Inner game of tennis

[gzhpcu]

Am currently rereading Gallawey's book. Think John's Visual Tennis book goes in this direction. The danger of paralysis by analysis is high. Any thoughts?

[bottle]

Yup. The danger of not enough analysis is high, too.

[gzhpcu]

Just wonder what tennis teachers think of his book and his method of teaching.

[johnyandell]

There are two parallel and not totally consistent strains in his thought. That tennis can just happen with bounce hit. Which is ridiculous.

The second is that learning is visual. He goes into this much more deeply in his second book.

The other problem is with his tracking the ball idea. That's not the way the eyes work.

Still, I love the book and it's inspirational. The self one self two stuff is brilliant and really the forerunner of Jim Loehr's work and many others.

[ark]

How do the eyes work then?

[klacr]

Great book Phil.

Maybe not 100% accurate as John spoke about, but you don't have to take a technical approach into it. Take a more philosophical approach and extract the ideas that resonate with you.
The Inner Game is a must read for any tennis player despite some of the cons

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[bobbyswift]

inner game

My take away for teaching was awareness. Asking students too do specific thinking. Is the ball dropping apex or rise. awareness of ball arc and where opponent is making contact in their strike zone. Am I open or neutral with my feet at contact. David Baileys variations could be changed to which foot I am hitting off. Bounce hit with understanding opponents contact is my split. listening for sound and explaining how mishits affect play. Am I taking ground giving ground or holding ground. And others. Along with tactical advice trying to give students a different thinking approach, Just my two cents.

[johnyandell]

It's an inspirational book and most teachers have been influenced by it in positive ways that have lasted years.

[johnyandell]

Ark,
Now that's something I plan to do articles about! A couple of experts in the field we need to bring in house...

But your eyes work in jumps. You need to jump from the read of the ball to hard focus on the contact point or the top of the bounce. The ball moves to fast to stay hard focused on it's entire path...
It's not like you are not watching but the Gallwey idea of watching seams spin all the way back and forth, no... focusing on the seams after the bounce, before the hit, yes...