Tag Archives: mental toughness

How to Build Mental Toughness

Posted on January 11, 2019 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

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

IMG_080_R_WHITE

HOW TO BUILD MENTAL TOUGHNESS

Players who are confident have a mentally tough aura about them. They are extremely intimidating because their confidence is obvious to all. It’s evident in their body language and facial expressions.  So, how can your athlete develop radiant confidence?

First of all, your athlete starts by reading about it. Then they gain it on the practice court. Mentally tough competitors earn this impenetrable wall of confidence by preparing properly. Mentally tough players are much more than just mentally tough. They are mechanically sound, emotionally unflappable and physically fit enough to thrive in third set warfare. Yes, they’re mechanically tough, emotionally tough and physically tough.

Below is a checklist of components that need to be developed by your child’s coaches.  Remember, it is your job as the CEO to assist the coaches in raising athletic royalty. 

Developing Mental Toughness Checklist:

Stroke Mechanics:

  • Develop reliable fundamental (primary) strokes.
  • Develop a tool belt of secondary strokes.

Mental:

  • Organize & rehearse your child’s top 7 patterns of play.  (Generic Strategies)
  • Rehearse patterns of play used to pull different styles of opponents out of their game. (Stylistic Strategies)

Emotional:

  • Organize their between point rituals & changeover rituals (both internal & external.)
  • Pre-set protocols to handle performance anxieties.

Athleticism:

  • Build the speed, agility and cardiovascular requirements needed to endure two separate three-set matches a day.
  • Build the strength and stamina required to close out six matches in a 3-5 day (64 player draw) event.

 

My students have won close to 100 National titles to date. Each one had a parent and an entourage of great coaches who were very involved in organizing and implementing their developmental plan. Most often, these champs worked their deliberate, customized organizational plan for 2-3 months before becoming National Champions.

 

Special Note to Parents: A partially committed parent is simply a hobbyist. That’s fine – tennis is an incredible hobby that teaches many life lessons. However, a hobbyist parent should be satisfied with raising a hobbyist tennis player and not expect champion results. In today’s game, it’s unfair to expect your child to become a champion without parental commitment.

Solutions to 2 Popular Performance Anxieties

Posted on April 13, 2018 by in Emotional Aptitude in Sports

The following post is an excerpt from Emotional Aptitude In Sports NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

 

Solutions to Popular Performance Anxietiesea-in-sports4a_final

To illustrate how unique personalities operate differently, I’d like to reintroduce you to the twins: Evan and Jarrod. Let’s again call upon the brothers to offer their take on the following top ten performance anxieties.

 

Handling Pressure

Evan: I thrive under pressure because I’ve focused on it every practice session. I enjoy the negative scoring drills. These stress-buster exercises keep me focused throughout the practice session. They make me accountable for every sloppy error. They help me not only with my fundamentals but with my decision making, my problem solving and my self-coaching/internal dialog.

Jarrod: Dude, I just like to crank the tunes in practice and groove. I don’t need to think about my emotions. So what…?  I get mad when I compete…I’m not worried about it!

Frank’s Tip: Multitask and incorporate stress simulation scoring into daily training. This develops the emotional muscle as well as the technique.

 

Mental Toughness

Evan: I’m probably more successful than my peers, but not because I’m a better athlete, but because I prepare my psychological responses to game time stress. I think it’s because we make the time to discuss all the emotional scenarios and have pre-set the appropriate protocols.

Jarrod: I don’t care about mental toughness in practice. I’ll save my focus and concentration for the real match. You mean players actually train their concentration and intensity levels? Wimps…

Frank’s Tip: Athletes and coaches often categorize emotional toughness as mental toughness. In my opinion, there is a difference between mental (X’s & O’s of strategy) and emotional (performance anxieties.) It’s important to correctly categorize the cause of the performance inabilities. For instance, is the athlete unaware of the proper strategy to be implemented or is the athlete so nervous and fearful their strategy is un-accessible under stress? Identifying the cause will help define the solution.

More Solutions to Performance Anxieties

Posted on March 20, 2017 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from Emotional Aptitude In Sports NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

ea-in-sports4a_final

Popular Performance Anxieties

To illustrate how unique personalities operate differently, I’d like to reintroduce you to the twins: Evan and Jarrod. Let’s again call upon the brothers to offer their take on the following top ten performance anxieties. (Following is Solution Number 2)

2. Mental Toughness

Evan: I’m probably more successful than my peers, but not because I’m a better athlete, but because I prepare my psychological responses to game time stress. I think it’s because we make the time to discuss all the emotional scenarios and have pre-set the appropriate protocols.

