The children are the victims to play tennis with the majority of the damage because they do not realize of the damage which can occur by balancing a racquet tennis with another person. The damage could occur on the goal or they could be a risk of the play, but while playing tennis with damage have a manner of taking the recreation out playing the game. Many parents spend the children much of time of teaching how to employ racquets of tennis so that their child does not test any damage while they learn the play.
Some damage which occurs while playing tennis is a by-product of the movements thata player of tennis made during a play. With each service and each oscillation with the ball of tennis, there are strong chances that some cartilages will be damaged in the area of wrist or elbow of the player of tennis. The elbow of tennis is very painful damage which can keep players at the same time to appreciate the sport during many weeks. With the suitable formation and a good mode, the players of tennis can avoid damage and improve their always front play more quickly than.
Some players of tennis relative effects of the elbow of tennis while carrying pilot wheels of support while they play. It is not not very common to see players tennis to carry the elastic pilot wheels on their knees, ankles and wrists. Elastic bindings make it possible to the player to order the movements of the wounded part of body and to give to the damage the additional support by bindings which are put around him. Some players of tennis supplement therapeutic qualities of the rubber band by applying various ointments and by heating lotions.
Some parents regulate the number of hours that their child can play of the sets of tennis each week. They could even plaster on the number of plays if the child shows signs of tenderness in the wrist, the elbow or even the hips. Some children must increase their physical promptitude with the step of subsistence during a set of tennis and some parents worry that damage occurs because their child is just not until the fast involved action which occurs on the court of tennis.
Many sporting devices of support can be carried under the tennis wear to offer the support to the muscles in the sector of midriff. A muscle drawn in this sector from the body is extremely painful, but this damage can be avoided if the suitable equipment is carried while playing a game of tennis. Tennis holds the first role the concern looks at approximately more than their safety and will leave protective materials in the room of rack and will play the game as if they did not have any damage of the whole. At a certain point during the play, however, there are strong chances that the athlete will draw a muscle and will not be able to play during weeks.
Other damage which occurs in tennis can occur while carrying the false shoes. Many players of tennis incur blisters on the heels of their feet because hard operation during a match of tennis requires the various stops and beginnings which damage the skin on the feet. A player of tennis can avoid the effects prejudicial of this type of damage by the port of the socks which are thicker and applying the powder to the feet. Any effort to order moisture will reduce the quantity to rise that is carried out during a play.
Author:
Jennifer Seaton
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/extreme-sports-articles/injuries-and-tennis-475195.html
About the Author
Find tips about rules of tennis and tennis scoring at the Tennis Rules website.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
How Accurate is the Hawk-Eye System for Tennis Line Calls
We know and have seen how video analysis can be used to analyze a tennis players performance, but it can also be used in real time or almost real time to track the ball and even make close line calls. Of course I am talking about the 'Shot Spot' or Hawk-Eye system.
If you have watched any Major Tennis since 2006, you will know exactly what Hawk-Eye is. The Hawk-Eye is used to make decisions on line calls that are challenged by the tennis player. Each player (or team if playing doubles) can challenge a line call on any point. They get a maximum of 2 incorrect challenges each set. If the set goes to a tie break an extra challenge is allowed. Basically the Hawk-Eye challenge enables the tennis players to use technology to challenge line calls they think are incorrect.
The technology being used by the Hawk-Eye system is Video Analysis. Here is how it works.
Here are some points that may effect the accuracy of the system.
Author:
Dudley Tabakin
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tennis-articles/how-accurate-is-the-hawkeye-system-for-tennis-line-calls-1218647.html
About the Author
Dudley Tabakin is Co-Founder of Sadaka, LLC http://videosportsanalysis.blogspot.com, a motion capture and biomechanics consultancy. Clients include FootJoy, Titleist, Warrior Hockey, Vicon Motion Systems, Innovision Systems Inc. and other Sports and Motion capture and biomechanics software companies
If you have watched any Major Tennis since 2006, you will know exactly what Hawk-Eye is. The Hawk-Eye is used to make decisions on line calls that are challenged by the tennis player. Each player (or team if playing doubles) can challenge a line call on any point. They get a maximum of 2 incorrect challenges each set. If the set goes to a tie break an extra challenge is allowed. Basically the Hawk-Eye challenge enables the tennis players to use technology to challenge line calls they think are incorrect.
The technology being used by the Hawk-Eye system is Video Analysis. Here is how it works.
