

Tennis IQ Podcast
Tennis IQ Podcast
Ninety percent of tennis performance is mental and that's what makes the sport so difficult. Sport psychology professionals Brian Lomax and Josh Burger share their insights on mental performance in tennis, discuss current events in the world of tennis, and interview guests with a unique perspective on mental toughness. Whether you want to learn more about the mental game in tennis or you just have an interest in the sport, this is the podcast for you. Send your questions to tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter using #tennisiq.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 29, 2025 • 47min
Ep. 215 - Comparing Self-centeredness and Self-Awareness
Inspired by the book, Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy, Brian and Josh contrast the concepts of self-centeredness and self-awareness. The co-hosts review the issues of self-centeredness and how it can hold tennis players back in different situations. Self-awareness is discussed as an alternative approach that can be built through reflection, mindfulness, and deliberate practice.Sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for 10% Off - TennisIQ10To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Apr 20, 2025 • 51min
Ep. 214 - The Cardinal Virtue of Courage
This episode's theme is the virtue of courage. Brian and Josh discuss courageous behaviors, why courage is an important virtue for tennis players, and the benefits of playing with courage. Included in the conversation is how courage is critical in pressure moments in matches such as tiebreakers and deuce/break points, as well as the moral courage required to act ethically and do the right thing.Sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for 10% Off - TennisIQ10To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Apr 8, 2025 • 47min
Ep. 213 - The Relationship Between Pressure and Errors
In this episode, Brian and Josh review an article from researchers at Exeter University who looked into how pro tennis players responded to high-pressure moments and how well they bounced back from errors in Grand Slam matches. The co-hosts discussed the research findings, and offered practical advice that tennis players can use during high-pressure moments and after mistakes.Article: Psychological pressure and compounded errors during elite-level tennis - https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/bitstream/handle/10871/125808/ORE.pdf?sequence=1How Not To Lose - Brian Lomax Ed.D. - https://performancextra.com/competitive-mindsets/how-not-to-lose/To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Mar 30, 2025 • 43min
Ep. 212 - The Dance of the Doomed
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the “Dance of the Doomed." The Dance of the Doomed is a concept that Hall of Fame football coach Bill Walsh wrote about in his book, The Score Takes Care of Itself, in which athletes demonstrate through their body language and attitude that they have given up before an event finishes. The co-hosts discuss how tennis players can avoid doing this dance while losing, and offer practical suggestions that players can utilize when they’re in losing situations.Sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for 10% Off - TennisIQ10To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Mar 21, 2025 • 50min
Ep. 211 - Success Disease
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the concept of Success Disease: a phenomena that can occur after achieving some level of success. Inspiration for this topic came from Hall of Fame football coach Bill Walsh's book, The Score Takes Care of Itself. The conversation focuses on the nature of Success Disease and how to cope with it.Sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for 10% Off - TennisIQ10To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Mar 10, 2025 • 55min
Ep. 210 - Tennis Parenting Part 3 | Supporting the Competition Needs of Players
In part three of their series on tennis parenting, Brian and Josh discuss how parents can support the competition needs of players before, during, and after matches. They also reference additional resources that tennis parents can use from Positive Coaching Alliance and The Growth Equation Newsletter. Links for those resources are listed below.The Growth Equation Newsletter - How to Save Youth Sports: A Manifesto - https://thegrowthequationnewsletter.substack.com/p/how-to-save-youth-sports-a-manifesto?triedRedirect=truePCA Resource Zone - Parent/Caregiver Game Day Tips - https://positivecoach.org/resource-zone/parent-caregiver-game-day-tips/This episode is sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for 10% Off for listeners of the show. Use code TennisIQ10 for a 10% discount on Geau Sport products.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Feb 28, 2025 • 60min
Ep. 209 - Tennis Parenting Part 2 | The Educational Needs of Tennis Parents
In this episode, Brian and Josh move on to part two in a three-part series on tennis parenting. They discuss the educational needs of tennis parents including reasons for choosing and playing tennis, the financial and time demands of the sport, knowledge of tennis, and understanding the development system of the sport. The willingness of parents to learn is a critical component of the education process.Sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for listeners of the show. Use the code TennisIQ10 to get 10% off Geau Sport products.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Feb 19, 2025 • 51min
Ep. 208 - Tennis Parenting Part 1 | The Difficulties of Tennis Parenting
In this episode, Brian and Josh start a three-part series on tennis parenting. For Part 1, they review the difficulties of tennis parenting, talk about certain positive and negative behaviors of tennis parents, and lastly discuss the preferences that junior players have for how their parents behave. The upcoming two episodes in the series will focus on the educational needs of tennis parents, and how parents can support the competition needs of players.Sponsored by Geau Sport - GeauSport.com - Exclusive Discount Code for listeners of the show. Use the code TennisIQ10 to get 10% off Geau Sport products.To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Feb 12, 2025 • 55min
Ep. 207 - The Characteristics of Self-Actualizers
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss specific “Characteristics of the Self-Actualizer” from the work of humanistic psychologist, Abraham Maslow. The co-hosts focus on five characteristics from Maslow’s list that they feel can help tennis players become the best tennis players they can be, become the best people they can be, and ultimately help them self-actualize.This episode is sponsored by Geau Sport -GeauSport.com - Listeners can enjoy a 10% discount on Geau Sport products by using the discount code - TennisIQ10To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go toTiebreakerPsych.com andPerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us attennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Feb 4, 2025 • 36min
Ep. 206 - The Effects of Ratings and Rankings on Performance
Thinking too much about ratings and rankings can cloud your focus on the court. It’s difficult to stay in the moment when you are worried about the consequences of winning and losing. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the impacts of rating and ranking systems on players, especially in the 21st century. The dynamic nature of these systems can be problematic for many, but there are strategies for dealing with them. Brian and Josh review strategies that they have found to be effective with their clients.
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.