part 1 concentration on the tennis court

THE TW↑NS: Env↑ronMENTAL Training™

A Training, Motivating, Consulting Service

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �1



'EnvironMENTAL Training is for anyone but not everyone; anyone can do it but not everyone will.'

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �2



Part I Concentration On The Tennis Court

by

Chuka Okonkwo & Dubem Okonkwo

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �3



"It is a simple philosophy of train to become the best; train to remain the best; train to be better than the best; train to be the best of the best, the elite of the elite." The Ideal Player As A Footballer

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �5



Concentration, Concentration, Concentration: An EnvironMENTAL Training Perspective

Part I Concentration On The Tennis Court

"There's a lot of things that can influence your state of mind. Of course, as I was mentioning before, it's not always possible to be 100% concentrated for three and a half hours. But it's important to keep going because you fall many times, but mental strength allows you to keep going." Novak Djokovic http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-02-01/201502011422802274572.html

Concentration is the reason why EnvironMENTAL Training was set up. We research and study concentration in the same way an astronomer studies the heavens or our universe.

In life those who succeed are able to concentrate a great deal better than everyone else. Of course being calm and relaxed will play a part in any success, especially in sport. But concentration is our primary concern here.

In sport success or failure depends on many factors. These factors could be the weather, the referee or umpire, the skill of our opponent, or our own temperament. Although these factors may have their place, great champions are made by the overcoming or by-passing of all factors and conditions.

"It's not easy to keep the concentration 100% all the way through." Novak Djokovic http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-02-01/201502011422802274572.html

The golfer must be able to switch off from the crowd. The footballer taking the penalty must be able to shut out the hostile crowd, and the tennis player must keep at bay all extraneous thoughts, e.g. the importance of the occasion.

"I'm frustrated at myself for letting that bother me," Andy Murray http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/31083979

The athlete who cannot concentrate will not be very successful. Even if they do manage to succeed every now and then, they will not be able to either replicate their success or hold onto it. They will be inconsistent. Always verging on greatness but never achieving this state. Money will still be made. It's not very difficult (to do that) once sponsorship deals start rolling in. Many have made a relatively large amount of money on small successes.

But champions or those whom are deemed as great do more than (just) earn large amounts of money. If "dollars" were a mark or sign of sporting greatness, every millionaire footballer would now be in Football's Hall of Fame.

To be great at anything some action must first be carried out. The results as well as the manner in which the results are achieved will determine if the wreath of greatness is placed upon our crown.

Greatness is the way we do something, not what we earn or own, unless we're speaking of titles, records, awards, medals or trophies.

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �6



"I didn't want to give up. I try never to give up. Even though I went through this moment, I believed that I'm going to get that necessary strength. I'm going to have to earn it, and that's what I did." Novak Djokovic http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-02-01/201502011422802274572.html

Because of the importance given to the subject of concentration from an EnvironMENTAL Training viewpoint, we tend to dispense with anything that is likely to become mental baggage in the sporting arena: the twelfth man (home or partisan support) or errors by the referee or umpire. Especially the latter pair, who being human are therefore liable to make mistakes. Costly mistakes we may add.

But a champion or one who wishes to mount the champion's rostrum must be able to remain focussed and not be distracted by human errors, not even their own. Distractions are for mortals. The greats are great because they are able to concentrate when they need to. Of course they have setbacks but they are able to "bounce back" as long as they concentrate. The day they cease to concentrate that is the day they begin to plummet.

"So that's the most frustrating thing because I thought I obviously had opportunities in the first set." Andy Murray http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-02-01/201502011422797281085.html

The ability to concentrate is the key that separates one sportsman from another. When two protagonists face each other, it is the one who concentrates better who will win on the day. The victory may not make a pretty spectacle, but the victor will still be pleased with their victory.

Without concentration there can and will be no lasting victory. As has been already stated, even if victory were attained, it would not be repeated. Greatness in any sport is achieved by repeated victories. A one-off record (personal best) may be set at a sporting event, but it doesn't mean greatness has been achieved.

