Read Online The Inner Game of Tennis W Timothy Gallwey 9780394491547 Books

Product details Hardcover 141 pages Publisher Random House; 1st edition (1974) Language English ISBN-10 0394491548

The Inner Game of Tennis W Timothy Gallwey 9780394491547 Books Reviews

• I've played tennis for over 35 years, had lesson after lesson, went to tennis camps and clinics and still there was something missing in my game that I could not get in touch with, until The Inner Game of Tennis came along.
  
  Simply put, Timothy Gallwey writes that we should trust of bodies to do what they already know how to do, without all the judgement, self-coaching and self-criticism that so many players, myself included do. I used to puzzle over why my a certain stroke was so effortlessly effective one day and then just plain terrible in the next. My body would feel a lack of confidence, for example, a kind of forehand or volley or serve anxiety. The problem was that I never fully truly trusted my body to do what it already knew how to do. And once I did, my game changed.
  
  I now play relaxed and confident, whether my opponent is better than me or not. And when errors occur, I notice them and let go, something I never used to do before.
  
  Many thanks to Mr. Gallwey for giving me my a new and most powerful tool for tennis and beyond!!
• My game of golf sucks. When I mentioned to my wife that my problem is not my swing or clubs but in my head, she reminded me about "The Inner Game of Tennis," which I had not read in over 20 years. It is not a tennis book; it's about every endeavor in life. A buddy of mine who taught golf and racket sports at colleges for 35 years said that "The Inner Game of Golf" makes frequent references to the Tennis version. This is not a book where you take notes -- it infiltrates your mind and body. I'm savoring it slowly to let each "lesson" sink in. Highest praise!
• I took up tennis 2 years ago at age 65. Because most of the people I play with have played for decades I figured the only way to catch up is be a practice nut and a sponge for information - videos books, lessons from pros etc. But I had not given much thought to what goes in inside the head. Like many my mind was polluted with self criticism, negative thought, and an inability to focus all the time.
  
  Fortunately I purchased a copy of this book and indeed it was a real eye opener in fact, it was almost like the author was speaking directly to me. The simple way he describes how the inner mind works for and against you was logical and it helped me understand what I was dealing with for the first time. The exercises are quite simple and the benefit came immediately. After spending about a half hour with the mental exercise I went out to the court and hit balls with the ball machine. Set on 2 line medium speed I usually have about 15 - 20 balls on the net side after hitting the full bin of 150. I hit the balls as usual but this time I was totally focuses and "in the now" the only thing I was aware of was the ball was getting great top spin and most of the balls where hitting in. When I finished I looked down at the net and there were only 3 balls that hadn't made it over. I was shocked "hey this stuff really does work!" I thought. I've only played in one match since then but I can see the results already.
  
  It is truly amazing what the mind can accomplish when you get in the zone and tune out all the distractions. This is a great book and has benefit for anyone who wants to improve at tennis or any other sport IMO.
• This fantastic book cured me from stagefright. I suffered from stagefright that was so severe that I would instantly start sweating, shaking and panicking to the point that I could not remember, let alone play, a single note of my piano music. Then my piano teacher suggested I buy and read this book. I learned about the Ego driven Self One and how it wants to run everything and the sensitive, creative Self Two who really knows what is going on and can produce wonderful creations, achievements and performances if Self One will get of the way. My piano teacher and I embarked on a variety of techniques for me to get Self One off my back and occupied somewhere else. The method worked beautifully. I often think of Gallwey's suggestion about watching the tennis ball come at you and observing the patterns on it, the texture, etc. I would call this getting into the observer mode. Another helpful tip from this book was the idea of approaching my playing from a place of awareness, not judgment. I am a musician, not a tennis player. As soon as I just become aware of my technique in playing a piece of music, it takes the judgment off of it and I can fix the problem easier. In fact, the awareness often allows for the problem to fix itself. Much of the time, I need do nothing. I also have "The Inner Game of Music," and got a lot out of that as well, but this book was available to me in 1980 when I was dealing with my stagefright. I am forever grateful to Mr. Gallwey for sharing this wisdom with me. As a result of reading this book and doing the work within its pages, I was able to go on and have a successful career as a performing artist. [...]
• So often books about excelling, especially at sports like tennis and golf that operate on fine margins of error, offer tropes about the importance of concentrating and focus yet never offer the drills necessary to achieve them, or a overarching concept to a specific approach.
  This book refreshingly didn't disappoint. Not only did it encourage a holistic and healthy approach to competition, it brought employable strategies for a player to examine and work with. I digested this book quickly multiple times, and have eagerly been employing its mentality. Before I would fret and worry, letting the stress of the game overwhelm me, but now I look forward to playing without the fear and insecurity.
• They say, when the student is ready the master appears. This book was
  suggested to me many years ago and I've finally read it. The techniques for internal mastery are shared using language that I could absorb. This book is an easy read, filled with gems.
• If you are a tennis player you NEED TO READ THIS BOOK! It has helped my tennis game so much, and I quote it about every time I teach a private or group lesson. It is awesome for building confidence, overcoming the nerves of competition, and teaches you to learn to play the game of tennis in a positive way and not get down on yourself for the mistakes. LOVE IT.