Jarrod: I don’t care about mental toughness in practice. I’ll save my focus and concentration for the real match. You mean players actually train their concentration and intensity levels? Wimps…

Frank’s Tip: Athletes and coaches often categorize emotional toughness as mental toughness. In my opinion, there is a difference between mental (X’s & O’s of strategy) and emotional (performance anxieties.) It’s important to correctly categorize the cause of the performance inabilities. For instance, is the athlete unaware of the proper strategy to be implemented or is the athlete so nervous and fearful their strategy is un-accessible under stress. Identifying the cause will help define the solution.

Legal Gamesmanship Tactics

Posted on May 15, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

QUESTION: Should athletes employ legal gamesmanship tactics?

Frank: Yes, athletes should employ gamesmanship tactics-but legal gamesmanship tactics ONLY!  Winners in all sports routinely apply physical, mental and emotional tactics. It is your athlete’s job as a competitor to profile the opponent and spot and attack their vulnerabilities. This is the art of being a competitive warrior. Let’s look at the ways top ATP/WTA professionals apply emotional warfare to control the match dynamics.

“Adaptive gamesmanship is perfectly legal. It requires doing what it takes within the rules that govern the competition. It’s an acceptably, healthy use of the competitive fire.”

Forms of Legal Gamesmanship:

1) Intimidating with an aura of confidence.

2) Dominating play by running their top 7 patterns and staying on script.

3) Going to the towel (Time Management) before each mega point, after they have committed two unforced errors in row, after a long winded point to lower their heart rate and to cool off an opponent who is on fire.

4) Apply between-point and change-over rituals to control the speed and tempo of the match.

5) Taking legal bathroom breaks to change the energy of the match.

6) Taking legal trainer breaks to attend to minor aliments when the opponent has all the energy.

7) Looking to break the opponent’s rhythm as they control the tempo of the match.

8) Remaining silent and composed. This makes them appear to be unflappable under stressful situations.

Employing an Alpha attitude is an important characteristic in competitive athletics. An Alpha-like confidence comes across in an athlete’s composure, demeanor and facial expressions. By mastering the legal forms of intimidation, an athlete controls the competitive situations.

SPECIAL OFFER: 5 E-Books for  ONLY $25.00 through www.MaximizingTennisPotential.com
Click Here to OrderBOOK SALE-page-001

 

 

CONTACT: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

Mentally Tough Component

Posted on August 15, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

 

Ten Essential Components of the Mental/Emotional Tough Competitor:

  1. Dedicate physically, mentally and emotionally to the process of becoming mentally tough. Without full commitment, it is unlikely mentally toughness will be achieved.  Mental/emotional toughness can only be mastered by someone who is ready to dig deeper into the strategic, stubborn protocols of winning and the psychology of defeating their own demons.

 

  1. Acknowledge that being mentally/emotionally tough isn’t reserved for the gifted few. Mental/emotional toughness as well as mental/emotional weakness is a learned-earned behavior.

People around the world from the passive Buddhist monks to the aggressive Navy Seals spend each day developing their mental/emotional toughness skills.  Some juniors have unknowingly invented their own mental/emotional weakness protocols and because they don’t know better, return to them religiously under stress.

 

  1. Decide to stay the course and confront hardship instead of bailing out at the first sign of confrontation.

Psychologists call it the fight or flight syndrome. Choosing to persevere through difficult circumstances leads to improved confidence. Getting in superb physical shape is a great place to start. Begin the journey by fighting through exhaustion, pain and discomfort.

 

  1. On a daily basis, multi-task and build the mental/emotional muscles along with stroke production.

Closing out every single drill develops mental/emotional toughness. Negative scoring (Drill to 10 – subtracting 1 for each error.) to each physical practice session to rehearse overcoming hardships.

 

  1. Commit to a deliberate custmentallylf-trust are learned and earned.

Choosing to do what the moment demands within a millisecond requires preset protocol training- the deliberate, customized repetition that incorporates how, when and why pre-set solutions (protocols) are applied.

 

  1. Accept that becoming mentally tough requires sacrifice. You must choose to be a normal ‘kid’ or a champion. You have to pick one…because you can’t be both.

Mental toughness requires you prioritize your time- putting everyday normal ‘kid stuff’ aside, most of the time, as you becomes athletic royalty.

 

  1. Develop the ability to employ the art of intimidation and to raise the adrenaline level at crunch time.

Raising positive energy at crunch time inflates the athlete’s performance while systematically deflates the opponent’s performance. Intimidation is the confidence role/act that begins pre-game as the athlete morphs into a ‘warrior.’  Staying in that ‘warrior’ mind-set or on-script throughout the competition is essential.

 

  1. Choose to be a courageous competitor – playing to win versus playing not to lose.

Applying the strategically correct system the moment demands under pressure, without fear or hesitation, no matter the score, the opponent or seeding is essential.

