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 Mental Toughness Training:
The 16 Second Cure Part 2

by Jim Loehr


Top players stay emotionally positive by developing their own unique patterns of between point behavior.

In the last article we identified the 4 Stages of the 16-Second Cure and how top players use this time between points to maintain their Ideal Performance State. Now let’s talk a little more about how to get used to practicing the stages and how to incorporate them into your own play.

For every player this should be a creative, individual process. Let’s take a look at some of the top (and most mentally tough) players in the pro game and see how they have ritualized the between point times and created their own distinctive patterns.

This will give you some ideas about the range and variations. The next step is for you to develop your personal version of the 16 Second Cure, putting your distinctive stamp on the 4 stages.

Developing your own version of the 4 Stages will give you more emotional control that will lead to more confidence. In match play, it can become a positive emotional oasis. No player can completely control what happens on the court. But every player can learn to control how he reacts to what happens by practicing the 16-second cure.


Click Photo: Can you recognize the 4 Stages of the 16 Second Cure as practiced by the top players?

It should be a fun, creative process. Take your time, use your intuition, and experiment over a series of matches.

4 Stages or the 16 Second Cure:

  • Stage 1 Positive Physical Response 3-5 Seconds
  • Stage 2 Relaxation 5-15 Seconds
  • Stage 3 Preparation 3-5 Seconds
  • Stage 4 Ritual 5-8 Seconds

TOTAL 16-25 Seconds
By mastering and personalizing the 4 Stages, you will develop the ability to create calm in the center of the storm.

From this calm center, your best tennis will emerge naturally, fueled by your positive emotions. This is what we call the Ideal Performance State.

Virtually every top player practices his own version the 16 Second Cure. See it for yourself the next time you watch professional tennis.

If you pay attention, you can easily identify the stages as the top players go through them.

For the pros they become a matter of routine. But if you are trying to develop the 4 stages for the first time yourself, it can seem like a radical and unfamiliar departure from old patterns.


Agassi, like successful, often pumps himself up after a good shot.
The primary adjustment most players need to make is learning to take more time. Below the pro level, the majority of players play far too quickly.

This tends to be particularly true if a player has played an especially good point or an especially bad point. He will typically step up and try to play the next point in as little as five seconds.

If this sounds like you, the first step in learning to develop emotional control is simply learning to control the pacing of the time between points.

Wear a watch during your practice matches and determine how long you are currently taking. Five seconds? Ten seconds? Does it vary with the situation?

Now work to slow down. At first, some players feel as if they are stalling or delaying play. Sometimes, old opponents will question this new behavior.

Learn to enjoy playing at a new rhythm. Notice that by setting the pace, you're exerting more control over the course of the match and ultimately the outcome.


Stage1: Serena stays positive by rehearsing corrections after an error.

Give yourself time to get familiar with the stages.

If you've not practiced them before, it will take you several matches or more to get comfortable and adapt them.

As you become comfortable with taking a minimum of 16 seconds, work to become more precise in the practice and differentiation of the stages.

Allow yourself to experiment and begin to create your own unique rituals. Over the time you can learn to integrate the 4 stages seamlessly into your on court behavior.

Here are the summaries of the 4 stages and examples of how pro players have truly made the 16-second cure their own.

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