Tips · Strategy · Mindset

The Mastermind Blog

Insights on tennis technique, mental performance, health, and the mindset that separates good players from great ones — straight from Coach Luis.

Filter:
⭐ Featured June 17, 2018
Strategy Mental

Life Lessons from the French Open

The recent French Open leaves us with incredible lessons applicable to daily life. Simona Halep's perseverance through three prior grand slam final losses — and Nadal's 11th Roland Garros title at 32 — are studies in what belief, persistence, and discipline can achieve.

The recent French Open leaves all of us with incredible lessons that we can apply to our daily lives. First let's start with Simona Halep's victory. She had been to a grand slam final 3 times before, with a loss each time. Especially tough to overcome was last year's French Open final in which she had been ahead twice in the match only to lose confidence and fold under pressure.

She worked hard, overcame her demons and reached the final of this year's Australian Open — but she again came out 2nd best to Wozniacki. Any other player could have been terribly affected by that defeat, but she bounced right back and claimed the next SLAM. At the recent French Open final she was actually down a set and behind in the second set when she started her turnaround.

It is so true that a loss — or any setback — can take you either to learn and become a better person, or it can take you down the opposite path. It's all up to you, how you react. Halep learned from each defeat and in the end knew that if she trusted her training, played her game, and believed in herself, eventually things would play out. And they did.

On the other hand, Rafael Nadal's victory shows a different angle. Here is a player that a couple of years ago was struggling to find his game, recovering from injuries, with younger players battling to dethrone the old guard. Nadal had already won 10 Roland Garros titles — he really did not have anything to prove to us, but to himself he did.

His 11th Roland Garros victory exemplifies that persistence, consistency and discipline will always play a critical part in creating the outcome you wish. And it is even more impressive doing it at 32 years of age when there are so many excellent young tennis players in the field today.

Hard work does pay off, but hard work plus belief can be an unstoppable combination. See you at the next Slam!

November 17, 2015
Benefits Health Strategy

5 Quick Tips for Reaching and Maintaining Peak Performance

Whether on the court or in life, peak performance follows a pattern. These five steps — from building a grand vision to cultivating the right relationships — create a framework for sustained excellence at any level.

While these tips can be used for tennis or any other sport, they also apply to our daily life and work no matter what we are involved in.

1. Develop a Grand Vision

A vision that will pull you to get up every day and work toward that fulfillment. In tennis, your grand vision might be to be number one in your local league or be in the top 3 of your high school tennis team within the next 12 months. The vision you design will drive you to create specific goals and activities that you work on daily.

2. Abundant Energy and Strong Health

Without health we cannot do much. In tennis we must maintain a healthy and injury-free body in order to practice and play matches at a high level. We must eat healthy, exercise daily, and most importantly, get enough quality sleep. Recharge your batteries completely for the next day.

3. Develop a Champion's Attitude

Attitude plays a huge part in reaching and maintaining peak levels of performance. A champion's attitude means you will find a way to win or get things done. With the proper unwavering positive attitude and training, you will find a way to turn the match around.

4. Build Habits and Rituals

Habits and rituals make peak performance almost automatic. Some essentials for tennis: proper focused training, pre-match routines, healthy diet, and a champion's mindset. For success in life we also need effective exercise routines and time alone or in nature for emotional balance.

5. Surround Yourself with the Right People

You need balance in your life, and part of that is a strong network of family and friends. Healthy relationships increase your success and happiness. In tennis you also need people who will help you excel — friends, parents, or a coach. Although these 5 steps look simple, the challenge is maintaining consistency day in and day out.

April 17, 2015
Health Mental Strategy

Are You Playing Present Tennis?

"Playing in the moment" is one of tennis's most-repeated phrases — but what does it actually mean, and how do you get there? Coach Luis breaks down the four steps to reaching a true state of "present tennis," plus two secret ingredients most players overlook.

You're probably familiar with the phrase "play in the moment." If you really understood what that meant, you should be playing better tennis today. Playing in the moment means you play your best without effort — hitting your best shots practically every time. It's akin to playing "in the zone," a state we sometimes reach but for very brief moments. I call these moments "present tennis."

4 Steps to Present Tennis

  1. Watch the ball on every point, all the way past impact. You already have a sense of the court's dimensions, so your focus should stay on the ball until after you strike it. Trust your training — your shot will go where you're aiming.
  2. Let go of the result of the last point. Winning is easy to move on from. Losing a point you should have won is tough. The key to your success is developing the skill to forget the last point and stay focused on the next.
  3. Trust yourself. Trust that the practice you've put in will get you through the match. If you've practiced diligently, this step comes naturally with time.
  4. Go with the flow. Tennis, like life, has ebbs and flows. You cannot play your best when stressed out. As you learn to get centered and trust yourself, you'll experience more moments of your best tennis. Stay patient.

Two Secret Ingredients

Meditation will help you calm down quickly, get centered, and stay focused on the present. Meditate at least 10 minutes every day. If you can't stay still for 5 minutes, you definitely need to meditate for 10.

