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TennisOne Lessons 
Seeing - The Big Picture Doug King In my previous piece on Ball Watching we discussed the visual techniques of keeping your eye on the ball. Borrowing from the techniques used by linesmen to call lines, we separated Ball Watching into two different visual techniques, “ ball tracking” and “ball spotting.” Ball “tracking” involves predicting the flight of the ball and calculating the point of contact with the ball. Ball spotting is seeing the ball in a near single point, a much more defined space, almost freezing the ball in flight at the point of contact. These two visual techniques represent two poles on a visual spectrum that upon closer look is quite complex. In this article I would like to explore Ball Watching with a broader stroke, including concepts such as focus, concentration, and “the Mental Game”. We will look at Ball Watching from an organizational perspective (what I call “Rhythmic Seeing”) in this installment and then we will look at the subject and how it relates to emotions, tension and energy in a follow-up piece.
It is more than daunting to attempt to cover even part of the mental process. The terrain is so vast and there is so much still unknown that it is difficult to be comprehensive or definitive. There is much exciting research that is being done regarding neural processes, brain activity, and performance, but it is still relatively new and much is left to be discovered. Instead, what I would like to do is simply offer some observations and considerations that are much more prosaic but may help to put a slightly different perspective on how we see. If nothing else, perhaps we can stir up some interesting discussion. First of all, when we talk about “watching the ball” we are usually referring to the entire process of “awareness.” Eyesight is just one of the senses that determine awareness and awareness itself is hardly limited to sensory input. Awareness is much more of a mental process. Our senses gather raw data but it is our minds that formulate that into meaningful information. The mind also has the capability to create images and information totally independent of the senses. In our broad discussion of Ball Watching we should really consider the entire visual processing and integration system. This we often refer to as the “Mental Game.” Thus a much more relevant question to ask is not “what are you looking at, but, "what are you thinking of?” Secondly I think it is important to realize that “seeing” the ball is only a means to a far more important end. That end, of course, is the production of a shot. The mere action of making a tennis stroke is inherently in conflict with watching the ball. This is why we refer to it as “hand-eye coordination.” I have to coordinate two conflicting functions - watching the ball and moving to hit it. This is important to understand because I don’t want my efforts and intent on watching the ball to undermine the more important goal of making a good shot. Ultimately visual seeing has to be put into the context of the entire stroking process to completely understand both what affects it and what its proper role is. By seeing the visual process in this context we may gain a better perspective on what it means to “watch the ball." The Body’s Eye, the Mind’s Eye We’ve all had the experience of reading a book and finishing a sentence only to realize that we have no idea what we had just read. “Reading” involves much more than just the eyes. The eyes are simply a channel by which to supply information to the brain, which then must process that information into appropriate images which then lead to response. In very basic, practical terms (the only ones I can express) you have the Body’s Eye and the Mind’s Eye. The Body’s Eye is the physical organ that provides stimuli to the brain. The Mind’s Eye is the part of the brain that interprets that stimuli and directs appropriate response. When the Mind’s Eye is engaged then we are interpreting visual stimuli into meaningful images. Both systems must work in a coordinated way to provide proper input, the accurate construction of that input into images, and the sending of appropriate response to the muscles and nervous system.
Eyesight is most dependent upon strength of vision. Of course, not all people have the same strength of vision. In addition, as we age our eyes undergo physical changes such as decreased size of the pupil and clouding of the lens which impairs the visual system. Perhaps obvious, but important to consider, is the how movement and positioning of the head also affects vision. The ability to move the body through the demands of the game and at the same time control the movement and positioning of the eyes is critical to the eyes data gathering. People who move their bodies well (fluidly) can better control their vision while on the move. And the manner in which they execute their stroke patterns (preparation and generation of power) is intrinsically tied into Ball Watching. But perhaps more complicated is the role of the Mind’s Eye. It is in the Mind’s Eye where images are formed and responses are determined. Not only that, the mind is also where the original signals that control the body’s eyes emanate from. Since the commands that control the eyes start with the mind and the actual formulation of images from impulses supplied by the eyes is done by the mind, it would stand to reason that we should attempt to make some inroads on how this process works in relation to playing tennis.
