To Blog or not to Blog.....

That is the question!
Most people blog daily, twice daily and even thrice daily, but i blog when i can and when i have something to say.
Is that enough after all i had over 500 people read my articles from 15 Countries around the world.

I guess not, so this is the sketch from here on in....
Each week will consist of the following

1 x tennis article on one of the performance factors
1 x drill/game of the week
The diary of my week as a coach and player
1 x quote of the week
1 x message of the week
1 x guest blogger if and when available
1 x best product, book or dvd of the week

Not too much to ask for i believe!

Will blog my week and thoughts now and take it from there, see you on the other side

I Quote...

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.

How the Brain Works!

Principles of the Brain

Here is a great article from my book World Class Tennis Mentality…..

Every thought you have sends electrical and chemical signals throughout your brain! Thoughts therefore have physical properties; they are real and have a significant influence on every cell in your body. For instance think of your favourite food of all time, imagine the smell, the taste. Is your mouth salivating?

So what just happened? Well, what you will learn in this part will affect your performance directly, by controlling your thoughts and hence your emotions you can only but improve everything about your game.

Scientific research shows that your brain can learn new things; it is just a matter of believing that you can!

Even if for now you have to literally lie to yourself!

PROFOUND STATEMENTS…

Give enough focused intention to any project fully and the spirit of that project will grow and give itself back to you ten fold.

This is right up there with…

As within, so without.

The Kyballion

It took me a long time to understand either of these, I wonder how long it will take you?

Science has made spectacular headway in how our brain works and has shown that if used regularly will grow, after all you never truly grow old…if you become a lifelong student of learning. We generally either allow it to grow until we literally die or let it wither. This is the ‘use it or lose it’ type scenario.

The trouble is, we naturally, as humans, (well for 95% of the population at least) place self‐limiting chains on ourselves by allowing negative self‐talk that influences what we achieve, or even worst prevent us from trying something new because we are fearful that it just will not work or it is impossible to do.

The following was learnt from a very knowledgeable Doug Bench and his Science for Success Systems (www.ScienceforSuccess.com). The reason I feel the need to tell you this is two fold. Firstly I wish for you to know the source of this geniality and secondly if it’s wrong then Doug should have known better!!

A ground breaking experiment….

Whilst in the midst of venturing into how our brains work, selected volunteers were asked to calculate simple maths problems whilst being observed under a PET scanner (computerised technology that literally scans the brain). It was always thought by scientists that when calculating any problem under this PET scanner on the computer screen just one certain part of the brain would light up. The amazing discovery however whilst under the scan another 5 areas lit up, so each subject was thinking in 6 different areas of the brain at once!

Further studies proved that by admitting sedatives to willing volunteers, neuroscientist found that the one area calculating the problems fazed out leaving the other 5 working away. Hence the conclusion being these 5 parts were on a non‐conscious level and the final part of 6 on a conscious level. More importantly since you are unaware of your non‐conscious thoughts, your non‐conscious brain can’not tell the difference between what is real or imagined, truth or a lie. Hence why the phrase ‘Fake it until you Make it’ is all too real and should be utilised at every opportunity.

Now why don’t you do the maths, 1/6th or 5/6th, where should the majority of our tennis play be?

Cut out the conscious thinking and you are on to a winner, better still cut out the conscious thinking and do enough to get inside your opponents head and you will take the upper hand which could be enough to take the match. But let’s not end on that note! Take this in, the 5/6th Non‐Conscious actually thinks 10 million times quicker than the 1/6th Conscious.

This is an interesting article about life on tour

Blog - Oct 2010

I hope everyone has had a great month of September and those in the tennis world have had a well deserved break before starting up their training/tournament load again.

All is fantastic at SotoTennis - the boys went up to Cordoba on Friday to sign in for the qualifying of a Futures there. It was a really valuable weekend for them all, particularly Dave Hodgetts. At 16 years old, it was his first senior professional tournament, and he won two matches to make it through to the last round of qualifying, beating two experienced players.

