TFP 071: Playing In the Zone with Dr. Joseph Parent

On Episode 71 of The Tennis Files Podcast, I spoke with Dr. Joseph Parent about how we can play in the zone. Dr. Joseph is the author of Zen Tennis: Playing In The Zone. We talk about everything from why players have trouble playing well in matches vs practice, breathing exercises to help you relax and achieve optimal performance, practicing playing big points, mental fitness, and more! This episode is a really important discussion about a highly overlooked part of tennis, the mental game, and I highly encourage you to hit the play button above to listen to it!

In addition to Zen Tennis, Dr. Joe is also the author of Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game, Zen Putting: Mastering the Mental Game on the Greens, The Best Diet Book Ever: The Zen of Losing Weight, How to Make Every Putt: The Secret to Winning Golf's Game Within the Game, and A Walk In The Wood: Meditations on Mindfulness with a Bear Named Pooh.

Dr. Joe teaches at the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa Resort, and The Los Angeles Country Club. He has been featured on CNN, NBC’s Today in New York, HBO Sports, ESPN, and has also made many appearances on The Golf Channel. Dr. Joe has coached numerous celebrities, including Michael Bolton, Kevin James, Anthony Anderson, George Lopez, Bernie Mac, Michael O’Keefe (Danny Noonan in Caddyshack), Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen, world champion boxer Oscar de la Hoya, and many other elite athletes and celebrity golfers. Golf Digest named Dr. Joe as one of the “Top Ten Mental Game Experts” in the world

It was a pleasure speaking with Dr. Joe on the podcast, and I know you'll learn a lot of valuable information that will help you improve your mental game and perform better on the court. Many thanks to Dr. Joe for coming onto the podcast! Let us know what you think about this episode in the comments below!

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

BEGINNINGS

[3:34] How Dr. Parent got his start in tennis and the mental game

INTRO TO ZEN TENNIS

[5:16] What zen means and its origins/background

[7:20] Dr. Joe’s inspiration for writing Zen Tennis and the problem with worrying about results

INSIGHTS FROM THE BOOK

[11:39] The biggest obstacles players face when trying to play in the zone

[13:57] The reason why players practice so well and yet they play poorly in matches when it counts

[15:23] Why your intention is crucial to playing well and the NINJA system

[17:30] Some things we can do before our matches to give us the best chance of playing in the zone

[19:57] Needing to win vs not holding back and doing your best

[21:58] How long it takes to improve your mental game

[24:27] What is mental fitness, how does it help us and how do we develop it?

[26:14] Breathing practices and meditation tips to help you stay focused and grounded

CLOSING QUESTIONS

[30:24] Other books written by Dr. Joe that we should check out

[32:40] Where we can follow Dr. Joe online or in person

[34:21] How practicing big points can help us level up our tennis games

[36:14] How we can get Dr. Joe's books (see below for the links!)

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