You may be confused as to what I am trying to ask, but basically athletes tend to pay too much attention to either what just happened or to what will happen next. In either situation, what they often fail to do is to stay focused on the task in front of them. Peak performance is achieved when we pay attention to the current process feeling optimism and trust in our abilities. As easy as this may sound, it takes consistent practice to accomplish it on a regular basis.
A recent client indicated she was noticing getting upset for losing the last few points of her tennis match. She was up 5-2 in the second set and lost the next 3 games. Now serving 5-5, she was more concerned about having lost the last games rather than trusting her game. Her body was getting ready to serve; she followed the pre-shot routine of bouncing the ball three times, took a relaxing breath, visualized where the ball was intended to land and proceeded to serve. While she was carefully following her routine, her mind was sending her mixed signals. The fact that she was fearful of losing another game, her serve was tentative and was not really focused to return the opponent’s shot. Athletes tend to get mentally caught up in the past, which is a common distraction that affects performance.
It is equally common that athletes feel the pressure to wanting to close a game. They add tension to their performance. They see the end of the game and try to rush it in order to put an end to it. In either situation, looking backwards or forward, the athlete deprives him/herself from showing his/her best game. The fear of losing or the anxiety toward finishing the game creates a physiological reaction that leads to tension in tendons and muscles. Under this response, the body is limited from moving with the flexibility it needs in order to quickly respond to the demands of the sport.
Looking backwards or forward is not just a mental distraction, but more importantly, it creates a physiological reaction that athletes may not be fully aware of as they tend to put blame for their failures on their skills or opponent.
Athletes can only control what is in front of them. The pre-shot routine they use needs to integrate not only a coordinated movement, but also a synchronized mental attitude in order to prepare them to perform to their fullest potential.
Backwards or forward?
1- Become aware if you are playing with any fear about potential losing or having pressure to close the game.
2- Once you are aware, then accept those emotions rather than negate them, and bring focus to the present by staying positive and doing relaxed breathing.