Unfortunately though, one of our boys did not get in. Six spaces were left for the taking, with seven players having signed in. The names were drawn from a hat, and Rob Carter’s was the only one not picked out. He was naturally disappointed, but it’s another great `character builder` for these guys and all part of the `pro tennis players` life. I spoke to him on the phone and tried to pass on some of my experience, wow I am getting old! I told him about a good friend of mine Lee Childs, who is a former top 5 player in Great Britain and Davis Cup player. Lee left home early morning Boxing Day one year to travel to Qatar for the season opening tournament. In tennis we `sign in` at events to prove we are there as tournaments are all over the world. He ended up being one ranking place from getting in the tournament, so it would seem, wasted £2,000 on flights and hotels. He practiced there all week though then flew to Sydney for the next event on the calendar, but again he was 1 or 2 ranking places from getting in. So, another £2000 down the drain. Onto Brisbane next, where the same happened, and then again at the big event, the Australian Open!  So four weeks, £8,000, thousands of air miles and he never played a match! BUT, Lee gained 4 weeks of experience at big events, hitting and socialising with top 100 players in the world, and while he didn’t play, he learned how tournaments like this ‘work’, and settled into that environment.  He went on to have a fantastic 6 months including winning a main draw match at Wimbledon! A great example of a true professional, and while there are not many sports where this would happen, he didn’t mope around feeling sorry for himself,  but came away having still gained valuable experience. I am confident my guys will react the same in this, and similar situations in the future.

All else is good here in Sotogrande! We are coming to the end of a 4-5 week hard training block where the guys fitness levels have soared and their games have developed nicely. They will get to put all their hard work to the test next week when they travel to tournaments in Barcelona, Libya, and Japan.  No, I wont be at all of them unfortunately – the ITF at Barcelona it is for me, with Josh, James, and Rob. Matt Kirby from Cambridge is also joining our travelling team which is great. I hope I have some good news next week and I’ll be able to write about what fantastic attitudes our players showed and that they did everything they could both on and off court, within their control. That is all we can ask…

Please feel free to e mail any topics you want us at STA to talk about in future…

Play to Win

The best coaches are the best teachers - 11 keys to effective teaching

Effective Teaching

Use the right language

Tell athletes what is right rather than what is wrong. Tell them what to do rather than not what to do.

Remember the brain thinks in images and can not differentiate between positive and negative. For instance instead of saying 'don’t keep so upright' sending this image to the brain, it would be better to say bend at the knees. You could also think of a pink elephant or in fact don't think of a purple elephant!

Assume the athlete doesn’t know

Better to repeat something known than omit something unknown. Teach them, tell them what you have taught them then tell them again!

Limit the information given in a coaching session

Keep the session to the main teaching point along with anything the student realises or attains himself. This is the best time to teach students when they have just discovered a particular task or skill themselves.

Be objective and purposeful

When working in a group or squad environment use examples that have just happened but be careful not to single out negative examples that individual members of the team may have made.

Ensure any assistant coaches use the same language

This speaks for itself conflicting language is inconsistent and may cause confusion. Ensure you both speak the same coaching lingo!

Gain Rapport

When teaching the group ensure you make eye contact with all the group not just single people.

Watch for reactions to what you say negative and positive this can give you valuable information on what players think.

When coaching with individuals connect by touch. A hand on the shoulder or pat on the back will suffice this ensures the message gets through.

Connect with the whole team not just the best, they all need your time and energy.

Encourage feedback with the group

Ask open ended questions about the tasks and skills you have been working on. At the end of the lesson ask the students what the biggest impact for them personally was.

Set goals within tasks

This maintains purpose and helps with everyone individually. Whereas the group maybe working on a set task via the teaching point, each student may have an individual aspect to focus on.

Use mistakes as a vehicle for teaching

A player who doesn’t make a mistake is one who isn’t achieving.

With mistake management have players understand what was I trying to do? What should I have done? How can I do better next time?

Reinforce effective learning and great behaviour

A great way to reinforce is on the approach of the task not the outcome. This will spill over into match play when we want players to continually perform better over the outcome of winning being the be all and end all.

Introduce the mental game of tennis at all times

For this you need my 12 week course. Shameful plug but there you have it!

www.andytennis.co.uk

British Tennis Latest News

British LTA Failed to Reach its Targets

The much criticized reign of Roger Draper as chief executive of the cash-rich but far from successful Lawn Tennis Association has suffered another massive knock with the revelation the governing body has failed to meet any of its own targets.

