Tennis IQ Podcast

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the benefits of slowing down. Slowing down begins as a perspective that then translates into action. The process and benefits of slowing down apply in the long-term (your career), as well as in a match, and between points. Players can also benefit from the idea that “slow is smooth, smooth is fast." Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo 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.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can embrace pain, uncertainty, and hard work. The inspiration for this topic came from the chapter titled ‘“I LOVE PUH” (YOU?)’ on pages 600 and 601 from the book Areté by Brian Johnson. The co-hosts reviewed how tennis players can embrace the challenges of life and competitive sport including the necessary pain, uncertainty, and hard work that come along with the journey. They offered practical suggestions that tennis players can implement to embrace the challenges they encounter head-on, and learn to love these challenging aspects of life and tennis. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo 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.

In this episode, Brian and Josh talked with Bob Litwin about how to use storytelling and writing to improve your tennis and your life. Bob Litwin is an executive, sports and life performance coach and author of the best selling book, Live the Best Story of Your Life: A World Champion’s Guide to Lasting Change. He was the first non ATP tour, non Division 1 college tennis player inducted into the USTA Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame, and was a recipient of the Vitas Gerulaitis Community Service Award. His tennis career includes being an ITF World Champion, ITF #1 world ranked player, two-time ITF World Team Champion, two-time Maccabi Gold Medalist and 29-time USTA National Champion. Bob's Book: Live the Best Story of Your Life: A World Champion’s Guide to Lasting Change Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo 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.

In this episode, Brian and Josh respond to two questions from a listener. The first question was about how to handle playing against weaker opponents, and the second question was about how to play with a partner that is weaker than you. The co-hosts discuss each question in detail and provide some guidance on both of these common scenarios. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo 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.

Some losses are tougher to digest than others, and in this episode, Brian and Josh discuss how tennis players can handle tough losses in the best possible way. They start by defining different types of tough losses such as losses in big events, losses in close matches, losses when it feels personal, losses against weaker players, and losses when a player feels like they let their team down. Next, the co-hosts discuss how players generally don’t handle tough losses in the best way through making excuses, not wanting to address the loss or talk about it, and avoiding future competition. Lastly, they offer suggestions for what players can do to move on from tough losses including learning and making adjustments after the loss, viewing the loss as a “necessary experience,” and adopting the perspective of everything being practice for the future. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership 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.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the 2024 US Open through the lens of sport psychology and mental skills. Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 to win the women's singles championship while Jannik Sinner defeated Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 to win the men's singles championship. The hosts talk about the various upsets of the tournament including the losses of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff. They also review the breakthroughs of Taylor Fritz, Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, and Jack Draper. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo 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 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.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the necessity of trust and commitment to a game plan by looking at the concept in three ways: 1) how players can develop their playing style and game plan long-term, 2) committing to a game plan going into a match, and 3) trusting the game plan and committing to it between points. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership 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.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss anger and what people often get wrong about it. The conversation is based on an article entitled “4 Things About Anger Everyone Should Know." The co-hosts review their thoughts on each of the four things noted in the article and provide practical implications of understanding anger for tennis players. Article: https://www.thefriendlymind.com/4-things-about-anger-everyone-should-know/ Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership 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 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.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the differences between “SMART goals” and “open goals”. They outlined the benefits and drawbacks of the popular “SMART goals” approach and introduced open goals as an alternative. Additionally, they reviewed process goals, learning goals, and other concepts related to the goal setting and attainment process. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo 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.

Is it true that each of us has a 'reptilian' brain within our human brain? Where do our emotions come from? In this episode, Josh and Brian debunk some myths about the brain and explain how emotions are constructed. Knowing how this actually works can be very beneficial for tennis players. Papers noted in this episode: The Theory of Constructed Emotion: https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/12/1/1/2823712Your Brain is not an Onion with a Tiny Reptile Inside: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721420917687 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.