My Passion for tennis (1) - THE INNER GAME OF TENNIS - Gallwey

I was told that to create an interesting blog, I should write about things that I was passionate about, things that others would want to read or things that would raise questions in the mind of the reader. Tennis is my game of choice but yours might be golf, bowling or any other sport. The principles are the same.....you need to be "in the zone" to be a winner.

Tennis isn't just hitting a little yellow ball back and forth across a 36" high net on a green playing field. Tennis is outwitting your opponent as much as it is outhitting him. "What is he planning to do, hit a lob, a short crosscourt dropshot or will the ball come straight at me? If he does this, I will do that....if he hits crosscourt, I'll return down the line" Your mind is busy....too busy!

In 1974 W. Timothy Gallwey wrote The Inner Game of Tennis. Gallwey writes that "every game is composed of two parts, an outer game and an inner game. The outer game is played against an opponent and the inner game is the one that is taking place in the mind of the player. The player of the inner game comes to value the art of relaxed concentration and aims at the kind of spontaneous performance which occurs only when the mind is calm."

Throughout this blog, I will try to detail the lessons that I have learned as I go in quest of the inner game.

(click on the label: "My Passion for Tennis" to see the continuing articles)

My Passion for tennis (2) - THE INNER GAME OF TENNIS - Gallwey

The problems which most perplex tennis players are not those dealing with the proper way to swing a racket. The most common has to do with knowing HOW to do something but not doing it. "When I am practicing, I play great....in a match I fall apart", "I know exactly what I'm doing wrong, but I can't break the habit", "In a match I get so nervous I lose my concentration"

Images are better than words...watch your favorite pros, how do they hit the ball, move their feet or concentrate on the ball. They watch the ball so closely that they can read the print on the surface i.e. Penn, Dunlap, Match Point.

You tell yourself exactly what you want to do and then do your best to do it. But, sometimes trying too hard ends up with negative results. Then you chastize yourself, "you idiot, why did you hit that ball out", "Oh rats, that was a dumb thing to do" or "why don't you just hang up the racket and take up bowling" These remarks are usually said loud enough for your partner or bystanders to hear......you want them to KNOW that you don't always blow that shot and that you are actually a pretty decent player.

They may not hear, but YOUR mind does.....it then says to itself...."Yep, you're a lousy player and can't hit a forehand to save your soul" So, you then blow the next two forehands plus a backhand just to prove yourself right.

Think about the state of mind of a player who is said to be "hot" or "on his game"...Is he thinking about how he should hit each shot or better yet, why his serve is 100% "on". Atheletes know that their peak performance never comes when they are thinking about it. Someone "playing out of his mind" is more aware of the ball, the court and his opponent.

He is conscious but not thinking, not over-trying. He's immersed in the flow of the game and mentally guides where he wants the ball to go. This "hot streak" usually lasts until he starts thinking about and TRIES to maintain it. As soon as he attempts to control it, he loses it.

Want to test this theory? The next time your opponent is having a hot streak or is serving like Andy Roddick, simply ask him as you change sides...."You have a great serve...what are you doing to put so much spin on it"

Wham! if he takes the bait (and 95% of them will) he'll begin thinking about what he IS doing...stiffer wrist, tossing the ball lower, etc. and, suddenly it disappears and his streak will end.

NEVER make this particular comment/observation to your partner in the middle of a match. He or she may be playing "in the zone".

"Good shot", "nice lob", "good thinking" are OK.....your partner knew it and doesn't need to think "what did I do to make them good????"

My Passion for tennis (3) - THE INNER GAME OF TENNIS - Gallwey

Listen to the way players talk to themselves on the court. "Come on Marie, hit the ball in front of you" Most players are talking to themselves all the time, "move up on the ball", "keep it to her backhand", "bend your knees", "watch the ball". The commands are endless...its like hearing a recording of your last lesson playing inside your head.

Imagine that there are two parts within the same person. Self 1 (teller) and Self 2 (doer). Self 1 is full of instructions, do this, don't do that. Although Self 2 which includes the unconscious mind, nervous system and is anything but stupid, Self 1 doesn't trust him. So the player's cheek muscles tighten, his lips purse and he overhits the ball....and starts chastizing himself again.

By thinking too much and trying too hard, Self 1 has produced tension and muscle conflict in the body. Self 1 is reponsible for the error but heaps the blame on Self 2. As a result, the stroke grows worse and frustration builds.

Remember that Self 2, the doer, is the unconscious mind. Once Self 2 has hit the ball firmly, he knows FOREVER which muscles to contact to do it again......just let him do it.
Getting it together mentally in tennis involves the learning of several internal skills:

(1) learning to program your computer Self 2 with images rather than constantly instructing yourself with words

(2) Learning to "trust thyself" (Self 2) to do what you (Self 1) ask of it. Just let Self 2 hit the ball

(3) Learning to see "nonjudgmentally"....see what is happening rather than simply noticing how well or how badly it is happening. In other words, quit trying too hard.

