

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

Aug 16, 2023 • 51min
Ep. 144 - The Benefits of Optimism
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the benefits of optimism for tennis players. The co-hosts start by defining the differences between optimism and pessimism, and also outline misconceptions surrounding these concepts. Topics reviewed include the performance benefits of optimism within a match, the benefits of being optimistic about one’s overall training and development, and the connection between trusting the process and choosing to maintain a realistic yet optimistic outlook.
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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Aug 8, 2023 • 47min
Ep. 143 - Believing in Yourself When You Aren't Getting Results
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss what tennis players can do when they feel that they're doing all the right things, but not getting the results that they desire. This could be occurring for a number of reasons, but often tennis players need to embrace that their results can at times lag behind the progress that they’re making. Topics discussed include the importance of patience, the impact of trust and belief, and the benefit of tracking process goals to measure progress over time.
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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Aug 1, 2023 • 53min
Ep. 142 - Wimbledon 2023 - Alcaraz, Djokovic, Vondrousova, Jabeur, Eubanks
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. On the women’s side Marketa Vondrousova defeated Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4, and on the men’s side Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 1–6, 7–6 (6), 6–1, 3–6, 6–4. The co-hosts review various sport psychology themes relating to the champions and finalists including resilience, self-belief, emotional control, and consistency.
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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Jul 19, 2023 • 1h 2min
Ep. 141 - Dan McCain and 7 Shot Tennis
In this episode, Brian and Josh interviewed Dan McCain. Dan is an author and a former college coach and director who now serves as the Head Coach and Tennis Director at Cape Henry Racquet Club in Virginia Beach, VA. Dan has published six books on tennis on topics such as raising a champion, goal-setting, movement fundamentals, tactics, and strategy. As a player he had a stand out career as a junior winning USTA gold and silver balls on his way to playing collegiate tennis at University of Michigan. Dan is also one of the principals at 7 Shot Tennis, and in this episode, we discuss 7 Shot Tennis and how it supports mental performance on the court. More information about 7 Shot Tennis can be found at https://www.7shottennis.com/.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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Jul 11, 2023 • 41min
Ep. 140 - Good Questions for Post-Match Reflection
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss developing a process to reflect on and learn from matches. The co-hosts review various questions that tennis players can answer after their matches in order to process and learn from each match experience. These questions and exercises can be completed individually, or with a coach or parent.
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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Jul 3, 2023 • 48min
Ep. 139 - How to Use Quiet Eye Theory to Improve Your Game
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss quiet eye theory and gaze control as a means of helping players perform better physically and mentally. The discussion was based on three research studies (below) and the co-hosts reviewed practical applications of these concepts for tennis players.
Research studies and videos mentioned:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233599263_Gaze_Control_DURING_the_hitting_phase_in_Tennis_a_Preliminary_Studyhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00008/fullhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29785858/https://youtu.be/M1zuROicUbUhttps://youtu.be/vhf8DMYNgi8Tennis 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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Jun 25, 2023 • 47min
Ep. 138 - The Psychological Profile of Champions
In this episode, Brian and Josh review a research article entitled “Building A Psychological Profile of Olympic Medalists and World Champions” by Robert M. Nideffer, Ph.D., Jeffrey Bond, Alberto Cei, and Umberto Manili. The co-hosts discuss the research findings about the difference between athletes who have won multiple championships and those who were single championship winners, and then consider these findings in the context of professional tennis players. Additionally, they address how all tennis players can apply aspects of these findings to their own games.
Article: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265072003_Building_A_Psychological_Profile_of_Olympic_Medalists_and_World_ChampionsTennis 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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Jun 17, 2023 • 45min
Ep. 137 - Roland Garros 2023 | The Locker Room Power of Djokovic and Swiatek
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the 2023 French Open. On the women’s side Iga Świątek defeated Karolína Muchová 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to win the women’s singles championship, and on the men’s side Novak Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5. The co-hosts review various sport psychology themes relating to the champions including the “locker room power” of Świątek and Djokovic, as well as their confidence, resilience, and ability to lock in and focus during the biggest moments.
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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Jun 11, 2023 • 44min
Ep. 136 - The Challenge of Changing Surfaces
In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the various challenges of changing surfaces. In a comparable way to how professional players change surfaces throughout the tournament season, non-professional adult and junior players have to handle similar situations. Examples of these sorts of changes include switching from hard courts to clay courts (or vice versa), playing on a grass court for the first time, or playing outdoors after getting accustomed to playing indoors in recent months. The co-hosts discuss how having the right type of mindset, easing into a new surface by focusing on the fundamentals, and utilizing mental skills in different situations that emerge are all helpful while navigating playing on a different surface.
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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Jun 2, 2023 • 55min
Ep. 135 - The Preparation Episode
In this episode, Brian and Josh answer a listener question about creating an episode that can be listened to prior to matches. The co-hosts discussed how tennis players can be clear about their reasons for playing the sport, and find ways to remind themselves of their “why” and their motivation for playing tennis prior to matches. Additionally, they discussed how tennis players can use various mental tools before playing in a match including utilizing types of visualization, reviewing their planned out self-talk, reviewing their in-between point routines, and focusing on their breathing and relaxation.
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, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.