Draper, who took control four and a half years ago with a confident insistence that he was the man to finally turn British tennis around, and has signed off the spending of hundred of millions of money bequeathed to the LTA by both the All England Club and the British Government.

Now Draper has been forced to admit the failings of his regime when obligated to address the LTA Council with a “State of British tennis” address.

The most apparent failing is the dearth of British players in the respective top 100’s on the men’s and women’s tour. Draper prophesied by now there would be at least four British men figuring in the ATP World Tour’s top 100 and the same of the WTA Tour. Instead there is just Andy Murray and Elena Baltacha.

“Despite many encouraging performances in recent months [Murray contesting January’s Australian Open final and more recently Baltacha reaching the top 50 for the first time] we are unlikely to hit our target of eight players in the top 100,” admitted Draper, who initially put great faith in paying top dollar for a list of big name coaches such as Paul Annacone, Brad Gilbert, Carl Maes and Peter Lundgren. “Whilst we are on track for our doubles target, we only have two players in the top 100 singles, not helped by Anne Keothavong’s long-term injury.

Draper also said Britain would by now be a fixture in the Davis Cup’s World Group. Instead they only avoided relegation to the depth of Euro/Africa Zone Group Three by beating Turkey at Eastbourne.

Earlier this year Britain lost to a team of teenagers in Lithuania, prompting Captain John Lloyd to resign.  “The Davis Cup performance against Turkey was encouraging and we need to begin the long way back to higher groups,” continued Draper.

Another of the LTA’s wishes was that the average ranking of Britain’s leading five men would be 160, but this week it is 204, and they also did not come close to reaching the target for the women’s game either, which was that the leading five British players would have an average ranking of 113. This week, that average is 151.

Draper added: “We have also revised our year-end target for the number of people aged 16+ playing weekly. For the period from the end of September until mid-December, we have revised the target to 530,000, which represents a growth of 37,000 compared with the same period in 2009, which is what we need to achieve each year to reach our target of 150,000 more people playing weekly over the four-year plan period.”

Most worrying for Draper is the fact 16 year-old Liam Broady, probably Britain’s most promising junior player, currently ranked the 35 ^th best under 18 player in the world and winner of the Wimbledon junior doubles titles this year, is not available to represent his country in any LTA backed team. Broady’s father Simon is so disgusted by the Draper regime he will not allow his son to be selected while the current management team is in place. 

The BIG Secret

Okay first and foremost check this out and give me some feedback on Facebook if you can......

http://hudson.megabyet.net/#

Okay having worked with many players at club level and got them to a good standard whereby consistency and effectiveness is key i realised that when it came to playing matches (and for some for the first time!) it turns out they are shocking!

So the key is to give them a confidence word, image or feeling on the shots that they struggle with along with an intensity number.

Lets take the serve for instance, when in practice it looks, feels and works great. This is when our student needs to describe what it is about the shot that makes it work. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 relaxed, 10 tense) where do they sit when hitting great serves?

Now put this into point play and see if it can be adhered to.

Every shot they feel important can be utilised in this way, one key trigger word or image when it comes to it. Remember the brain thinks in images not words! Words get changed to an image taking longer!

My next article in a few days will be on the workings of the mind

Till then!

The Secret to maintaining confidence in your first ever match

Stay tuned for this important report i will publish tomorrow and the powerful exercise that you simply cannot miss out on.
Andy

Tennis Psychology E-course hits America!

This course has been so well received that i have had interest from America to start pushing it over there.

Don't forget you get the following...

Week 1 - Knowing your game
Week 2 - The Art of Confidence in your game
Week 3 - Power goalsetting for performance
Week 4 - The ultimate pre training confidence exercise
Week 5 - The importance of crossing the line for a winning mindset
Week 6 - Personalised Serve Routines
Week 7 - Personalised Return of Serve Routines
Week 8 - End of point play and scenarios to keep you on track
Week 9 - Staying activated and towards the zone
Week 10 - Pre match planning and game plans
Week 11 - After match evaluation and never ending improvement
Week 12 - Free Question and Email Session

The next intake is at the end of September to apply copy and paste the link below

http://tiny.cc/1ia8d

Look forward to hearing from you

Andy

Routines...