Then there is the "master skill"..without which nothing of value is ever achieved...the art of concentration.

My Passion for tennis (4) - THE INNER GAME OF TENNIS - Gallwey

If you think about your own highest moments or peak experiences, you will also remember them as moments of great pleasure. When this happens on the tennis court, you are concentrating without TRYING to concentrate. You feel alert with an inner assurance that you can do what needs to be done without having to "try hard". Quieting the mind means less thinking, calculating, judging, worrying, fearing, hoping, trying, regretting, controlling or distracting.

Quieting the mind is a gradual process involving the learning of several inner skills. The first skill is to learn to let go the inclination to judge ourselves and our performance as being good or bad. Watch the face of a hitter and you'll see expressions of judgmental thoughts occurring in his mind. Frowns after a "bad" shot, self-satisfaction after every shot that he considered "good."

The best example of a quiet mind that I can think of is Venus Williams. When Venus walks on the court, she's wearing her "game face". If she double faults, hits a ball into the net, or misses an easy forehand, her game face doesn't change. She isn't judging herself, isn't thinking something demeaning to herself. If she serves an ace to win the match, her game face stays the same, it doesn't change (unless its the US Open or Wimbledon). These judgments are our personal ego reactions to the sights, sounds, feelings and thoughts. When the mind is free of any thought or judgment, it is still and Self 2 can do his job..."get the ball over the net"

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In the game of tennis there are two important things to know, (1) where the ball is and (2) where the racket head is. As soon as you picked up a racket and began to learn the game you were told to "watch the ball"....its simple, you come to know where the ball is by looking at it. You don't have to think "oh boy, here comes the ball; its clearing the net by about a foot and coming really fast. It should bounce near the baseline and I'd better hit it on the rise". No, you simply watch the ball and let the proper response take place.

You realize the importance of knowing WHERE your racket head is but you can't look at it to know where it is because you're watching the ball. You must FEEL it...feeling it gives you the knowledge of WHERE it is.

Learn where the racket head is at the point of bounce.....without judging whether it is too high or too low...don't let Self 1 frantically say "get your racket up" or "you've dropped the racket head". Then Self 2 has no magic phrase that must be repeated and can concentrate without thinking.

My Passion for tennis (5) - THE INNER GAME OF TENNIS - Gallwey

Does positive thinking help your tennis game?

The "bad" effects of negative thinking are discussed thoroughly...people are advised to stop telling themselves that they are ugly, uncoordinated, unhappy, or whatever and are told to repeat to themselves that they are attractive, well-coordinated and happy. If you constantly tell yourself that you can't do this or can't do that..you won't be able to do it.

We're back to Self 1 again....Self 1 is always looking for approval and, wanting to avoid
disapproval , this ego mind sees a compliment as a potential criticism. If it hears "you really look nice today" or "you're hitting the ball so well today" it reasons, "if I
look nice today, I must have looked bad yesterday" or "if I'm hitting the ball well today, I must have been really bad last week".

Compliments can be criticisms in disguise! Both are used to manipulate behavior.

Your partner hits a beautiful forehand that flies past the net player and wins the point. You say "Greaaaaat shot!" Are you complimenting him, or is your "Greaaat shot" really disbelief that after muffing three previous shots, he finally got one in?

Or, if the ball lands 4 feet past the baseline and you say to yourself "Greaaaat shot", what is your tone of voice then? exasperated or disgusted?

My Passion for tennis (6) - THE INNER GAME OF TENNIS - Gallwey

In The Inner Game of Tennis, author W. Timothy Gallwey names three categories of tennis players and their aims and motivations for playing, both on and off the court.

Category #1 - Good-O - Proving myself "good"

(1) "How Good can I get?" In golf, "good" is measured against par, in tennis against self-conceived expectations or the expectations of parents, coaches or friends. Good-O aims to reach the highest standard of perfection possible. Why? the desire to prove oneself competent and worthy of the respect of others.

(2) "I"m better than you"...Here "good" is measured against the performance of other players. Good-O wants to be at the top of the heap. "Its not how well I play, but whether I win or lose that counts" Problem? the mind's preoccupation with comparing oneself with others. First you think your game is better, then some doubts float in and you begin to feel your opponent may be better....result: fear of defeat.

(3) "Look at me!"....."good" is measured by appearance. Neither winning nor playing well matters as much as style. Good-O aims to look good, flashy, strong, brilliant, smooth and graceful. Motive? the desire for attention or praise. To Good-O, one can never look good enough....perfect strokes, $200 tennis shoes, best of the line tennis clothes, the newest racket, matching hat, sweatbands, water canister, plus a great tan and pearly white teeth.

Category #2 - Friends-O - Making or keeping friends

(1) "We play at the country club" Friends-O feels that its not so important how good you are as it is where you play and who plays with you. This is the "social game"...you play to maintain or improve social status. However, beating your boss or customer on a regular basis may not be a good idea.

