I am absolutely fascinated by time travel, so is it a surprise that HG Wells’ classic movie “The Time Machine” is one by my favorites? The truth in tennis and many other sports, however, is that time travel is no fantasy at all. It is a crucial training method known as imagery, and it is so often neglected.
Tennis is often called a "mental" sport. What does this mean? It really accents the types of demands placed upon the player. High priorities include having a well-thought-out pre-match strategy, making rapid and accurate decisions under fire, adjusting on the fly, and staying calm and focused throughout. It's like playing chess, but with a whole lot more fun and fitness thrown in. Mental factors are also essential in developing physical skills such as efficient strokes, footwork, and coordination. Without proper knowledge gained through quality instruction, progress is hopelessly slow. Unlike in some other sports, sheer athletic ability and brute strength plays a less important role. Would you run away from Justine Henin-Hardenne if you met her in a dark alley? Point made. What is really needed in tennis is advanced software. Get ready to climb aboard your imagery time machine.
Imagery, also called mental rehearsal, visualization, or mental practice, is described as a mental technique that programs the human mind to respond as programmed, by using all the senses to recreate or create an experience. It has been called one of four categories of mental skills important in athletic performance. I just call imagery practice, because what occurs in your brain when you imagine playing tennis is very similar to reality. The key part missing, of course, is the final neural signal from the motor cortex to activate muscles, but it is a great mental workout that approximates reality. Traveling back in time to re-experience a previous match or ahead to play a future match makes it a legitimate mental time machine.
Whenever we imagine ourselves performing an action in the absence of physical practice, we are said to be using imagery. Although research into the exact mechanism of imagery lags behind the practice of the technique, many tennis players find it helpful. It is used to rehearse new skills, refine existing skills, prepare for particular points, and get ready for an entire match. Studies show that imagery helps reduce the time it takes to warm up physically, reduces fear and anxiety, and increases self-confidence.
How do you use imagery? Like any skill, proper practice is needed, and sport psychologists teach athletes how to do this through guided sessions individually and in groups. I’ve used one form of imagery or another with almost every professional tennis player I’ve worked with, and I’ve am currently using it with several NFL players. The truth is that most recreational tennis players spend enormous time and energy on their strokes and other physical skills while neglecting this wonderful training. Ask yourself what percentage of your practice time is spent hitting balls versus developing essential mental skills through techniques such as imagery. I am excited to see Jimmy Connors back in tennis. He once said that tennis is 70% mental skills. Others say it is 99% mental. Are you even spending 1% of your training time using mental techniques?
Be careful before you start. Imagery may hurt your game if your understanding of strategy or strokes is deficient because you’ll just reinforce bad habits if you don’t know what to imagine. If you are a professional or advanced tennis player, this should pose few difficulties. Beginners and intermediates should schedule regular lessons with their tennis professionals to make sure technique and strategy is well understood. Imagining a Wimbledon victory is silly if you can’t imagine hitting a volley properly.
Imagery can be practiced by lying down or sitting comfortably in a quiet room, fully relaxed, with eyes closed. This longer version lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. It is often used prior to a match and helps prepare players mentally. Here, the player rehearses a wonderful performance, often visualizing several complete games or a set point by point. A shorter version of imagery, lasting only a few seconds, can be used during match play. For example, prior to serving, the player visualizes a great serve to a specific location out wide. Imagery is also useful to imagine high percentage shot sequences, and to develop anticipation skills for a quicker and more effective response during the point.
Some players have a more natural ability to form images than others, but it should also be remembered to re-create more than just visual images. All senses should be invoked to make it seem as realistic as possible. Imagine the sound of the ball bouncing, the pressure on the hand at the point of contact, and even the slightly excited feelings of a terrific point.
Here are some tips for those with difficulty forming images:
- Try thinking in pictures rather than words
- Look at tennis pictures or videos prior to using imagery
- Stay in a quiet, relaxed and calm environment to avoid distractions
Here are some general principles to enhance imagery:
- Make the imagery seem as realistic as possible. Include all the senses in full clarity and detail within a similar emotional context
- Practice imagery regularly as it may take months before seeing improvement
- Believe that imagery works, as your attitudes and expectations enhance the effect
- Keep a focused yet relaxed attention while using imagery
- Internal imagery is very effective. What this means is picturing yourself actually accomplishing the feat (from your minds eye), rather than viewing yourself from the outside looking in.
- Only imagine playing great tennis. This will boost your self- confidence and reinforce good habits.
Imagery allows you to transcend the bounds of space and time to your advantage. I often conducted imagery with clients listening to a song to evoke a feeling or image that song evokes, perhaps when the song was popular during a great past performance. This mental time machine is a very powerful technique when done properly. Now maybe I’ll get back on the time machine and win the 1935 Wimbledon title. It would be fun blasting heavy topspin shots against those athletic and talented but flat-hitting ghosts of the past!
Dr. John F Murray is a sports psychologist in Palm Beach, Florida and at *www.JohnFMurray.com*