Controlling Your Intensity Level
by: Dave Winship @ On The Line

If you have a car, you may (or may not) know that the spark plugs transmit electrical energy required to ignite the air/fuel mixture. Too cold a plug causes loss of power and poor throttling. Too hot a plug also causes loss of power and poor throttling, but can also cause pre-ignition and detonation. The temperature has to be right.

And so it is with competitive sport. Every player has an optimal state of intensity (mental and emotional temperature) at which they perform best. Unfortunately, human sensibility does not enjoy the engineered reliability of a modern motor car and temperature fluctuations are commonplace.

Overheating can occur at peak pressure moments and, as with a car, can result in detonation in the form of temper outbursts and even self-destruction ("tanking"). It can also result in poor throttling in the form of tentative shots ("choking").

Dips in temperature can occur for all kinds of reasons. They often appear when the outcome of a match appears to be assured one way or another, i.e. because one of the players is winning easily. Loss of intensity can jeopardize the efforts of the player who's leading just as much as the one who's fallen behind.

To be a successful competitor, you have to learn how to maintain your optimal level of intensity.

When you're under pressure, this means eliminating anxiety and replacing it with positive thoughts and positive feelings. It means relishing the challenge and staying focused. It means saying to yourself: "Watch the ball!" or "Let's get these feet moving!" or whatever gets your mind focused on the 'here and now'. Above all, it means approaching the situation as a challenge and an opportunity.

Getting into the 'here and now' is equally important when you experience a dip in intensity. The old adage of playing "one point at a time" applies. Say to yourself: "This point! Just this point!" You should also try to trigger a greater emotional intensity, not by launching into a tirade against the umpire a la John McEnroe, but by using positive language such as Lleyton Hewitt's "Come on!" or by using positive body language such as pumping your fist.

Develop some triggers that will spark your performance when you need it, but also learn to recognize the symptoms of overheating - they vary from player to player - and think something neutral and practical like "Get the return back deep!" or "Serve to the body!"

It may even help to remember this motor car analogy when you're playing your matches. Learn how and when to accelerate and how and when to brake. Get that engine purring and you'll soon be on the road to success.

Regards.

Dave Winship