(2) "All my good friends play tennis" This is about the same as (1) but more often played at cheaper public courts ... but the motive is the same...the desire for acceptance and friendship. Even if you play with your friends, playing too well may be a mistake. No one wants to be beaten constantly especially by a good friend. If they feel you are too good for them, you may have trouble finding a game.

(3) "My husband (or wife) is always playing tennis". Friends-O feels that he/she is lonely and needs to spend more time with the spouse. This is not the best reason in the world to take up tennis. The biggest obstacle is becoming good enough for the spouse to play with you. The next biggest obstacle is telling the spouse that you are too good to play with him or her.

Category #3 - Health-0-Fun-0 - Mental or physical health or pleasure

You or your doctor have decided that you need more exercise. Ah yes, you know that idea...exercise, work up a sweat, relax the mind. Obviously the doctor, a non-tennis player, isn't taking into account the frustrations this can cause. But, its healthy, gets you outdoors and moving, improves vitality and, prolongs the idea of youth.

In your mind, you doubt that tennis is really helping. You can't find anyone who, like you wants to take up this demanding sport.....Answer!!! take lessons, join a sports group, hit a ball against a wall. Hitting a ball against something is a good way to take out frustrations caused by daily life...bosses, children, traffic, in-laws, spouses.

Soon you'll learn to appreciate the subleties of the game and find yourself being drawn into Category #2 or even Category #1.

My Passion for tennis (7) - THE INNER GAME OF TENNIS - Gallwey

Programming for results is the most useful method of communication with Self 2...remember Self 2, the doer. Self 2 needs clear visual images of the needed results.

For instance, you're hitting shallow and without a lot of power. Imagine the arc the ball would have to take to land deep in the court, noticing how high over the net it would pass, and hold that image in your mind for several seconds. Then before hitting any balls, ask Self 2 to do it and let it happen. If the ball continues to fall shallow, don't try to correct it or criticize yourself. Again visualize the ball passing two feet over the net and landing near the baseline....Self 2 now knows what you want it to do....surprisingly, it will do it.

Once you are competing in a match, its too late to work on your strokes, but it is possible to hold in your MIND where you WANT THE BALL TO GO and then allow the body to do what is necessary to get it there. Think of it as mentally guiding the ball. It is essential to trust Self 2....and refrain from giving "how-to-do-it" instructions in an effort to control the stroke.

You can make a change in one or more elements of your strokes....and is it done exactly the same way as programing for results. This time you are programing for form. You've seen this done so many times during your own matches....but you didn't recognize them as programing for form. The person doing it may not know it either.

Suppose you missed an easy return of serve....have you ever swung your racket afterwards in what you consider to be the right way to stroke the ball? Then before hitting any more balls, you swing your racket several times, letting the racket stay flat and allowing yourself to experience how it feels to swing the racket correctly?

What you're doing is reprograming your swing, showing Self 2 how to hit the ball correctly. Again, Self 2 needs to be shown, not yelled at!

My Passion for Tennis (8) - THE INNER GAME OF TENNIS - Gallwey

Finding your quiet mind....yeah, its there somewhere.

The quiet mind cannot be achieved by means of intellectual understanding. Just because you tell yourself to be calm and collected doesn't mean it will occur. You want a quiet mind, you try to achieve a quiet mind....but Self 1 wants to keep control. Learning to concentrate means keeping the mind NOW and HERE. To do that, you need an appropriate object to concentrate on....you are on a tennis court, the most practical and convenient object is the ball itself. Oh sure, you know it, you've heard it a thousand times....."Watch the Ball!"

Watching the ball doesn't mean keeping it your mind's eye while you watch the net man. Doesn't mean taking your attention off the ball when you hear someone talking and you turn around to glare at them. Watching the ball means to focus your complete attention on it...look at the pattern the seams make as the ball spins. Side spin? Top spin? Drop shot? Watching the seams produces interesting results. When looking for the pattern made by the seams you naturally watch the ball all the way to your racket and you start watching it earlier than before. Suddenly, it seems bigger.

The ball should be watched from the time it leaves your opponent's racket to the time it hits yours.

Watching the the pattern made by the spinning ball engrosses the mind completely almost hypnotically. It forgets to try too hard, forgets the sounds and sights that occur around the court, and doesn't wander. How many times have you been playing a match and suddenly start thinking of something completely different than what's happening on the court. "Did I forget to lock the car? "once this set is over, I need to change my socks", "that guy is foot-faulting....where's a ref when you need one"

As silly as it sounds, one of the most practical ways to increase concentration on the ball is to learn to LOVE it!! Get to know the tennis ball (introduce yourself, take it to lunch), appreciate it's qualities. Look at the fine patterns made by the nap, admire the round firmness of it, try to see the emptyness inside of the ball. The tennis ball should be watched as an object in motion. Notice the height of the ball as it passes over the net, its speed and trajectory. Listen to the ball, the sound of a slice, the sound of a solidly hit volley.

Slowly the size of the ball seems to be getting bigger....how could you NOT hit that thing, it's the size of a basketball!