 

  1. Master the ability to handle adversity – such as poor start times, adverse elements, occasional sickness, minor injuries, and/or gamesmanship.

Choosing to see disadvantages as challenges versus obstacles too difficult to overcome is mental/emotional toughness.

 

  1. Persevere and be willing and able to remain on course and stay on-script longer…

Most good athletes are able to perform like a ‘pro’ occasionally. Greatness stems from an athlete’s ability to perform good after good. Consistently remaining in the peak performance state is essential in the higher echelons of sports.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
Affiliate 

Mental versus Emotional Toughness

Posted on May 4, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

What is The difference Between Mental Toughness And Emotional Toughness in Sports?

Mental Toughness is:

  • Mental Components Relate to Analytical match Decisions
  • Three Tiers of Match Strategy
  • Assembling Game Plans
  • Strategies to Play against the 4 Main Patterns of Play
  • Customizing the Top Seven Patterns
  • Positioning to Maximize Success
  • Opponent Awareness (Style of Play, Strengths and Weaknesses, Top Seven Patterns and Frustration Tolerance Levels)
  • Shot Selection (Hitting the shot the moment demands.)

 

Emotional Toughness is:

  • Emotional Components Relate to Athletes Ability to Handle Competitive Anxiety
  • Controlling Anger/ Fear/Nervousness
  • Staying Unflappable Under Adversity
  • Closing Out a Set/Match/Tournament
  • Concentrating for the Duration
  • Playing at Peak Performance vs Weaker Players
  • Overcoming Choking or Panicking
  • Successfully Handling Hardship (Injuries, the elements, bad luck, gamesmanship, or an aggravated opposing playing style)

 

Diagnosing the correct cure begins with discovering the actual stressor.

Thanks, Frank

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
Affiliate 

 

Causes of lack of mental toughness

Posted on May 3, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

 

If I had a dime for every phone call I received like this…

“Hello”

“Hi my name is Mrs. Johansson. My child lost again to a no-body!  I hear that you can help.”  Her voice cracks as she chokes back her emotions, “Chloe is so good but chokes and loses to seemingly less talented player? “

“Why do you think I ask? “

“Chloe’s just not mentally tough! “she adds.

As we dig deeper, we uncover that Chloe’s issues aren’t mental at all.  What makes the mental toughness component so mysterious and confusing is actually quite simple. The answers lie in the true cause of the breakdown versus the actual visible signs of distress.  The signs of on-court distress manifest in emotional breakdowns.

  • On-court breakdowns may include:
  • Hyperventilating,
  • Throwing the racquet,
  • Screaming,
  • Crying ,
  • Fast and mindless  play

The actual cause of the distress includes the four causes of error’s which include:

  1. Mechanical Flaws,
  2. Inappropriate Shot Selection
  3. Poor movement and Spacing
  4. Weak Focus/Emotional issues

Listed below are 3 examples of common match play scenarios where by the on-court outbursts are incorrectly labeled as mental issues.

Examples of Mislabeled Breakdowns

  1. Joey is out of shape. By the third match, his lack of fitness manifests in anger on court. Parents and coaches don’t recognize the lack of fitness issues; instead they say “Joey has mental issues- he is just not mentally tough.”
  2. Sarah has emotional control issues. When hooked by a creative line caller, her emotions pull her focus toward the drama of the hook and away from her actual “mental” performance goals needed to close out the match. Parents and coaches don’t see the emotional disconnect and say “Sarah has mental issues- she is just not mentally tough.”
  3. Mikey has a flawed forehand grip on his two handed backhand. This flaw leads to a rolling racket face through the strike zone. Under stress, Mikey’s muscles tighten and inhibit the smooth relaxed motion needed for him to roll the racket face within the millisecond window through the strike zone. As a result, his backhand deserts him when he needs it the most. This “mechanical flaw” leads Mikey to panic and play faster and faster without any between point rituals. Parents and coaches don’t see the mechanical breakdown and cry “Mikey chokes under pressure. He is just not mentally tough.”

As illustrated above, an on–court outburst has an underlying cause that is very different than the visual actions of distress displayed.  Identifying the underlying problem and proper training to improve the flaw is the only way to become a more mentally tough competitor.

The most efficient training method uses the “school methodology”- systematically shifting through all aspects of training- stroke production, pattern play, fitness, etc.( Just as a school child is shifted from subject to subject daily- such as from math to science to history to language etc.)

All too often, tennis coaches focus only on fundamental stroke production or a singular component hour after hour, week after week, and year after year, while expecting the player to develop a COMPLETE GAME through osmosis.  It just does not work that way. The player’s game becomes unevenly developed and a lack of confidence ensues.

Thanks Frank!

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
Affiliate