One thing more than any other keeps players from immproving level after level in tennis. It’s not technique or strategy related, or even access to good coaching. Without addressing it you’ll eventually plateau and then stay stuck for the rest of your playing career. Find out what it is and how to break free from the trap in today’s special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast.
Out of all the cliché, overused tennis coaching the instruction to “finish your follow through!” is one of the worst. Find out why and what you should be doing instead in this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast. You’ll learn how a long, smooth, full follow through can actually happen automatically, without you thinking about it at all, so your whole tennis game can become more powerful and easy!
What’s happening inside the mind of an elite competitor like Roger Federer right as things are looking most dark and pessimistic during a match? Is he visualizing holding a trophy, saying positive affirmations or some kind of special mantra? This episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast reveals the answer along with 4 huge takeaways that we can all learn from when it comes to mental toughness and playing our best tennis under pressure!
If you’ve ever felt stuck in your tennis game then this episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast is a must listen. It features four stories from Ian’s past as a player and coach where things felt very wrong and how he was able to navigate through those tough periods. If you’ve ever lost your tennis happiness then this is a must listen!
A huge chunk of the practice tennis players do is a total waste of time. It’s a waste because the same bad habits are getting repeated again and again and again. How do you get off that merry go round of non-improvement? Find out in this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast. It’s time to finally break free and make meaningful improvements to your game!
There’s a shocking truth about how points are won and lost in tennis. It’s true for the most elite professional players in the world and also true for the rest of us. Failing to understand the reality of this insight will leave you frustrated, angry and ineffective on the court. Find out what it is in this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast so you can have a clear, accurate understanding of how the game truly is.
Tennis players blame all kinds of things for not improving as fast as they want including lack of time, money, training partners and quality coaching. Unfortunately there’s a much bigger, more important reason that nobody ever talks about. Find out what it is and how you can overcome it in this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast.
I recently took a tennis lesson in which I wasted my coach’s time. It could have easily been avoided by taking some simple steps before the lesson started but I failed to see it coming. Find out what that mistake was and how you can learn from it to take charge of your tennis improvement and advance as quickly as possible in this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast.
It doesn't matter how long you've been playing, what level you've risen to or how high your tennis IQ is; you're probably living this lie on the court right now. Find out what it is and the two solutions you can deploy right away in today’s episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast.
As we get older adjusting our training, mindset and expectations on the tennis court can be a huge challenge! Today’s special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast features an open, candid conversation between two lifelong tennis coaches (Ian Westermann and Nate Brolling) about how they’re finding success in competition after many years away from matches to focus on their instruction. You’ll learn about physical preparation, mental hurdles and much more.
Ever have an off day on the tennis court? Of course you have! How you react and respond to those days may very well determine if you continue to improve, stay stuck, or even regress back to lower levels. Today’s special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast highlights a key mindset hack that will allow you to embrace less than ideal training sessions and matches so you can make the most of each and every day on the court.
All my life my serve has been smooth, flowing and natural. Now, over just the last few months, it has become jerky, tight and slow. Why?? The answer reveals tennis improvement truths that are critical for all players to understand if they want to continue developing their games and reaching the next level. Find out what it is in this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast.
Are you wasting time and money on your current tennis coach? This special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast dives deep into the signs and signals that it may be the case and also provides a clear blueprint for what you SHOULD be looking for during your lessons. Every tennis player has different goals and every coach provides a slightly different service so understanding these nuances is critical to your tennis happiness and success.
A year ago I challenged myself to get back into competitive tennis after focusing exclusively on my coaching for over a decade. Now, after high performance training sessions, drilling, playing league matches, doubles tournaments and singles tournaments I realize I had SO much to learn about myself and my game. This episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast shares the top 7 of those lessons so you can learn from my successes and failures.
A lot has happened since the last episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast so I wanted to post a quick explanation about where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to. If you’re curious then listen in. If you’re looking for instruction then skip this post!
