if I were the pro. Felt like being a show-off but in a good way - showing everyone that I had the capability of producing great strokes! Like an actor playing a part in a tennis movie if you will....Great tip!
Works if a bathroom break can be taken
I played the #3 univ. of Nevada player, on a hot day in Reno, Nev., and he drank two six packs of beer during the match! I was thinking, "Is this even legal?" Match no ad, took 3.5hr. to finish, 130 degrees on court. Metal chairs were so hot, they burned my legs. I started cramping, and in the third set tie break, he hit a ball on the baseline, which I thought was out, but called good, and it cost me the match!
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