SPORT PSYCHOLOGY - The Missing Link?

Well - the main problem in competition is allowing your mind to work against you rather than for you.

Let's be honest, the more successful players control themselves much better than the others!

Is it a fluke that Federer has so many titles and Safin so few for a player of his ability?

What do people mean when they say Nadal is so mentally tough?

Can your mind game get you through matches?

Can you win and lose matches without hitting a ball?

Is your mental approach more important than than your technique?

The field of tennis psychology is not just general advice and tactical or mental tips, it is based on general and sport psychology and then applied to specifically to tennis.

The most common elements in the psychology of tennis tend to be -

Goal Setting

How to refocus

Many players start matches with good concentration but then drop their level because of distracting outside events, pressure situations, emotional reactions and so on. You need to learn how to quickly and effectively refocus to be able to play your best tennis.

How to control anxiety

– to manage your intensity and body energy

If your arousal is too high or too low you are not able to play your best tennis. Arousal affects your body and mind, which can lead to muscle tension and poor decision making.

Learning to find the ideal performance state (the ZONE) is the key in controlling your arousal and is one of the most important aspects of tennis psychology.

What elements of the tennis game can you control?

You may get upset about an event that you cannot control or even influence. For example – the noise of the planes flying over the court, windy conditions, court conditions, his opponent’s luck and so on.

By being focused on these events you waste energy which could be used on elements that you can control – his attitude and effort, how he intends to play, …

How to control thinking

Negative thinking affects you. It affects your ability to monitor tension) and more importantly evokes negative feelings – emotions that cloud your judgment and affects your shots.

Imagery

Imagery or visualization is extremely useful in almost all aspects of tennis. You can improve technique, strategy, physical abilities and mental preparation.

Confidence

Confidence is one of the areas where tennis psychology can help really quickly. If you are not confident you will hesitate and be afraid to take any risks.

When you build confidence you are able to play at your best and do not lose his hope when a big challenge appears.

How to recognise and get rid of limiting beliefs

Limiting beliefs are one of the most troublesome aspects of human's psyche. They are deep in the subconsciousness and are sometimes hard to find.

Having no limiting beliefs means that you are in total acceptance of everything that happens. Outside events just happen and you deal with them.

How to empty the mind – Inner Game principles to enter the zone

These are the fundamentals of sport psychology as it applies to tennis.

To become mentally tough you need to understand them and work on them regularly, just as you would go about practicing your strokes or your fitness.

You will also get your FREE Top 10 Tennis Training Tips as well!