In tennis the greats set not only records, they win again and again. Those who want to be great must first win and then win again and again. If you can't concentrate your chances of winning anything meaningful will not be great. The greats can concentrate, and that is why they are great.

No matter what is happening on or off the court (your) focus must not be lost. Even the pain from and old injury flaring up suddenly or the feeling of fatigue will have to be ignored. A Grand Slam tournament is not the place to allow an injury or tiredness to distract one. Cruel as it may sound, perhaps it's best not to turn up if one is not feeling "up to it". Half way up Mount Everest is the wrong time or place to suddenly realise how cold it is.

The tennis champion or champion elect must be able to focus and remain in the moment. There is no yesterday or tomorrow. There is no lost point. Points are either gained or not. Both players begin with zero points and it is from zero that the first point then the next is (to be) gained.

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �8



"You battle and battle, and everything looks even, but in the mind it’s clearly not. Someone is getting the upper hand well before it’s evident on the scoreboard." Craig O'Shannessy http://www.ausopen.com/mobile/en_AU/news/articles/2015-02-01/ao_analyser_forehands_rock.html?promo=mobileredirect

In the aftermath of any victory or defeat commentators will give their views as to why events unfolded in the manner they did. Words or phrases like "focus" and "lapses of concentration" or anything similar mean a lot to EnvironMENTAL Training.

But these commentators never suggest how the focus or concentration is to be improved. An athlete repeatedly saying, "I'm just focussed for now" or "I'm just focussing on improving", means absolutely nothing to EnvironMENTAL Training. We are interested in what the individual is doing to develop their power to concentrate.

People use their memories every day but the memory is developed by constant training. Using simple exercises will develop the memory more effectively than just using it in the general way.

Concentration in tennis requires time and practice. Before any event a player must know they've trained their mind to remain focussed on or at a given point, no matter what is happening around them. The stronger the concentration the better the performance. The stronger the concentration the less likely it is for the mind to be distracted.

Training to concentrate at all times is of more importance than trying not to be distracted. There will always be distractions, but great champions are not easily distracted by them. It must be noted that anything can be become a distraction.

It is not the distraction that is the problem, but the mind and attention. The attention will wander on court, so a player has to focus their attention and use their mind to forcibly hold it to the task in hand. The ability to do this must be well developed before arriving on court. If it is not, the mind will be unable to prevent the attention from wandering off at the slightest distraction.

"Murray appeared to be distracted instead of energised by his opponent’s movements." Craig O'Shannessy http://www.ausopen.com/mobile/en_AU/news/articles/2015-02-01/ao_analyser_forehands_rock.html?promo=mobileredirect

Neophytes to the world of meditation often experience the wandering mind. When they sit either alone or with a group, they suddenly realise their mind is ready to do everything but meditate.

On court in a final is not the time to learn to concentrate. Just as a faulty first service, weak backhand or dodgy forehand cannot be fixed during a match. The practice court is where any defects or deficiencies are repaired or remedied.

We hear much about athletes' physical training and fitness regime. But what about the mind? How often do you hear that athletes are training themselves to concentrate? We are not talking about grit and determination. Fine qualities as they are, they have little to do with training to concentrate.

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �9



"The third set was frustrating because I got a bit distracted when he fell on the ground after a couple of shots," Andy Murray http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/31083979

We are talking about the kind of concentration that leads to what some might call genius: breathtaking strokes or near impossible returns are the marks of true concentration.Sport we are told is more mental than physical. But if by mental, 'never giving up' is meant, this is not our interest. In our view 'never givng up' has nothing to do with training to concentrate.

Between training the mind to concentrate and training to never give up, the former is of more use. Once acquired or mastered it becomes a tool of immense brilliance that knows no limits. The 'never say die' approach is a good attitude to have, but concentration is far superior.

"No, I don't think so, because he was moving unbelievable at the end of the third set, sliding and chasing everything down" Andy Murrayhttp://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-02-01/201502011422797281085.html

A 'never say die' attitude enhanced with the power to concentrate is not to be mocked. But a person who has learnt to concentrate will not need the 'never say die' approach. Just as those who have trained and developed their memories to a formidable degree do not need or use mnemonics or any of the crude systems employed by our so-called memory champions.

