How to play like you train

With awareness and practice athletes can perform in a focused, intense and almost automatic nature during tournaments. Matt Ahlberg looks at the ideal performance state concept.

One of the most common performance issues we deal within tennis is underperforming. Players saying, “If I could only play like I train” is a very common sound for a sport psychologist.

How do players take the same focus, energy, and relaxed, yet intense, attitude into a match that they have achieved at training?

The short answer is awareness and practice. Now, for the long answer. The first important component is awareness. Players need to be aware of some key mental aspects of their ideal performances and their best training sessions so that they know what they can produce in matches.

Ideal performance state
The concept of an ideal performance state (IPS) is not a new one but it is a crucial one for players and coaches to understand. A player’s IPS is the situation when everything comes together physically and mentally so that performance is focused, intense and almost feels automatic. It’s where the player is so wrapped up in the moment that there is minimal thought, there is just action.

Many players will be able to recall when they have had an experience like this. Coaches talk about it with their players in terms of playing “one point at a time”, or “playing within yourself”.

Many players lack an understanding of what their IPS is and, just as importantly, how they can achieve it consistently. Once players become aware of what their IPS is they can practice the skills and use the tools to achieve it in tournaments.

Powerful role models
It’s no secret that the best players in the world have a mental edge. A big part of that edge is that they understand what their IPS is and what works for them to achieve it as consistently. Whether they use intense warm-ups, consistent routines, visualisation, or any other skill, the fact is that they use these strategies in order to achieve their IPS.

Next time you are watching Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic playing some of their best tennis look for the little things they do (and don’t do), which shows you that they are in their IPS. Federer is calm, cool and in control when he is at his best. He uses quiet yet positive reinforcement of good points, and moves quickly to the baseline to re-set after the not-so-good ones. Compare him to some of the other great players like Djokovic or Serena Williams who show more energy and are more animated. These guys scream and cheer after good points. They show their emotion and it fuels their energy to play well.

The important aspect to remember is that there is not necessarily a better or worse IPS, it is more important to find what works for you and train it.

Training your IPS
The second key component to playing like you train is integrating mental skills into your practice. Once players are aware of their IPS they need to learn how to train it. Players spend hours everyday training and practicing the physical, technical, and tactical aspects of their game but don’t spend anywhere near the same time on their mental game.

Like every other facet of the game the mental game needs work. Focused, directed, and specific work is essential. It’s not enough to think that the hours of training and competition are going to ‘naturally’ improve your mental game.

Once a player knows what their IPS feels like they need to understand the actions and the thoughts required to achieve that IPS regularly. For example if your IPS involves playing with high intensity then a tough warm-up, lots of movement on court and plenty of loud, positive talk after good points are some possible ways to achieve that intensity more often.

These thoughts and actions then need to be practiced consistently at training. This is because in training many players feel comfortable, confident, and energetic so their IPS happens automatically. However, it is rarely the case that it happens automatically in tournaments. Players are stressed, pressured, anxious and sometimes lacking some self-belief.

By practicing the thoughts and actions that help to generate a player’s IPS they are better prepared to be in the best headspace to play the way they train. Some examples of training your mental game include using your pre-serve routine in match-play training; cheering yourself on after strong points; setting goals or targets for the session; and moving around the court with quick feet even if you feel tired and low on energy.

Training the mental game takes time. You can’t have an unstoppable forehand overnight, nor can you control your emotions and be mentally tough in an instant. It will take time, effort and discipline, but it will happen.

Matt Ahlberg is a sport psychologist and director of Mental Notes Consulting. For further information go to www.mentalnotesconsulting.com.au.

This article first appeared in Australian Tennis Magazine.