Whilst writing my new ecourse i was just putting these in and decided to share along with you all, i am sure they will be a great help!

Serve Routines in 5 easy steps

1. Go to the B.A.R. (Breathe and Release)

This is a centering breath to prepare the body for battle

2. Question what’s my best plan of action now?

This helps with understanding your last play, your game plan and visualisation of the next step

3. Cross the line - (Look opponent in eye)

This is to happen only when (and only when) you have a clear, concise idea of your next play

4. Visualise to Realise

Understand what your mind sees your body will adhere to

5. Let it rip

One last power breath and do not wait a moment longer, go for it

Return of Serve in 5 easy steps

1. Go to the B.A.R. (Breathe and Release)

          Centering Breath

2. Visualise returns of both sides

          The server is in control so maintain the correct mindset ‘this ball is going back’

3. Cross the line - (look opponent in the eye)

          Mentally re-emphasize this ball is going back

4. Look for clues on serve early on

          Scouting will help this but if not try to pick up cues early in the first set

5. Trained Instinctive Response

          This is from hours of practice, self-doubt is of no use now, go for it

THE LIFE OF A TENNIS COACH AND VET PLAYER: USANA

THE LIFE OF A TENNIS COACH AND VET PLAYER: USANA: "http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1508123976357&ref=n"

USANA

A busy week since my last blog, can too many 8-10 hour days be healthy?
I am just about to sign a contract with USANA to supply suppliments to athletes and coaches in the UK.
Having used these for a whole week i can say i have more energy to do what i need to.

Many top tennis players are using it and i can understand why click on the title above for more info

Enjoy!

Rafa's Press Conference quote...

 'my goal has always been the same for all my life. I want to keep getting better every year and feel I am playing better tennis this year versus last year'


You gotta love this! Certainly something to put on a poster and show all the juniors who play at your club.

Trigger Word Drill

This drill will help you apply self-talk to help you stay focused on different tasks in tennis. The goal of this exercise is to help you stay focused in the moment. Firstly, select 3 tasks in tennis. When you have done this, select a word or short phrase that describes the correct action in each. I.E. serve you may say - hit up, return of serve – stay low. You should try and use these words or phrases before the execution of a task. When you have mastered your cue word statement for each task move on and select a new statement to help you focus on a different aspect of the same task. You might want to change the task and develop new cue word statements!

Good Luck

Return of Serve Training

Return of Serve Training

Andy Dowsett

"OK, do you want to get broken first, or do you want to let me hold?" —What cheeky world No. 1 Martina Hingis quipped at the coin toss before a 1997 match against Lindsay Davenport.

Advantages of returning serve

• If your opponent is a slow starter, you have a better chance of getting an early service break.
  
• If you are a slow starter, you have a better chance of avoiding an early service break.
  
• If you serve on even-numbered games, you serve immediately after every changeover. Then you are physically and mentally rested—albeit your opponent also is—and that gives you a better chance of holding serve, especially in the latter stages of grueling matches.
  
• If you choose return of serve to start the match, you still have about a 50 percent chance—depending on whether sets total an even or odd number of games—of serving to start the remaining sets. And if you start the match returning serve and you play a first-set tiebreaker, you will serve to start the second set.
  
• If you boast an excellent return of serve and your opponent has a poor serve, you may want her to serve first so you can try to gain an early service break and get off to a fast start.
  
• The same thinking holds true (in reverse) if you have a weak, attackable serve and your opponent has a terrific service return. You can avoid a demoralizing early service break by selecting return of serve.
  
• If your opponent wins the toss and selects a side of the court so that you're looking into a bright sun and/or you're against a heavy wind, you may not want to risk losing your serve in the opening game.
  

THE TECHNIQUE
Basics
Athletic Stance - Positioning towards the ball - Grip

Work out opponents range of serves zone
Set up your Y-formation in relation to the above


THE TACTICS
Utilise the following tactics to enhance your return of serve game

• First, stand far behind the baseline. This often encourages your opponent to overhit the serve in an effort to get it past or through you.
  
