Hypnotherapy for tennis

Before I talk about hypnotherapy for tennis, I want to mention a book written in 1974 ‘The Inner Game of Tennis’ by Timothy Gallwey.

It gives tennis a long history of looking for answers to the game beyond coaching and practicing, practicing and practicing.

The inner game is your mind set. How you think and feel versus the outer game which is simply the mechanics.

And this is what I want to talk about. Being set for success. It’s something I do with all sports people I work with. Especially tennis and golf.

They overlap. Players know when they’ve hit a great shot. They also know when they ‘lost their game’.

I help them get it back, keep it and grow it.

It boils down to this.

With hypnotherapy for tennis your first skill to learn and remember is letting go. Us humans tend to judge ourselves and our performance as either good or bad.

Don’t. Don’t give it meaning. Think, “ What is this teaching me?”.

Just take the learnings. And keep moving forward.

And the best way to do this?

Calmly.

So, enter hypnotherapy and hypnosis.

Why? Because when you judge yourself, feel mad at your shot, you create tightness in your body, you’re bent out of shape. This interferes with the fluidity needed for accurate and quick movement. Relaxation produces smooth strokes and this is a result of you accepting your strokes as they are, even if they all over the place.

We’re stopping the red mist and smashed rackets.

Hypnotherapy versus hypnosis

Quite simply hypnosis is relaxing and focussing your attention. You do it already. It’s called ‘being in the zone’.

Hypnotherapy is using hypnosis to ‘heal’ something. Usually to take away a negative meaning

How does hypnotherapy for tennis exactly help your tennis game?

There are specific areas of your tennis game we can work on. Hypnotherapy for tennis can build a resilient player by:

Increasing emotional control. This includes managing anger and anxiety. You can see yourself playing calmly ‘in the zone’.
Increasing Motivation. Keeping energy levels high. Dealing with the ‘flat spots’ when you feel lacklustre.
Overcoming limiting beliefs. You set a wall. You believe you can, say, never go further than a semi-final, you don’t believe in your second serve, when you go behind you believe you can never come back.
Overcoming Mental Blocks. Certain courts, players, days of the week, surfaces you feel just beat you. They needn’t.
Competition Preparation. "Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.” It feels a well worn phrase, but it’s true. This isn’t about the will to win, it’s about planning
Arousal Control. Let’s keep you in the zone. Don’t berate yourself. Let all things pass.
Stopping Negative Self-Talk. There’s a Japanese samurai saying, "Do not speak badly of yourself, for the warrior that is inside you hears your words and is lessened by them.” This is what
Pain Control. The niggles can get blown up in your mind - every twinge a full blown tear. Let’s stop this. Pain is temporary, a win forever. Come on.
Performance Enhancement. You may train hard, but let’s get more out of you. I don’t mean getting ‘psyched up’ before a game. It takes more than just channelling nervous energy into your performance. Under hypnosis you can visualise success , ‘see’ it in you mind and then execute it in the court.
Improving metal focus.
Mantras and positive self-talk: A positive mental attitude is essential for performance. Before the match, use positive affirmations such as “I'm ready”, “I'm mentally strong” or “I'm going to play my best tennis today”. These mantras can help you avoid self-doubt and self-sabotage.
Recovery and Rehabilitation from Injury. You can heal from an injury, but sometime you may need to believe you can come back better. Don’t be tentative
Reducing Perception of Effort. You may feel you’re trying. But, as the saying goes trying is lying. It’s focusless effort. You don’t need this mindset.

James Thomas. Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist.

I work with sports people across a variety of sports - ultra runners, golfers, drivers trying to break into Formula One, footballers trying to get professional contracts, women footballers trying to get into the Italian Women Serie A, horse riders who’ve lost their confidence.

Why the picture?

Who is that old duffer from some bygone era? Look, even his racket is made of wood.

Bjorn Borg, was known as the "Ice Man.” He famously cultivated a stoic and unemotional demeanour on the court, focusing on mental fortitude and discipline to control his emotions and maintain focus under pressure, even though he had a temper as a child. 

That was his learning.

Borg's suspension for bad behaviour as a child served as a turning point, teaching him the importance of controlling his emotions and focusing on his game. He learned to channel his energy into his performance rather than expressing it through outbursts. 

He stayed in the zone longer, rarely questioning calls or engaged in arguments, even when he felt wronged. 

And who learnt from this? Roger Federer.