More and more, division and compartmentalizing seems to be the order of the day in all fields. It is clearly true of the medical profession and it is becoming true in tennis where specialist technical, tactical, fitness and mental ‘gurus’ are emerging everywhere.
However, it seems to me that everything is connected and to divide is to miss.
So, what would a more wholistic-based teaching or learning approach look like and be based on?
First of all, it would see mindbody as one as opposed to two separate entities. If we can accept this simple truth, then everything changes.
If fear or tension is present, then how can technique not be affected; how can tactical decision-making not be affected; how can movement not be affected?
It simply has to.
How does this understanding change our approach to teaching or learning tennis?
For me, the focus now needs to, much more, be on the body. When ‘poor’ technique or rushed movement exists, it is not simply a matter of changing the physicality of the technique like moving a lump of clay around from one place to another, but understanding what is behind the ‘poor’ technique. Once the root cause of the ‘problem’ is discovered, this simple awareness can facilitate change effortlessly.
Relaxed and smooth swings are not a function of good technique; they arise when the individual is relaxed. Relaxation comes from the inside out, it is not something that can be taught or learned!
The root is always ‘who you are’, not what you are doing. Only exploring this root can lead to relaxation!