Last week we mentioned
focusing on the ball like a dog to help you
move your feet. I'd like to use
the dog analogy a little more this week to help you see how to
live in the moment on the court.
What do I mean by "live in the
moment" and why is that important? I'm glad you asked.
"Living in the moment" means not
worrying about past or future mistakes or
outcomes and playing each point confidently
and fluidly
Why is this important? Because you play your best tennis when your mind is
unhampered by negative thoughts or
expectations
Back to the dog analogy. Have you
ever seen a dog chase a squirrel? Sure. Have you ever seen a dog
catch a squirrel? Probably not. But every time they chase a
squirrel, you can tell they fully expect to catch him this time.
And they do it with free abandon. It's obvious that they aren't
thinking "I'm so slow!..He always beats me to the tree!..What do
I do if I catch him?"..etc..All that dog is thinking is, "That
squirrel is mine!!"
Now compare that
to what goes on in the average tennis player's
mind..."My backhand sucks (today)!..Her serve is
too much for me..I always choke!..I can't hit
anything in today!..I'm letting my partner
down."..etc. There are a million negative things
that go through your mind. I'm sure you can
recall some of your own.
So now you see what it means to play
like a dog. Doesn't it sound like fun? Believe me, it is. So how
do you push the negative thoughts out and "live in the
moment?" I have a couple of suggestions. Check out our
previous tip Mental focus. Also, read the blog and follow
the link to check out the book The Inner Game of Tennis
by W. Timothy Gallwey. I hope you play like a dog from now on.
