Tag Archives: elite tennis coach Frank Giampaolo

Coaching Brain Type Performance- Part 2

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis.

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Soft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

 

ISTP- Introvert Sensate Thinker Perceivers

 

Challenge: ISTP’s are bold, courageous competitors-fighting until the bitter end. Often young ISTP’s believe they have little use for boring fundamentals. “Open the can… serve’em up” is their battle cry.

Solution: Make fundamental stroke building into a competitive game, not a chore. Mundane, repetitive drills bore them to tears. Add negative scoring to each basic drill to keep the competitor interested. Rallying for hours on end is a surefire way to lose this great athlete to another sport.

 

Challenge: On the stress-free practice court, ISTP’s will digest detail. They’re not content with simple instructions on how to hit a ball; ISTP’s want to know where, when, and why.  But, in live-ball sparing scenarios, this type dials in their competitive focus and doesn’t want a ton of instruction.

Solution: In private tennis lessons, explain who, what, where, why, when. This information ties into their sensing typography. In live ball sessions, allow them time to process themselves. Instead of talking, shadow swing the stroke or pattern so they can visualize and perceive the proper sequence.

 

Challenge: ISTP’s aren’t initially comfortable with coaches or teammates with opposing brain designs. Due to their thinking design, they can be sensitive to their feelings yet cold and impersonal when it comes to the feelings of others. Accepting other’s points of view can be difficult.

Solution: Educate emotional intelligence along with logic. Remind ISTP’s that their cerebral design is merely one of the 16 different personality profile categories and each profile has varying preferred learning processes. Reinforce the fact that everyone is not wired like them and it is possible they aren’t always right.

 

Challenge: The ISTP’s distinctive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving have made them favorites in the field of sports psychology type based assessments. While high-performance ISTP athletes prosper in the hardware department, they often languish in the development of their software.

Solution: Early in their development, put forth great effort into building their life skills, especially relationship skills. ISTP’s often struggle with finding the right words to nurture their alliances optimistically. Out-going people often aggravate strong ISTP’s. They may find an extroverted, feeler coach or teammate suffocating so they prefer to reject the much-needed affiliation.

Benefits of Personality Profiling- Part 2

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis.

Click Here to Order through Amazon

Frank Giampaolo

 

The Benefits of Personality Profiling Include:

  • Customizing the Athlete’s Developmental Plan
  • Assessing Mental Strengths and Weaknesses
  • Assessing Emotional Efficiencies and Deficiencies
  • Identifying Information Processing / Listening Skills
  • Facilitating Conflict Avoidance and Resolution
  • Empowering Communication Strategies
  • Encouraging the Development of Synergy and Harmony within their Entourage
  • Monitoring Self-Awareness and the Awareness of Other Personality Profiles
  • Acknowledging and Respecting Differing Brain Designs
  • Identifying Productive Communication Avenues
  • Assisting in Identifying Motivational Factors
  • Improving Productivity and Efficiency

 

Benefits to Athletes:

In the soft science realms of confidence, trust, and self-esteem, there’s power to be gained from athletes celebrating their profile. Gaining the knowledge of how they see the world makes the soft science of personality profiling helpful in working with varying styles of coaches and teachers. The quicker those athletes understand their cognitive design the more successful they will be at understanding their style of play and customizing their developmental pathway.

The following chapter gets into the nitty-gritty of how your athlete’s cognitive design affects their performance. Hold on tight because I’m about to blow your mind as I uncover commonalities of each typography.

Personality Based Training – Part 2

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis.

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frank

 

Getting to know the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

The MBTI is the most popular psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. It’s my intention to bring to light the usefulness of brain preference identification in the tennis industry. Each student has a preferred way of seeing the world. The basic MBTI theory categorizes preferences into four groups from which individuals identify their dominant cerebral preference.

The Typographies Include:

  • Extraversion (“E”)- People/Places
  • Introversion (“I”)- Theories/ Information
  • Sensing (“S”)- Facts/Reality
  • Intuition (“N”) Possibilities/Potential
  • Thinking (“T”)- Logic/Truthfulness
  • Feeling (“F”)- Harmony/Relationships
  • Judgment (“J”)- Orderly/Structured
  • Perception (“P”)- Flexible/Adaptable

 

For each of the above pairings, your athletes typically have a preference for one system above the other. The combination of their four preferences gives them their initial assessment in a four-letter acronym. An example is personality profile: ISTP (Introvert Sensate Thinker Perceiver)

 

“View your athlete’s brain design (dominant and auxiliary) the same way you would view right-handed versus left-handed body type functions.
Each athlete has an inborn preferred system.”