• Second, stand closer to the service line. Many players take this as a sign of disrespect for their serve and become unnerved. Often it triggers a more aggressive, riskier serve than the server might otherwise attempt.
  
• Third, a variant of the previous tactic, stand close to the service line before your opponent serves. This can create pressure on the server, then just before the serve, move back to a safer position to actually make the return.
  
• Four, stand nearer to one side. Invite the server to serve into the open area of the service box. This tactic can often force a serve to your stronger side.
  

Return Targets using the 4-Square basic routine

Tactical choices for the receiver in terms of 4-Square.

• If you don't know the server's capabilities, at the beginning of the match, it's wise to use percentage tennis and target the back two squares using topspin or well-struck underspin shot that drives the ball deep into the court.
  
• As the match progresses, you should start varying your return locations. To hit to the wider squares.
  
• If you're looking at a slow, shallow second serve into the service box, you can also use a drop shot to 1 or 4.
  

Consider the following tactical points also…

Borrow pace from the big first servers

Make something happen when returning second serves. Here, patterns of play enter the picture. Either drive the return deep into the corner or chip and charge and take control of the net. When driving the return of the second serve and remaining on the baseline, simply play the ball crosscourt. No real reason to return down the line, for in that case the net is high, the court is shorter, and most importantly, the recovery footwork is magnified.

Approach up the line

THE PSYCHOLOGY

Pay attention to what happens after double faults (3 in a row is winner)

Now consider the server who double faults, and then misses the subsequent first serve – assuming they would not care to deliver consecutive double faults they generally let up on that next second serve. The aggressive receiver knows this is coming, steps in and makes something happen, working always to apply more and more pressure against the second serve.


Overall aim - to play at 60-70 percent of return stroke capability so you can get a high percentage of returns in.

Psychology Help....I Accept.....

The day before a match i want you to unburden yourself with thoughts. Make your self an 'Acceptance List'...

Accept things that you know will happen to you in the match, a great coach of mine once said ''Imagine everything that could go wrong in a match and you would be just about right''

I will start you off

1. I accept that i will get some bad line calls in the match

2. I accept that my opponent will hit some superb winning shots against me

3. I accept may double fault more than my usual twice in the match

Your turn

Tennis coaching via internet is here!

I have had the pleasure of working with a few players via what i call e-link. This is whereby they send a cd or trailer of themselves for me to look at and i comment back again with drills and suggestions on where and how to improve. Along with a mail back again when the data (which is normally the case) is too big.

Take a look at this on my web http://www.andytennis.co.uk/Tennis%20Videos

While the mistake is there until i can correct it with pricing on one if you email me quick enough you can have the service for that price! You have about 5 hours from now!

A fine line between love and hate!

In a News of the World or tabloid kind of way i would like to personally apologise to Clive Carrigan for venting my emotions to a situation that should be kept outside of blogs and anything else!
I think the situation could have been handled better from both sides but Clive's integrity and standing is as good as it has ever been and will carry on so.
We will as always remain the best of mates and for the record we never really broke up just took a 14 week vacation!

The worst job in sports? Is tennis coaching all it is made out to be?

Check this article out, certainly makes interesting reading about the trade of Tennis Coaching!

Mind over Matter also known as the power of belief in oneself!

When Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile within a year 37 more runners completed this feat also. 300 more the year after and nowadays it happens all the time!

When an Australian basketball team wanted to improve more they divided their team into 3 groups
1. Practiced taking foul shots 30 minutes every day and noticed a 24 percent improvement
2. Did nothing and improved by zero, zilch, nada.
3. Practiced mentally via visualisation only. They improved by a 23 percent margin!

In 1976 the Russians trained their olympic team in the following ways
1. 100% physical training, 0% mental training
2. 75% physical training, 25% mental training
3. 50% physical training, 50% mental training
4. 25% physical training, 75% mental training

Group 4 SHOWED the most improvement!

Many top athletes use mental training....Does your coach? Do you?

Start your visualisation programme with my free 'Refridgerator Technique'.
Email enquiries@andytennis.co.uk