...of changing your mindset at the start of a league match from a nervous one to one that will allow you to play free and loose tennis?
I am struggling to find what works for me.
Have YOU found what works for you? Please share
to try to get to the ball and really look at it through impact. most of the time this gets me into being in the moment & not overthinking.
+1, i focus on the work (split, first move, adjusting steps, etc...)i need to do to be able to get to the ball early and prep... that usually keeps my mind/body too occupied to get nervous.to try to get to the ball and really look at it through impact. most of the time this gets me into being in the moment & not overthinking. Also, a daring chip and charge return tactic also gets me into the match.
...of changing your mindset at the start of a league match from a nervous one to one that will allow you to play free and loose tennis?
I am struggling to find what works for me.
Have YOU found what works for you? Please share
...of changing your mindset at the start of a league match from a nervous one to one that will allow you to play free and loose tennis?
I am struggling to find what works for me.
Have YOU found what works for you? Please share
It doesn't matter what level you might be or the ambitions you have for yourself as a tennis player - big or small. I can't recommend enough a read of Vic Braden's book, "Mental Tennis". Far and away the best wisdom I've ever found for myself, both as a player and also a coach. Wonderful insight, fun stories... all sorts of stuff I wish I understood when I was a kid. And yes, a good chunk of this book addresses overcoming nerves on the court.
Beer
Be thankful you have the opportunity to play.
...of changing your mindset at the start of a league match from a nervous one to one that will allow you to play free and loose tennis?
I am struggling to find what works for me.
Have YOU found what works for you? Please share
Immensior this.
In a way I think injuries has been a blessing for me, just in the fact I've learned to appreciate my time being able to compete more. I still have a lot of things that just don't seem to be coming back, and I get a bit frustrated, but just being able to be out and playing, for whatever it is anymore, is where I put most my focus. Basically just doing the process and trying the best I can, and let everything else fall in place.
Thank you all for your posts. All your input is much appreciated.
On top of all the great advice I think what I need to do is learn not to take it seriously, which is pretty hard for me because rightly wrongly, I do!
Yes I'm only a rec player
but if I only took the game as fun I would never have the FH and BH I do now.
"Be thankful you have the opportunity to play"
This is so true @S&V-not_dead_yet There is a lot of mental prep work I need before the match and I must remember this, and take the whole seriousness element out of the game. Somehow
There is a technique called the Alexander Technique that you can Google.
In the 1880s, Alexander was an actor. He became disturbed before his performances to the extent that it would affect performances often by affecting his speech physically. He learned that if he thought to himself that 'I have to give a performance' that thought repeatedly triggered a sequence of changes that eventually tightened him up physically.
He wanted to stop the sequence before it got started from the thought 'I have to perform in 1 hour'. One discovery was that if he thought or said 'I don't have to perform in 1 hour', that conscious thought or spoken words often would prevent the unwanted sequence of changes from occurring.
Examples,
I don't have to get my serve in.
I don't have to hold my serve.
I don't have to win this game.
and for match point
I don't have to win this next point.
The words are nonsense and maybe make for a laugh that probably also helps to loosen the tightness. The train goes to another track........
I especially like to say - when my doubles partner says 'we just have to hold serve' - 'no, we don't have to hold serve' and smile. It does reduce the tension.
.
I recently attended a talk on the Alexander Technique. As an example, to help posture and motion issues, the class was instructed to change their walking posture. The entire class walked outside and said aloud "I'm not walking" as they all walked along. It does have some effect on clearing your mind for something new.
I've been interested in the Alexander Technique for retraining tennis strokes. The AT has been applied to golf and tennis and probably other sports. I think it offers an approach that is positive and might be more. 'I am not hitting a forehand.' just before you try a new forehand technique.
Alexander wrote books, was very successful and his technique is taught to actors today. His book Use of the Self has a chapter on changing the golf swing. It should be an interesting book for players changing muscle memory and instructors.
"immensior"? Is that Latin?
Yeah. Ya pick up some things as a kid in Catholic church Latin mass.
Don't leave us hanging: what does it mean? Is it Latin for "true dat!"?
Literally means, immensly, but in context is meant as saying VERY MUCH SO. A friend who was Jewish would always say, "oy vey", but in really awful situations would say "immensior vey!". So I always add it to things that are the top or greatly something. So like saying immensior this is saying very much this.
Probably not proper Latin, but you get this idea.
I like it. Next time you watch a match live, shout "immensior" after a good point. Try and get everyone around you to join in. I dub it "The Chael Chant". I'll send you my venmo for my royalties.
I played my match in the wind a couple of days ago - lost 6-4,6-2. But lost without any issue. He tactically outplayed me, but I recognise that and know what to improve on.
Psychologically I was happy.
@Chas Tennis
I just kept on saying to myself "I don't have to win this game" "I don't have to win this set"...Hell I even said "I don't have to win this match".
And I yes it really helped me and I started playing some good offensive tennis without being too tight. Definitely made a difference.