Weekly Tip: Train Your Brain Like a Muscle — Think With Purpose Before You React

In tennis, we often talk about footwork, technique, and consistency — but what about decision-making? One of the most underrated skills in tennis is your ability to make smart, fast choices. And like any other skill, this too can be trained.

This week’s tip is about mental intention during training:
Whether you're playing points against a partner or being fed balls in a group drill, don't just hit the ball — decide where you're hitting and why.

When you're not under match pressure, you have time. Time to think. Time to decide. Use that time wisely.

Each shot is an opportunity to build mental patterns — not just physical ones. If you're being fed forehands, don’t just focus on clean contact. Ask yourself:

• “Where should I place this shot?”

• “If the ball lands here, what’s the best response?”

• “Should I go crosscourt to open up the court, or down the line to surprise?”

What you're doing is building muscle memory in your brain. You're reinforcing neural patterns that will later activate automatically when the situation shows up in real play — even when you don’t have time to think.

This is how elite players seem to “just know” where to hit. It’s not magic. It’s deliberate practice — repeated decision-making in controlled situations that later becomes second nature under pressure.

Think of it like this:
If you never practice thinking during slower training, how can you expect to make smart decisions during fast-paced points?

🎾 Try this exercise in your next session:
Before every shot, say to yourself — out loud or silently — “I’m going to hit this crosscourt with margin,” or “I’ll go down the line and recover quickly.” It might feel forced at first. But over time, it becomes intuitive.

Your body follows your brain.
Train them both — together.