 

Effective Listening- Part 5

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis.

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Effective Listening- Part 5Frank Giampaolo

Some athletes affirm positive results while others affirm catastrophe. Researchers continue to acknowledge the power thoughts have on one’s actions. Studies show how thoughts, beliefs, and emotions affect human behavior. Following, I have listed a handful of tennis-specific phrases from the mouths of our athletes and you can bet your life these habitual beliefs affect their match performance.

Pessimistic athletes project performance anxieties with statements such as:

  • “I’m always worried about failing.”
  • “I’m not good enough for that level.”
  • “I’m not ready to compete.”
  • “I can’t do it…I always blow it.”
  • “I’m not jealous but how is Kelly playing #1 and not me?”
  • “I have to win tomorrow or my life is over.”
  • “I don’t belong here.”
  • “I hate this…I hate that…”

Optimistic athletes project self-esteem and confidence with statements such as:

  • “I can’t wait to compete tomorrow.”
  • “I respect him but I’m going to beat him.”
  • “Competing is fun!”
  • “I trained properly and I’m confident in my awesome ability.”
  • “I’m grateful for the privilege of playing.”
  • “I trust my game and problem-solving skills.”
  • “I love the competitive tennis lifestyle.”
  • “I appreciate all the love and support from my parents and coaches.”

 

“A man is but the product of his thoughts – what he thinks, he becomes.”
Mahatma Gandhi

 

Applying Positive Affirmations

If one’s thoughts become one’s reality, what exactly is a positive affirmation? A positive affirmation is a positive declaration or assertion.  As optimistic thoughts sink into one’s subconscious mind, they become a self-fulfilling prophecy overriding old negative beliefs and habits with positive beliefs and rituals. Positive affirmations sound like silly fluff to specific personality profiles but they are proven methods of emotional improvement. When applied religiously, positive affirmations have the ability to rewire the chemistry in your athlete’s brain. Elite athletes believe in their potential.

 

Assignment

Ask your athletes to customize ten positive affirmations that will help their self-esteem and confidence. Then ask them to read them aloud into their cell phone voice-recorder app. Finally, ask them to listen to their customized recording nightly as they are falling asleep. As they mentally rehearse their optimistic views, new solution-based habits are formed and negative beliefs are dissolved.

 

Effective Listening doesn’t stop with verbal language. A great deal of information is available from the athlete without them saying a single word. The next chapter addresses the high IQ coach’s secret ability to zero in on gathering critical information via non-verbal communication.

Effective Listening- Part 3

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis.

Click Here to Order through Amazon

Effective Listening- Part 3

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Those of us who fail to abide by the above guidelines send damaging subconscious “red flags” to the athlete in regards to the student-teacher relationship. Parents and coaches who are poor listeners send the following messages to their athletes:

  • Your opinions and views aren’t as important as mine.
  • Your feelings are ridiculous and stupid.
  • I’ll explain your position more accurately than you.
  • Listening to you is a waste of my precious time.
  • I’m superior, stop talking and I’ll prove it once again to you.
  • There’s nothing you can say that I haven’t heard a million times.

Being a thoughtful teacher and communicator begins by being an empathetic listener. Great listeners change the student’s perspective from a problem being a catastrophic event to an issue that is a solvable opportunity for growth.

Questions That Motivate Dialog

A great tool used to develop champions is to ask your athlete their opinion before you tell them your opinion. Questions can be based on an athlete’s perception of their successes or failures.

Dialog producing examples include:

  • “What was the cause of the winner or error?”
  • “How did that feel when you?”
  • “Were you paying attention to the opponent’s?”
  • “What was the highest percentage shot selection at that moment?”
  • “If you could do it again, what would you do?”
  • “What were you tactically trying to achieve?”
  • “Are you staying on script?”

On and off the tennis court, winners are great problem solvers so avoid the parental and coaching temptation to solve all their problems for them. By doing so, you’re robbing them of the exact skill sets needed to win tough future matches. In the big picture, listening to them versus talking “at” them is a much more enjoyable approach for the athlete. It sends the message of trust. It motivates them to take ownership of solution-based thinking. With regards to keeping athletes in the game, customized student-based teaching is a fundamental missing link.

 

Introduction into The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis.

Click Here to Order through Amazon

INTRODUCTIONIMG_080_R_WHITE

 

Let’s begin by using a computer analogy, if strokes and athleticism are the athlete’s hardware, mental and emotional skills are surely the athlete’s software.