Do you get nervous during tennis matches causing you to play worse, get tight, and choke? If so this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast is a must listen because you'll discover a step by step process for dealing with anxiety, finding peace with competitive situations, and truly performing your best.
April 1st has a very deep and special meaning for me and in this episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast I’ll reveal what it is. You’ll learn how it has shaped my growth as a tennis player, coach, business owner and much more. This single perspective and focus has done more to help me accomplish my goals on and off the court than anything else over the last 10 years. I hope it does the same for you.
Everybody knows Roger Federer as an elite tennis player but how did he gather those skills? What and where are his roots as a person and a competitor? My special guest on this episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast has the answers after taking an incredible journey to dig deep and uncover Federer’s past.
Do you get nervous before big tennis matches? Of course you do - you’re not a robot! The key to tennis success when the pressure is on isn’t removing nervousness but having the right relationship with it which is exactly what you’ll learn about in this episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast. It’s time to play your best tennis when it really matters!
Do you feel stuck with your tennis development? If so you’re probably overlooking ONE big element of improvement. Unfortunately most tennis players skip it which leads to lots of time spent on elements that don’t really matter. To find the solution listen to this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast!
If you want to play your best tennis then setting up healthy habits and routines is critical, especially around the “Big 3”: sleep, exercise and nutrition. In this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast you’ll hear what tips, tricks and rituals I use to maximize those three areas of my life so I can go into every day with the most energy, focus and drive possible.
It's been a long time since I've uploaded an episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast. I'm sorry! I felt like I should explain where I've been so this is a quick update. No coaching or instruction. Just letting you know how things are going and what my plans are.
Recently I took off my coach’s hat and put on my student hat as I took my first tennis lesson in two decades from a local high performance coach. It was an amazing experience and in this episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast I’ll share how I dealt with him asking me to focus on different technical elements than what I was trying to do in my own training. Having the right mindset about development and training approaches is key to your success!
If you think old dogs can’t learn new tricks this episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast is for you! You’ll hear the story of a 76 year old coaching student that transformed his first and second serves within just a few hours of training. He even used his new technique in a match the very next day with amazing results. We can all learn from the attitude and mindset of this experienced player!
Have you invested in lots of online coaching only to feel overwhelmed and stuck? If so this episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast is exactly what you need to listen to! Ian uncovers his 7 step process for identifying what to work on, how to make steady, positive progress in the right direction, and knowing when to move on to something new. You’ll finish the episode knowing exactly how to guide yourself to the next level and beyond!
Do you have a bad tennis habit that’s been stuck for 10 years or more? So did John, but recently he made a huge breakthrough! Find out how he was able to do it and what steps he took that you can copy yourself. Hint: it did NOT involve hitting more balls, taking more lessons, or playing more matches. This episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast contains the key to finally dropping your old, frustrating habits.
Guess what you DON’T need to improve your tennis game: a coach, ball machine, hitting partner or even a tennis court! Sure, those things could all be helpful but often we’re restricted in our ability to access them which is why this episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast is so important. You’ll learn what other two things you need to advance your skills and exactly how to use them so you can improve no matter where you are or what means you have.
Millions of tennis players dedicate mental and emotional energy to the WRONG things every single time they play a match. The result is no bandwidth left over to focus on what really matters when it comes to playing great tennis! In this special episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast you’ll learn what your mind should be focused on, what it shouldn’t, and how you can improve this critical skill and become a better competitor.
What do skateboarding tricks and tennis improvement have in common? You’ll find out in this episode of the Essential Tennis Podcast! Any time you venture out and try new techniques, swings, or upgrades you’re making a risk. Time, energy, and money is on the line but so is one other BIG factor. Find out what that is so you can keep improving your tennis game.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been playing your whole life or picked up a racquet for the first time yesterday: tennis is chock full of challenges, obstacles and disappointments. What really matters is your response when you encounter them, which can have a tremendous effect on your success as a player and your enjoyment of the game. In this episode we’ll discuss the difference between action and reaction, and how choosing the right one can turn your game, match, or whole tennis career around....
