Tennis Players Can Use Simulation Training to Hone Concentration

It’s distracting to see or hear extraneous sights or sounds that have nothing to do with your game and it’s distracting to have a negative internal dialogue going on when you’re trying to play. It’s equally distracting to be thinking about the score when you should be watching the serve and getting ready for the return or getting depressed about missing three consecutive forehands instead of preparing early for the next shot. Anything that distracts concentration is fatal.

Simulation training

There are a lot of factors that get in the way of concentration during a match fortunately however there are many solutions. The best solution is what’s called simulation training. Simulation training is done in practice to simulate experiences we want to have happen during match play. Simulation training can help you identify internal and external distractions, give you a chance to find solutions for dealing with those distractions and provide you an opportunity to practice dealing with distractions during practice so that in a match dealing with those distractions will happen automatically.

Practice solutions

It’s important to have solutions for dealing with distractions during your match. Using simulation training during practice will help you find the best possible solutions for dealing with concentration so that when you are in a match you will automatically know what to do. Here are some examples. If you’re behind on the scoreboard instead of looking at the score refocus your concentration on better first serves and improved returns. If you’ve missed three consecutive forehands prepare early for the next shot. You can’t go back and change the fact that you’ve already missed three consecutive forehands but you can control hitting a winner on the next forehand.

Never play from a place of fear. Fear controls everything particularly your concentration. Fear makes you late and tentative on your strokes and leaves you second guessing the placement of your first serve. Fear stiffens our muscles and makes our breathing shallow. None of this is facilitative.

If you have practiced regularly there is nothing left other than to play your game. You may play better than where you are but you can play worse. If you start off slow bring your concentration back to where it needs to be and finish strong. It is in your control.

If you need tips on how to use simulation training or deal with concentration please contact me: drmichelle@drmichellecleere.com.

Happy Saturday!

Dr. Michelle

Photo by James Marvin Phelps