We all know that mental toughness and emotional resolve are critical in competition. The Soft Science of Tennis is specially designed to improve the mysterious software skills. With this groundbreaking book, respect is developed, and trust is earned as coaches and parents create an exceptional culture, sharpen stronger communication techniques, and connect with each student at a much deeper level.

The Soft Science of Tennis identifies each athlete’s individual personality profile and unique cerebral design. Throughout these pages, we’ll expose how your athlete’s inborn genetic predispositions affect their behavioral attributes and on-court competitive characteristics.

Getting into the student’s world requires the open-mindedness to embrace how the student’s genetic predispositions impact their match play.

 

“You must first get into their world to change their world.”

 

This book challenges coaches, athletes, and parents to recognize that preferred learning styles and training requirements are unique to each athlete.

The science of profiling personality isn’t new or even unique. Today there are dozens of profiling programs including Disc, Social styles, Predictive Index, Profiles Int., HBDI, Strengthfinder, Keirsey Temperament, TTI, Human Metrics, and MBTI to name a few. These models all share in helping us better connect and communicate. The Soft Science of Tennis applies the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator because it is the most widely recognized profiling application in use around the world.

MBTI is a registered trademark, and inside this book, I am simply sharing my unique, tennis-specific understandings of their application.

Brain design awareness enhances our ability to customize our teaching approach to the different personality profiles found in the sport. While there are many interpretations of personality profiling, The Soft Science of Tennis aims to share techniques that I’ve found highly successful in my 30 years of coaching tennis.

Also included is the importance of nurturing positive character traits and life skills, and why developing a healthy moral compass matter. This soft science book dissects how to conquer essential performance anxieties such as overriding negative belief systems, eliminating internal judgment, and building coachable athletes.

 

“In the coaching field, there is more to the story than teaching fundamental strokes. An athlete’s negative emotional state can and will derail great game plans and exquisite strokes.”

 

Rounding out this book, are several chapters uniquely focused on how to change fixed mindsets, managing fear, and risk, and developing confidence and self-esteem. These are some of the favorite topics of high IQ coaches attending my conferences around the world. Consequently the question, “Why doesn’t anyone else teach this stuff?” has become a reoccurring theme of discussion among coaches and parents alike throughout my travels. Within these pages, it is my goal to share everything you didn’t even know…you needed to know about the soft science of tennis.

Pre-Match Preparation -Part 2

The following post is an excerpt from Neuro Priming for Peak Performance NOW available!

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IMG_080_R_WHITEGame Day/Pre-Match Preparation
(Check Statement If Understood)

  • I will listen to my audiotapes to pre-set an excellent performance.
  • I will morph into an athletic warrior by: ____________________________________________
  • I will warm up my primary & secondary strokes.
  • I will go for a short run right before the match.
  • I will focus on performing excellently … not perfect.
  • I will trust my training and my awesomeness.

 

Weekly Training Reminders (Check Statement If Understood)

  • I will record and watch my actual matches with a high IQ coach.
  • I will focus my training on serving and returning serve.
  • I will rehearse my top seven patterns weekly.
  • I will pay attention to the cause of my errors.
  • I will abide by “The Laws of Offense Neutral and Defensive” in my shot selections.

 

Letting Go of Perfectionism: (Check Statement If Understood)

  • I’ll shoot for excellence, not perfection.
  • I’ll try to win 66% of the points.
  • I’ll relax and give 80% versus 110% effort.
  • I’ll eliminate energy-wasting antics.

 


 

Neuro Priming For Peak Performance- Part 3

The following post is an excerpt from Neuro Priming for Peak Performance NOW available!

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Designing and Recording Protocolsneuro priming

 

Neuro Priming for Peak Performance is organized into five chapters.  Each chapter is devoted to a distinct tennis skill set. Designing an athlete’s personalized audio recordings is best completed with a high EQ (Emotional Quota) coach or tennis mind. The following is a step by step for guide all five sections. (Sample solutions for all five sections provided in Sample Solutions page 34.)

Step 1

With your coach, discuss each of the audio recording topics and complete your personalized script of solutions. These solutions should result from on-court training and most proficient patterns and tactics. The athlete should be able to perform the solutions routinely.

Step 2

Once solutions are identified, find a quiet space, eliminate all distractions, and get comfortable while you read your customized scripts into your cell phone’s digital recorder. Allow 5 seconds in-between tips to enable time for adequate mental rehearsal visualization.

