I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving during these difficult times. The holiday season marks the end of the year, (which is definitely enough to celebrate on its own!) but also a reminder of what we have in our lives to be thankful for. Although our minds are geared to be negative, Thanksgiving and Christmas tend to keep our perspective focused around gratitude. When we focus on what we have rather than what we do not have, it allows for some pretty amazing things to unfold. Now how would the feeling of gratitude relate to your tennis game? Let’s dig in….
Gratitude is a powerful mindset. Coaches of all sorts will purposively ask questions to get their client into a grateful mind. This way, the client can solve the problems he or she is having trouble with. This can also help an athlete improve their mindset to spike performance during the most stressful times of competition. Next time you watch an athletic event, see what the players says after the contest. They usually have some signs of gratitude in their speech. This is particularly important for tennis players. Being isolated on the court also isolates you in your mind. Negative self talk is highly addictive and destroys the player’s ability to play well. Instead of thinking of all the bad things that are happening in the match, a grateful mind will look to problem solve their way out. The highs and lows will not feel so extreme and can keep a player level headed.
To try this before your next tennis training or match, remember all of the events and people that have made you to who you are today. Everyone has their own story and to look back at all that has been a part of your success can put you in a mindset that won’t be broken down by a few errors on the court. Good luck and happy hitting!
2021 is coming! Look for more focused blogs on off season training to prep you for the upcoming season. I’ll be using content from my education in health coaching along with the clients I’m working with to get them in tip-top shape for 2021. For any individual questions on your health and fitness, shoot me an email at: benwolfetennisandfitness@gmail.com.
Tennis can get complicated. Try this one encompassing habit that simplify things and improve your game!