In a similar way I like to think of maintaining a “visual connection” with the ball. It is like creating a visual “line of communication," somewhat like a phone line connection that is transferring information from the ball to the eyes and finally to my brain. I want that connection to be sharp and clear. I don’t want interference, static, party lines, or disconnections. However this communication line in a complex game like tennis must be abel to receive and transmit a great deal of diverse information.The process becomes more of a fluid, rhythmic wave. It varies in intensity and mode. It has a flow and a pulse to it. It narrows and broadens and changes in character. Still it has definite form and technique which corresponds to and is interdependent with the other actions of the game, including footwork, breathing, and racquet work. Let’s look at what makes the visual processing system so challenging and see if we can identify some tricks to improve our “vision”. One could argue that nothing is more natural in tennis than watching the ball. If I am standing in front of someone who is hitting an object in my direction I will be strongly compelled to focus on that object coming at me. But we all know that “seeing” in tennis is more complex than that. If the task were to simply get out of the way of the ball and watch it go by, well that would be simple enough. But when I must coordinate a highly complex physical maneuver (the stroke) to play the ball back and also develop a strategy to produce an optimum result based on numerous constantly changing factors, watching the ball is now a different proposition - and infinitely more difficult. Movement is the single biggest enemy of focus. Movement can come in many forms. We have distractive sensory movements - sights and sounds that compete for attention with what we are trying to focus on. We have the physical movements of running, bending, twisting - all of the physical body movements of stroking and positioning that interfere with focus. We have mental movements - or thoughts - that interfere with focus. We have emotional movement - fears, desires, discouragement - that also interfere. In one sense focus starts with the elimination of movement. Many of these movements are unavoidable. In fact, in some ways our development is dependent upon increases in our movement even though they by definition interfere with our focus. We learn to increase our strength and flexibility so that we can bend and turn more, move faster and more dynamically. We try to learn how to see more of the court and increase our awareness of our opponent so that we can develop better shot selections and strategy. But even as we increase the amount of potentially interfering movement we never do it at the expense of the essence of ball watching. Learning to see the ball better is done by developing tolerance of interfering movement through increases in strength, balance, conditioning, stroke technique, playing experience, mental toughness, confidence, and more. It is also done by learning a range of visual “styles” and by developing visual organization. Let’s create a visual map that will help us to define the different types of focus that we go through in playing a shot.
The Visual Continuum Anticipation Let's start a visual continuum beginning with a return of serve. lf I am returning serve I watch the ball being tossed by the server and during those moments before contact I am looking for visual cues that may indicate where the ball is going such as ball toss placement, body alignment, or racquet alignment. I am also recreating to various scenarios and measuring probabilities to determine a range of possibilities and the appropriate state of readiness that is required. These are all things that I must “see” even before the ball is hit in order to properly prepare for the contact. We call this anticipation. Needless to say the Mind’s Eye is quite busy with a number of tasks to perform in the anticipatory phase. Through this phase of play my focus is quite broad and more abstract. Reaction Moments before the ball is being contacted I go into a very different type of focus. My vision quickly narrows and becomes very concrete. I focus on a single event in a single moment of time. We say we are really “in the moment” at this point. And even though my focus becomes very concrete my body must be kept in a highly reactive state that is energized, neutral, and detached. At the moment of my opponent’s contact I want to feel totally empty of thought or intent, free of any movement of mind or body. I use the split step to achieve this state of suspension where I am detached from the ground and yet find equilibrium of body. This suspended state allows me to see very clearly and to most quickly react to what I see. You will notice that many lower level players will have a tendency to anchor themselves to the court as their opponent is striking the ball. This is quite natural and sensible as they are trying to steady the body as much as possible so as to eliminate all interfering movement. The problem is that this does not allow the body to perform the next action in the stroke sequence which is to react to the ball - and react in a way which still maintains visual connection with the ball. If I anchor to the court I will react to contact with a labored, jerky reaction, which is much more likely to create a visual disconnect. Preparation During the Preparation phase, I have to focus on the ball and make more precise judgments of the ball. At the same time I must start to plan my return shot. This is a very difficult juggling act as these two objectives compete with one another. Not only do I have conflicting points of focus I also have very counter intuitive and conflicting physical movements. I must both turn to prepare for a stroke but in doing so I must turn away from the very things that I am trying to focus on. Naturally the body is torn in many directions. Do I look at the ball, the court, my opponent? And unless I turn away from those things that I should focus on, I won’t be prepared to execute the next phase of the playing process which is to actually stroke the ball back. Through the Positioning and Preparation Phase I must learn to “ease” through the body movements of stroke preparation and the mental juggling of ball judging and shot selection. I must learn well timed, balanced, fluid movement and I must learn well timed, fluid mental shifting. For example, some people turn so vigorously in an attempt to prepare early that they actually cause their eye to come off of the ball. You should turn quickly but smoothly, with a controlled, efficient action. This is the intent of the “unit turn.” After that you must learn to glide with your footwork to minimize excessive head movement. Speed is important in great moving but so too is keeping quiet so that visual connection is maintained. Just as the body must be kept quiet and agile, so too must the mind shift with equal control and dexterity. Knowing how too integrate shot selection with ball watching is a skill that takes a great deal of experience and training. Ideally I must become so familiar with the court, the nuances of strategy, and with my own game, that the choice of what shot to hit and how to hit it becomes almost automatic. A very common mistake is to put far too much emphasis on deciding where to hit the ball much too early on in the Preparation Phase. Many players are late with their preparation because they are still trying to decide what shot they should try to hit. My first reaction to the contact of my opponent’s shot should be to get into position. Later on I should think of what shot I should try to play. The timing of this sequence will vary depending on the situation. If I have more time, I can wait and make my shot selection a bit later. If I am more hurried I will have to make my decision much sooner as my options are more limited. Remember the first step in the preparation process is getting optimally positioned to the ball and second step is to make your shot selection.