Yoga incorporates slow, deep rhythmic breathing which relaxes body and mind. Join a local gym that offers yoga, or download a basic yoga app and start tomorrow. The combination of yoga and meditation helps eliminate the internal chatter that shows up at the worst times during a match. Quiet the mind and watch yourself play some of your best tennis.

March 3, 2015
Mental Strategy

Nadal's Mental Toughness

Off the court, Rafa is quiet and humble. On it, he transforms into a relentless competitor who doesn't give up a single point. Coach Luis breaks down how Nadal builds his legendary mental strength — and how you can apply those principles at any level.

Nadal has won 13 grand slams in 8 years — a feat that exemplifies extreme consistency and amazing mental toughness. So how does he do it? Off the court, Rafa is quiet, maybe timid, but very humble. On the court he transforms himself into a full-fledged competitor who will stop at nothing to win.

Clues We Can Follow

  1. Develop a pre-match routine. Watch Nadal carefully — he does the same things setting up his racquets and drinks next to his chair, charges back to the baseline after the coin toss like a fighter. These small things keep him focused and mentally strong throughout the match.
  2. Never give up — fight for every point. Nadal fights for every point as if it is match point. Even down 0–40, he gives nothing away. This sends a message to your opponent that he will have to fight for every single point.
  3. Positive attitude. Rafa always expects to win the next point. Even when he loses a tough point he doesn't dwell on it. A positive attitude creates an expectation of success.

His Uncle Tony has said that while everyone praises Rafa's speed and agility, he is even better in the mind — one of the main advantages he has over his opponents. Rafa himself says tennis is, more than most sports, a sport of the mind — it is the player who best isolates himself from fears and morale swings that ends up being world number one. Now it's your turn to keep improving your mind for tennis.

December 2, 2014
Benefits Mental Strategy

The Importance of Goal Setting in Tennis

Setting the right kind of goals — outcome, performance, and process — can be the difference between steady improvement and frustrating plateaus. Here's how to apply the SMART framework to your tennis game for maximum motivation and results.

Goal setting is essential to achieving things in life, and tennis is no different. Whether beginner or advanced, setting the right goals enhances performance and improves motivation.

Three Types of Goals

  • Outcome goals — general, like winning your regional singles tournament or being the best on your varsity team.
  • Performance goals — measurable, like increasing 1st serve percentage or reducing unforced errors by 20%.
  • Process goals — focus on how you'll improve a particular stroke, with the process itself as the focus.

Make Them SMART

Goals need to be SMART — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound. Keep in mind goals are either short term (days to a couple months) or long term (6+ months). Don't just set long term goals — maintain motivation with short term goals as stepping stones.

Example in Action

Say your short term goal is hitting the forehand volley down the line 7–8 out of 10 within 3 months. Your action plan:

  • Set aside 30–45 minutes weekly to work on this stroke
  • Take private classes to confirm proper grip and technique
  • Study YouTube videos of pros hitting this shot
  • Review progress regularly

Write your goals down. Studies show you're about 30% more likely to achieve a goal when it's written. Review every week or two to stay on track.

October 13, 2014
Benefits Flexibility Health Mental

How Yoga Can Boost Your Tennis Game

Most tennis players don't practice yoga regularly — and it's costing them flexibility, stamina, and focus. After recovering from a meniscus tear, Coach Luis shares the poses and benefits that transformed his game, and why every player at any age should add yoga to their routine.

Yoga for tennis — a no brainer, right? Yet I bet most tennis players reading this do not practice yoga regularly. Eventually the conversation at my tennis club arrives at getting older, getting injured more often, and slowing down. That's where I interject — it doesn't have to happen that fast.

About 6 months ago I finally started practicing yoga daily. It has been one of the best decisions I've made for my body. I've suffered pulled calves, back strain, and a partial meniscus tear that required surgery. After surgery I still felt pain, so I downloaded a yoga app and started daily practice. In time, yoga increased my flexibility and reduced the pain in my knee. As I strengthened the surrounding muscles, the pain diminished.

I also found other benefits. Learning to slow my breathing helped me recover faster from high heart rate after long points. Deep breathing also improved my mental focus — slowing my breathing between points forced me to concentrate on the next point and my strategy.

Best Poses for Tennis Players

  • Tree pose — strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, back; improves hip flexibility, balance, concentration
  • Triangle pose — builds lower back and upper leg strength; relieves tension; improves coordination
  • Warrior II — strengthens legs, back, shoulders, arms; builds stamina; opens hips and chest
  • Spinal twist — rotates the spine laterally; tones spinal nerves and ligaments
  • Chair pose — strengthens lower back and legs; opens chest and belly

What You'll Gain

  • Increased flexibility and improved balance
  • Stronger core and legs, more stamina
  • Injury prevention and restored energy
  • Full-body coordination and symmetry
  • Improved mental focus

Age doesn't matter — even in your teens or twenties, a daily yoga routine provides great sports and overall health benefits. Follow a routine for at least 15–20 minutes a day. With today's smartphones, downloading an app that leads you through a complete routine is easy. Your tennis game will thank you.