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Being human is complicated
It is a very typical problem. There seem to be two ways that have worked for me. One is the kind of fighting spirit described earlier. I am simply trying to fight through the nerves and any other aspect that is in the way. Fist pumping and expending energy can work. But it is also using up energy and if we run out of that we don't have anything left for playing. The other is to completely relax and be focused at the same time. I have experienced this meditative state and usually opponents find this very disturbing. They will try to shake you out of it.
Playing really well requires a very different way of interacting with the world. In my experience, I don't use a lot of words. I don't really try to be intentional. It's an altered state, almost like a spiritual experience. I am very focused on the moment and monitoring my breathing a lot.
But it is hard to maintain this all the time.
Basically, our bodies are wired for fight or flight. We want to escape a stressful situation. Learning to alter this basic survival extinct and use it in a different way within a very artificial situation is difficult.
Welcome to being Human in our modern age.
It could be worse. We could live in older times when all of things might involve our lives or the lives of our loved ones.
We have thousands (millions) of years running through our veins. Tennis brings all of that out every time I play.
Arturo
It is a very typical problem. There seem to be two ways that have worked for me. One is the kind of fighting spirit described earlier. I am simply trying to fight through the nerves and any other aspect that is in the way. Fist pumping and expending energy can work. But it is also using up energy and if we run out of that we don't have anything left for playing. The other is to completely relax and be focused at the same time. I have experienced this meditative state and usually opponents find this very disturbing. They will try to shake you out of it.
Playing really well requires a very different way of interacting with the world. In my experience, I don't use a lot of words. I don't really try to be intentional. It's an altered state, almost like a spiritual experience. I am very focused on the moment and monitoring my breathing a lot.
But it is hard to maintain this all the time.
Basically, our bodies are wired for fight or flight. We want to escape a stressful situation. Learning to alter this basic survival extinct and use it in a different way within a very artificial situation is difficult.
Welcome to being Human in our modern age.
It could be worse. We could live in older times when all of things might involve our lives or the lives of our loved ones.
We have thousands (millions) of years running through our veins. Tennis brings all of that out every time I play.
Arturo
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