Whereas the focus required for recognition and reaction is very singular, narrow, and specific in time and space, the focus during the preparation stage is loosened and broadened somewhat. I must see the ball not just in a single moment but I must visualize the path of the ball both leading into contact and beyond. I must consider more than just the ball and also include my opponent and subsequent shots. Still the main focus must remain the ball. Contact As contact approaches I must return to a very narrow focus both in terms of time and space. Just before committing to my shot I have a moment of refocus to make final adjustments to the ball. The mind should calm down and steady itself on the ball and the body should stabilize to eliminate excessive movement. This is called “setting up.” It is similar to the calming focus that I achieve during the split step but instead I am more set by sinking into the ground rather than detaching from it. This is because I am no longer reacting to the ball but instead I am preparing to act on the ball. I am now approaching the moment of truth - the contact. I have transferred my shot selection; spin, direction and trajectory, onto a point on the ball. In the final milliseconds prior to contact I lose visual contact with the ball (this occurs approximately 5 feet prior to contact) but I stay fixed on the point where I have already determined contact to be and I see the contact event in my mind. In both the Reaction Phase and the Contact Phase I must learn how to shift out of projected, future oriented thought (where is my opponent's shot going to go, where am I going to make the ball go) and shift into real time, "in the moment" focus. I must detach from expectations and intentions and simply be "present". This takes tremendous mental control and timing. Some people say you should concentrate on your follow through as you make contact. Some people think of meeting the ball. Others like to think of breathing out. Typically players are told to keep the face turned to the point of contact until the arm has passed through the field of vision. This helps to stabilize the swing, keeping it on line and assuring the best odds of good contact.
During these last few feet leading to contact is the time when I become quite internalized with my focus (I no longer focus or react to external stimuli) and I must keep an internal positive image that keeps me relaxed and well energized. Ultimately I reach a point of “not watching the ball” where I become oblivious to the real ball and only focus on the contact point and my positive image. Players who have confidence will project a positive image of the ball that appears bigger and slower in their minds eye. This confidence is the product of past positive results and a well developed internal awareness of what it essential to successful execution. Thus a strong underlying system of technique and mechanics will produce good results, that will boost confidence that will produce positive imaging that will produce better focusing techniques. Seeing is a full cycle tied into many systems. One important key in this stage of play is to develop a more relaxed and rhythmic swing that will allow you to stay more fluid through contact. I am convinced that players who let their arm and hands relax a little later in the stroke (closer to contact in time and space) get a much better and longer look at the ball. Very rarely does someone actually watch the ball too long while trying to hit it and if it feels like that, it is usually because the person is just too tense. My focus has opened up very broadly here for a moment before I decide where my optimum position is to be. I focus on moving into that position in time to get into proper focus for the next step which is back to reacting to my opponent’s shot. Relationships First, when we talk about seeing the ball in the reacting phase what we really mean is that we properly react to the ball when we see it come off of the opponent’s racquet, often what we call “getting a good first step.” This involves clearing the mind of previous input (get focused), creating a high level of excitation (get ready), and develop footwork technique and strength (get fit) to effectively get a good first step to the ball.
Second, when we talk about the preparation phase what we really need to do is to develop organization to our thoughts and movements. We must know what goes first (unit turn and glide to the ball) and what then follows (shot selection) and not to let either one become so dominant as to create a visual disconnect. Third, in the contact phase when we say “watch the ball” what we really mean is “make solid contact.“ Making solid contact is not only a matter of watching the ball but it is also very dependent upon exceptional stroke mechanics. We must have tremendous awareness and control of the racquet face to be able to get it to square up consistently with the ball. The mechanics of the stroke are also critical in allowing the body to stay stable and fluid which will keep the head steady for better vision. Typically when you see a pro mis-hit a ball he will reinforce a stroke movement rather than remind himself to watch the ball. Thus we see that the phrase watching the ball is sometimes misused and often not very informative. Still when you are required to get the most out of your performance it can often be the best thing to focus on. By concentrating on watching the ball it can quiet the mind and quiet the body so that everything flows with less confusion and distraction. The skill of ball watching comes with experience. Remember that what you are really doing is judging the ball not just watching it and experience is the only way that you can gain the insight that allows you to effectively judge what is happening on the court. Without this database of experience the mind will never be able to steady itself to effectively watch the ball or to relax enough to broaden to catch peripheral input. And in the end it is not just watching the ball that is important but learning to train the mind and body to properly interpret and respond to the flood of input from our senses. You can remind yourself to watch the ball but you cannot force yourself to watch the ball. You simply have to learn to let yourself watch the ball. Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Doug King's article by emailing us here at TennisOne.
Doug is one of the country's foremost tennis teaching innovators. Founder of Acceleration Tennis, a revolutionary teaching system, King is leading the way in reinterpreting the traditional tennis model. Doug King is currently Director of Tennis at Meadowood Napa Valley ( www.meadowood.com ), a Relaix Chateau Resort in St. Helena , CA . For more information on Acceleration Tennis please email Doug King at dking@meadowood.com. |
Doug King studied with legendary tennis coach Tom Stow and was a
former California State Men's Singles Champion
and the former number one men's player of Northern California.