 

Step 3

Begin your mental rehearsals in a calm mental state by breathing deeply, eliminating muscle tension and controlling your wandering mind. While visualizing your physical, mental and emotional skill sets, apply realistic imagery using slow motion and real-time visualization.

 

Key Times for Neuro Priming

  • Nightly before falling asleep, especially before matches.
  • Early morning, when you’re just waking up.
  • Drive time/travel time.
  • Before competitive matches.
  • Between points & change-overs.
  • After competition as a performance review.

Neuro Priming For Peak Performance- Part 2

The following post is an excerpt from Neuro Priming for Peak Performance NOW available!

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neuro primingThe Benefits of Neuro Priming For Peak Performance Includes:

  • Increased confidence
  • Enhanced match awareness
  • Quickened cognitive processing speed
  • Improved the mind-body neuro connection
  • Greater tactical awareness
  • Stroke flaw awareness & solutions
  • Conflict resolution
  • Stress management
  • Opponent awareness
  • Score management
  • Choking & panicking resolution
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Enhanced strategic responses
  • Improved emotional responses
  • Staying on script (patterns and plays)
  • Decreased worry, stress and fear
  • Advanced resiliency
  • Increased motivation
  • Less hesitation
  • Increased developmental organization
  • Upgraded focus ability
  • Enhanced concentration

The Sports Science of Neuro Priming

Neuroscientists report that mental rehearsal activates a network of neural coded motor programs in the brain that when primed activate the athlete’s correct physiological responses. By creating customized audio recordings and then routinely listening to the recordings, the athlete strengthens the neural pathways required for competition.

 

Why Neuro Priming Works

Mental rehearsal is a form of preventative medicine. It identifies the causes of an athlete’s anxiety. Neuro priming pin-points the possible problems and pre-sets their solutions. Performing at peak performance level requires the athlete to be confident and able to adapt when things go astray. In competitive matches, the athlete who has their pre-set contingency plans has superior confidence in their problem-solving ability.

Neuro priming is one of an athlete’s greatest defenses against performance anxieties. It assists the athlete in trading in pessimism for optimism.  (Note: Neuro priming may be a 3 -second between-point visualization routine or up to a 20-minute complete pre-competition review.)

ATP and WTA touring professionals are often quoted as saying the game is 90% mental and 10% physical. Neuro priming is a cutting-edge method to improve the mental and emotional components of a competitive athlete’s tennis game. As I stated at the beginning, an athlete’s routines and rituals ultimately define their success. I hope you find Neuro Priming for Peak Performance the key to maximizing your athlete’s potential.

 

Beating a Pusher- Part 3

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most online retailers!

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HOW TO BEAT MOONBALL/RETRIEVERSIMG_080_R_WHITE

 

3) Movement, Fitness, and Strength

While lateral movement is important, the key to beating pushers lies in the forward and back directions. Here are two rhymes to help you attack moonball retrievers:

“When the ball is high (defensive moonball…Fly!”
Go (Fly) into the court for a swing volley.

“When the ball is slow (defensive slice)…Go!”
Run (Go) through the volley

Speed is broken down into anticipatory speed and foot speed. Combine cognitive processing speed with foot speed drills to maximize court coverage. What is anticipatory speed?

Anticipatory Speed

Anticipation is the act of expecting or predicting, which is a required skill at the higher levels of the game. Once anticipatory skills are developed, athletes begin to cover the court like a pro.

Foot Speed

Acceleration speed, deceleration speed, recovery speed, changing of directional speed and cardio fitness obviously play a critical role in a 3-hour moon ball match. Often in a national event, your child may have to play two retrievers back-to-back on the same day.

Core and Upper Body Strength

Upper Body Strength is required in the war against retrievers because your child must be able to hit balls above their primary stroke zone. The head-level strike zones require tremendous upper body conditioning and strength.

 

4) Emotional/Focus

So, as you can see, emotional breakdowns and lack of focus issues stem from various key areas. Players often fall apart because they honestly are not preparing properly. Lacking in just one of the four major tennis components/categories is enough to lose to a retriever. I have discovered that some talented athletes are lacking in all four areas.

“Emotional resilience is needed versus pushers.”

 

For both the parent and the athlete, it isn’t so painful to experience a beating by a superior competitor. The agony of defeat stems from self-destruction. The next section will uncover 10 unique self-destruction techniques that, when applied, will bail your athlete out when they’re losing to a toad.