Playing tennis has been a form of
meditation for me I call “PRO[1]
mindful play.” Playing tennis in the brutal summer
heat is the foundation for my mindfulness practice in relaxing in the “now.” Also,
playing tennis presents many “mental” weather systems to learn from. Increasing my concentration on how to play
with little effort, I give my fullest intention to pay attention.
Enjoyable tennis play has allowed me
to reach greater “presence.” The acronym
PRO- Pause, Relax and Open can help expand
my wakeful play— arriving fully in the present.
When I “pause” between points and
slow down-- becoming more responsive and less reactive-- increases my
concentration during play. Next when I
“relax” and focus on mentally showing up I lessen my errors and increase my
accuracy.
My introduction to mindful tennis first
began when I asked my first question to my own tennis guru, Pauline Betz Addie. Forty years ago my first question when I met
Pauline was, “What is the most
important thing in learning tennis.” This world champion and trail
blazer for pro tennis replied, “Concentration.” She was my Zen
master: her work skillfully instructing tennis was her play.
Two years
ago on Pauline’s 90th birthday, I asked Pauline’s oldest tennis friends if she
knew anything about her perfect finals match. Nancy Dillon replied that
she watched the entire match. Nancy lost the round to Catherine Wolf
in the semis. Pauline in 1943 won 48 straight points - a perfect match- in the
Tri-State Singles Championship. In 1986,
Pauline and I (both former Edgemoor Club Pros) won a perfect set playing doubles
against a close friend and then Head Pro at Edgemoor.
Playing in
the “PRO focus zone” is a graceful body/mind experience of enjoying this game.
The mind becomes quiet and the body listens, observes and responds. Being present is and makes me a better tennis
player. Both meditation and tennis share
what is most critical: fine tuning when you make exact contact with the
ball. Focusing on this specific contact
point of racket on the ball is a lesson in meditation.
First just catch the ball on the
strings with a simplified overhead stroke and hear the popping sound when the ball precisely hits the middle of their racket
strings. It is fundamental for my game to diminish my errors and improve my
consistency.
When I become more gentle and friendly, I can then observe more clearly the
nature of my mental, emotional and physical activities.
Clarity comes when I observe more and foster observance of the nature of “being.” Beneath the entrance to the center court of Wimbledon there is a non-judgmental Rudyard Kipling quote, “If I can meet triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same”. Key in excelled play is to observe rather than judge, otherwise we become hindered by such identification.
As a PRO, I “pause” calming my mind and body. Pausing lessens my play. Relaxing allows me to arrive in the present instead of wandering off in the past or future. The more I “relax,” the more I “open” to whatever arises. When I become more “open” I discover various points of concentration that expand my moment-to-moment attention.
When I pause, relax and open to the “PRO focus zone” I improve my contact point. The volley is an excellent example of this responsive grace.
Tennis
gets me to focus in the here and now. Just as a camera lens clicks, I
develop a shot-by-shot process to be with and listen to my tennis sense, or a
clearer focus and understanding of my shots. Countless hours of exploring
how I can use my body sensations has sharpened my game and expanding my technique.
When I find greater alertness and relaxed play, I also find my “PRO focus
zone.”
For
example, when I focus on hitting a tennis ball in the middle of their strings
and notice the sound the ball makes when it meets this sweet spot. The
more I find my “PRO focus zone,” the better I make and direct my shots. I
best “arrive,” with placing the ball in a high percentage area (e.g. the
service line T) that troubles my opponents. When I hit the ball at the bull’s
eye instead of just the larger target, I increase my consistency.
Sometimes
I hold my breath when following through on my shot. Reminding them to inhale on back swing and
exhale on follow-through has assisted many of my students to improve
performance. Getting my students to
exhale with a calming aaaaahhhhhh sound or saying yes is another skillful tip.
Mindful
tennis is how I pay greater attention to my “PRO focus zone”. I like the metaphor of rock climbing to
understand this mindset of moment-to-moment awareness. It is a process of
being alert and awake to how each moment unfolds. Visual cues are critical for
me in skillful play since improved hand/eye coordination requires specific
reference points in space to increase tennis shot execution, thus enhancing my “PRO
focus zone”.
My “PRO
focus zone” is about the fun exercise that results. A different type of tennis “zero-love” comes
when I empty myself to just be “here and now”. I challenge you to find any great superstar
that does not have some sort of “PRO focus zone.” I attempt shots with a sense
of effortlessness. I guide myself to
enter the “PRO contact zone”: a flow state to improve their tempo of effortless
effort (knees, hips and shoulders working in unity). Work is transformed into a ballet of play.
I extend
the “PRO focus zone” into positive stroke visualizations of how to gracefully hit
the shot. Using exact mental images of championship form is how Olympians
prepare for their Gold medals. Imitating
the Pros creates a positive visual. This lessens distractions, doubt and other
counter-productive thoughts
“PRO focus
zone” cultivates skillful mental exercising. Pausing, relaxing and opening with
an alertness helps me heightened my level of play. This practice both unfolds a
greater understanding, and it shifts me to an more aware game. In turn,
concentration can resolve aspects of my game that feel stuck, creating new flow.
Increased awakening from moment-to-moment tennis play allows me to excel.
Relaxing in the now with a sense of alertness is what I define as grace in the
“PRO focus zone”. Tennis is my object of meditation. Arriving in the “PRO focus
zone” happens when I pause, relax and
open.
(For further information please
refer to http://awakenedwithexercise.com/ and http://eztennistips.com)
A
few helpful on court tips:
·
Develop
the routine between practice sessions where you
Pause, Relax and Open (PRO) to provide greater renewal, concentration and
continuity.
·
Create the space
– I establish a special space to remember to explore effortlessness.
·
Visualize what to concentrate on– relax and see yourself hit an ace. Focus on being fully
empty, graceful and visualize how to hit the next shot.
·
Visualize relaxing yourself – Before key points take a quick relaxing body scan: start
at your scalp and move this mental massage gently downward, letting go and relaxing
and softening each part of my body. Visualize
yourself as a bowl of pure, clear, still water.
·
Play with a loving kind mind set- empty and clear yourself with a loving
kind presence in each moment stimulating fresh possibilities.
·
Flow- effortless effort is go with the flow. Less identification more unification. Transform the “I” with the
“Eye contact”. Nothing to resist, just be in the moment.
·
Focus on a specific contact points –select various contact points
expanding your “focus zone.” Just as in
tennis when you make exact contact with the ball it is the most critical
element of play. Focusing on your contact
point deepens their mindful presence. Such
contact points are: 1) Physical sensations-contact of the ball 2) Breathing-
exhale on follow-through 3) Sounds-of hitting the ball in middle of the
strings.
Off the Court helpful hints:
- Sit every day, even if it's for a short period or several long pauses visualizing mindful tennis play. Remember your ZEN-play is work and work is play!
- Reflect regularly on your aspiration for improving tennis play.
- Use inspiring resources to cultivate further mindfulness and awakened tennis skills.
- Remember off the court you can observe, and lessen the “judgment”; accept what unfolds so as to awaken how you may enjoy greater tennis fun!
