[willed]

I was never really one for sports too much when I was young apart from athletics, but now my body's caught up with me and my co-ordination's not too bad. However, when I play squash or tennis I find myself throwing leads away to friends that I know I'm better than now, partly I think because I'm not used to winning at games like that. I know it sounds stupid, but it's more subconscious than anything else. Has anyone else found this sort of thing happening to them? I don't play very often but it just struck me today, playing a guy I beat 3-0 the other day and losing 4-1 today because of stupid play. Partly because I pulled what I can only describe as my arse muscle in the first game (the one I won). Anyway, I'm rambling, but does anyone know what I'm talking about or what to do about it?

[Mafia]

ya i think most times in higher level sports is mainly mental. i mean if an athelete is playing in higher level sports obviously they have the talent to be playing there.

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally posted by willed:
I was never really one for sports too much when I was young apart from athletics, but now my body's caught up with me and my co-ordination's not too bad. However, when I play squash or tennis I find myself throwing leads away to friends that I know I'm better than now, partly I think because I'm not used to winning at games like that. I know it sounds stupid, but it's more subconscious than anything else. Has anyone else found this sort of thing happening to them? I don't play very often but it just struck me today, playing a guy I beat 3-0 the other day and losing 4-1 today because of stupid play. Partly because I pulled what I can only describe as my arse muscle in the first game (the one I won). Anyway, I'm rambling, but does anyone know what I'm talking about or what to do about it?

I had the same problem especially in tennis. I overcame it by playing different people. Go play strangers. Then you go in to it not knowing weather or not they are "better" then you.

[FulcrumPilot]

Play harder next time, if it helps curse spontaneously, break your racket, spit everywhere, threaten your opponent, play for money. Just a few ideas that may improve your game.

[MacNStein]

Originally posted by FulcrumPilot:
Play harder next time, if it helps curse spontaneously, break your racket, spit everywhere, threaten your opponent, play for money. Just a few ideas that may improve your game.

Play for $. Improved my golf game dramatically, by 6-8 strokes per round.

[nredman]

Originally posted by FulcrumPilot:
Play harder next time, if it helps curse spontaneously, break your racket, spit everywhere, threaten your opponent, play for money. Just a few ideas that may improve your game.

i remember throwing my racket over the fence playing in high school, but it was just against a friend. i couldn't ever flip out in varsity matches though

[spacefreak]

If you lose to others, you are not better than them by definition.

Competitive sports, like tennis, are not skills competitions. Skills are but one component of the total package. Physical fitness and game knowledge are others. These components are all pieces that you work to obtain and improve prior to the competition.

As for losing leads, there can be tons of other explanations. Maybe your opponent is finally warmed-up. Maybe they let you have a lead to satisfy their own competitive impulses. Maybe you're endurance is lacking. The list could go on forever.

I'd say dump the "I know I'm better than" attitude. Concentrate instead on each individual point (tennis/squash).

Preparation through training and practice is also HUGE. Take a bucket of balls to the court (solo) and develop a killer serve. You'll be amazed how many times you'll be able to stop those negative momentum swings. And that will begin to affect on your opponent's psyche.

Good luck, and post some scores when you get a chance.

[far200]

I'd say that your focus on some games are not up to par.....I find this from time to time when I play hockey...Sometimes your mind's not in the game right away and you'll lose.....

So it's kinda mental but not so much that your use to loseing...just not ready for that game.

If it was your use to loseing than it would happen more often ( maybe all the time, )
try to warm up more before the game.

[macroy]

Originally posted by willed:
.... friends that I know I'm better than ...

That's your problem right there. If your statement is in fact true - you either just didn't show up (mentally) and expected to win, or you played to his/her level and got beat. Try playing folks that you KNOW are better. That's how you improve.

Also - consistancy is the key to any sport. Just because you are better than a certain team/person, it doesn't mean you'll always win. You can have a off night, or they can just be "on" that day. Luck is usually also involved.

I'm a golfer now... and consistancy is the biggest factor. You hit it well on some days, and on others you want to quit the game.

[Sherwin]

It's all in the mind. For example, if we look at the skills and abilities of Maria Sharapova vs Sarina Williams in last year's Wimbledon, under no circumstances can it be said the Maria has better physical skills or capacity than Sarina.
What won that for Maria was her mental skills - she was in "the zone" all the time, hard as nails, totally focussed.

It's not just sports either. Get in "the zone" in other areas of life and you'll start to perform there too. To give an example, Steve Vai once said that his guitar work while with Zappa was like meditation due to the amount of concentration involved - and it doesn't seem to have done his guitar playing any harm!

Concentrate. Compartmentalise. Forget about what was on the news that morning or what you're having for dinner that evening. Be in the moment. While you're a tennis player, be only a tennis player.

[spacefreak]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
It's all in the mind. For example, if we look at the skills and abilities of Maria Sharapova vs Sarina Williams in last year's Wimbledon, under no circumstances can it be said the Maria has better physical skills or capacity than Sarina.

What won that for Maria was her mental skills - she was in "the zone" all the time, hard as nails, totally focussed.

I don't see how you can definitively state this as a reason for Shrapnova's victory.

People can have bad days. Serena could have had a headache, been dehydrated, had knee pain (which was hurting her most of the year), been exhausted... there are any number of reasons.

At this elite level, the difference in skills is so slight that mental makeup can affect performance as a whole, and it does... I'll agree with you there. But there could have been any number of reasons for the outcome of this match.

In a major final, between two of the world's top players, believe me... both women were as mentally focused as could be. They don't get to the top of their sport, or the finals of a major, by routinely having mental lapses.

Those players who do have weak psyches get nowhere near the finals of Wimbledon.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by spacefreak:
I don't see how you can definitively state this as a reason for Shrapnova's victory.

This is how it looked to me - you could tell by their faces all the way through the match how focussed they were. You could tell that Sarina wasn't in the zone that day - facial expressions, eye movements, etc.. At times it even looked like she didn't actually want to be there.

Nothing scientific - just my own observations.

[Randman]

A good football coach once taught me this. If you are told by a coach (or you tell yourself) something negative (don't fumble, for instance), your mind may just hear "fumble" and you'll get worked up over fumbling, then you'll fumble and really crash, mentally.

Instead, concentrate on more positive statements, (hold on to the ball), which could be heard as "hold on".

It can translate to tennis as well. Don't try and outthink the opponent. Just react. And sometimes it helps to just stop caring and hit the damn ball. Play in a different manner with a different, fun attitude and your opponent may be the one who's now dealing with head games.

[willed]

Some good advice all-round, cheers. I'll let you know if things pick up.

[spacefreak]

Originally posted by willed:
Some good advice all-round, cheers. I'll let you know if things pick up.

Go get 'em, tiger.