Mental Practice
Mary Hill
We are living in challenging times during this COVID-19 pandemic. When you want to get on the tennis court and can’t, whether because of the virus, an injury, or an illness, remember you can improve your tennis game without being physically on the court. You can use this opportunity to practice your mental skills.
We all know how important the mental part of the game is…maybe even 80-90% of the game. These skills can be practiced off the court, one a day for 5-10 minutes, so that you can apply them when you are on court playing. Make them more comfortable and automatic by practicing them off the court first.
There are 6 Mental Skills to master.
Relaxation:
This is the #1 mental skill and breathing is the technique you use to accomplish it. Breathing quiets the mind and the body. Breathe in slowly as deeply as possible, hold for 2, and release slowly. You will use this technique many times during the match, particularly before and after stressful points. Many of you mothers will remember this technique from childbirth. Meditation is also a form of relaxation and can be learned to add to your calmness.
Imagery:
This is your “Kodak’ moment of the perfect shot you are trying to improve. If possible, look at your shot in the mirror, or on video. See it, then feel it. In an epic basketball study years ago, players who sat in a chair and saw themselves shooting a free throw, improved 30% compared to those who did not practice. You can use this imagery technique when you make an error. See that shot in your mind the way you want it to be.
Visualization:
This can be described as a sequence of shots or movies in your mind. See yourself playing several shots that represent the pattern you want to play in a game. For instance, you might see yourself rallying forehands crosscourt, until you hit more angled to open up the court, earn that short ball, see yourself move into the court, and then hit the forehand down the line for a winner.
Positive Self Talk: Repeat affirmations to yourself, which can be phrases like “I have a great serve”, “I am fast”, or “I can get to any ball you hit”. Make your own list of 6-8 affirmations and repeat each one 6 times in order to internalize and believe it.
Thought stoppers:
Learn to be aware when your mind has allowed a negative thought to intrude, and adopt a word a phrase that brings you back to the present, in a positive way…maybe a mantra, or any word you have made into a positive association. It can be something as simple as “ball”.
Reframing:
Learn to know when something is not working so you can change what you are doing or you can change where you have put your focus. For example, if you are losing to a team that is getting to the net ahead of you, you will need to reframe your tactics in order to win. When Borg was serving for one of his Wimbledon titles and his hand was shaking badly, he later reported that he became aware of the shaking and then chose to focus on something else.
We all prefer to be on the tennis court actually hitting the ball. But no one wants to be a “mental midget”. So when being on the court is not an option, practice the most important part of the game…your mental skills!