Ashtavadhanis who can recite lengthy poems or passages from religious works have to concentrate just like any top tennis player. They have to ensure they have thoroughly learnt and mastered the text they need for their next performance. They must also ensure that they, too, can shut out all distractions, whether they be external or internal.

"It's not always possible to be 100% concentrated for three-and-a-half hours, but it's important to keep going because you fall many times, but mental strength allows you to keep going." Novak Djokovic http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/31083685

In tennis, external distractions can be anything and can come from anywhere. People talking, laughing, sneezing, moving, clapping, booing or moaning. Then there's the opponent's own actions which are there to distract us. Our concentration must be strong enough to withstand all external distractions.

EnvironMENTAL Training has little to say (on this occasion) about these external distractions. They are out of one's control and the only remedy is train so that one is not distracted.

"Yeah, in all matches you concentrate on your own end of the court. That's just a basic thing to do." Andy Murray http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-02-01/201502011422797281085.html

Our interest is with internal distractions, e.g. mental commentary in response to external stimuli of all descriptions. We are also interested in the negative emotions like anger, irritation, impatience and worst of the lot, anxiety and frustration. These should be thoroughly mastered.

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �11



It is our internal responses that eventually display themselves as a loss of focus and concentration. Our thinking is exhibited in our movements on court. In losing concentration we have allowed our energy to drain away, and one cannot mentally be in two places at the same time because the mind follows the attention.

"I'll keep pushing and keep working and keep believing I can make it, at least once, until my career ends." Novak Djokovic http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-02-01/201502011422802274572.html

When meditators say their mind wandered off from the mantra or thought in mind, what they really mean is their attention shifted. They failed to bring the mind back to the point of concentration or failed to follow its wandering steps in a detached manner as the practitioners of pratyahara advocate.

So to concentrate we need to place our attention on something and hold it there with our mind. Concentration is the ability to do this. But internal distractions are more troublesome than external ones.

"In these particular matches and circumstances, mental strength probably plays the most important role," Novak Djokovic http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/31083685

If the tennis player can keep his or her mental focus by not allowing the concentration to waver they will increase their chances of tapping into the limitless reservoir within. We make no apologies for this last remark. Power is everywhere. And freely available to all. The Laws of the Universe do not change because one is playing tennis or in a Grand Slam final.

"Even though I went through this moment, [ crisis] I believed that I'm going to get that necessary strength. I'm going to have to earn it, and that's what I did." Novak Djokovic http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/31083685

Instead of dwelling on previous mistakes that cannot be rectified, lost points or games, or even sets that have slipped away, or decisions that have not gone their way, the tennis player should focus and concentrate on the next point. This means thinking correctly and reminding themselves that they can win the next point. This thinking should only be done as the opponent is preparing to serve. Otherwise the focus should be on the ball and where it currently is. After all it is the ball your opponent will be striking whether they're serving or returning a shot.

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �13



"Mental strengths? In these particular matches and circumstances mental strength probably plays the most important role. In winning those matches, you need to be able to find that inner strength, mental, physical, emotional, especially when you're down in the finals and when you're playing a top rival." Novak Djokovic http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-02-01/201502011422802274572.html

This is why from an EnvironMENTAL Training perspective we boldly state that the power to concentrate must and should be well developed and to the highest degree before arriving on court. Failure to do so will make it very difficult to regain concentration if it is lost during the heat of an engagement. Anything can cause the focus to shift or the concentration to lapse, as a certain Andy Murray can testify after his match against Djokovic in the final of the 2015 Australian Open.

"Maybe the occasion was something to do with it. I don't know." Andy Murray http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/news/interviews/2015-02-01/201502011422797281085.htmlRead

Read Part II Frustration On The Tennis Courthttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/part-ii-frustration-tennis-court-chuka-dubem-the-twins-okonkwo?trk=mp-reader-card

© C. & D. Okonkwo 2015 �14

part 1 concentration on the tennis court

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