- Multiple cameras are placed around the court and players. These cameras are usually placed high up, so that there is less chance that a player will be blocking the ball from the camera view.
- Multiple cameras are used to ensure accuracy of tracking the ball and to account for possible occlusion (the ball being hidden from the camera view by the players body...)
- The system uses at least 4 high speed video cameras, with a capture rate presumed to be 500 frames per second.
- The camera position is calibrated to determine its position in space and relative to the other cameras in the system. The lines on the court are also used in calibration and to compensate for any camera movement.
- The center of the ball is tracked in 2D by each camera. The ball therefore is like a reflective marker or point on the body. Using the information from all the cameras, the Hawk-Eye system then triangulates the 3D position of the ball.
- This process is done for each captured frame so that a trajectory of the ball can be created and then overlayed on an animated background containing the lines of the tennis court.
- Finally the skid and compression of the ball is measured by examining the position and trajectory of the ball prior to the bounce and its position and trajectory after the bounce. In this way they can determine how long the ball was on the ground and how it skidded over the ground.
- The Hawk-Eye system is said to have an accuracy of 3.6 mm.
Here are some points that may effect the accuracy of the system.
- The camera capture rate of 500 frames per second may be too slow for the hard hitting tennis game of today. Andy Roddick has recorded a fastest serve at 155 mph and ground strokes are often hit with a similar speed. Assuming a capture speed of 500 frames per second or 1 frame every 0.002 seconds, the ball will have moved about 139 mm for every video frame. This may not be sufficient data to determine the position of the ball to within 1 mm.
- The more cameras that are used the better the chance of tracking the ball and the higher the accuracy. However there are possibilities of occlusion by players, tennis rackets and the net, which will lead to reduced accuracy.
- High speed video capture also needs excellent lighting. We have discussed the importance of lighting for high speed capture in a previous post . Therefore the system will work best under a roof with artificial bright lighting and will possibly have a problem tracking the ball outdoors, particularly when there is cloud cover or as it gets later into the evening.
- Assuming everything is perfect for capture, the center of the ball has to be identified as accurately as possible too. If a camera sees the ball at a funny angle or partly occluded the center may not be correctly defined by this one camera and the position of the ball will be inaccurate.
- The skid and compression of the ball is being estimated and extrapolated based on the trajectory of the ball before and after the bounce. Any inaccuracies in tracking the position and flight of the ball will become larger during an extrapolation (estimation of the movement).
Author:
Dudley Tabakin
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tennis-articles/how-accurate-is-the-hawkeye-system-for-tennis-line-calls-1218647.html
About the Author
Dudley Tabakin is Co-Founder of Sadaka, LLC http://videosportsanalysis.blogspot.com, a motion capture and biomechanics consultancy. Clients include FootJoy, Titleist, Warrior Hockey, Vicon Motion Systems, Innovision Systems Inc. and other Sports and Motion capture and biomechanics software companies
Friday, January 21, 2011
Alan Douglas Play Your Best Tennis - Learning Tennis Review
Have you been playing tennis for quite a while now but you have never seemed to get better at it? Are you looking to beat opponents that you never thought would be possible to achieve? What you need is the Alan Douglas Play Your Best Tennis guide. This guide can give you the fastest improvement in your game that you can ever make.
Click Here For Play Your Best Tennis Instant Access Now!
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned professional, there is always room for improvement. And the Alan Douglas Play Your Best Tennis can best show you how. This guide will help you learn how to instantly improve the worst shots that you have in your game. And with this guide, you can even discover how you can win very important matches without having to inflict any injury to yourself.
With this guide, you can learn hundreds of proven techniques and keep them for as long as you play tennis. They can help you create the results you desire each time you play your games. And these results can even come faster than you have ever thought them to be possible.
It does not really matter whether your problem involves strategies and tactics on how to win matches or the problem is in your lack of confidence or focus so you can emerge as the mental winner. Or perhaps you need more functional fitness and tennis warm-ups or you need tips on technical strokes and injury challenges. Whatever it is you need to improve your game, you can very well find it in this learning tennis guide.
So what is it that you are waiting for? It might be high time that you grab your copy of the Alan Douglas Play Your Best Tennis guide. You can never tell but this might just be the very key to improving your game.
Author:
Sandy Hoffman
Click Here For Play Your Best Tennis Instant Access Now!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/alan-douglas-play-your-best-tennis-learning-tennis-review-3975160.html
About the Author
This author writes about Rules To Play Tennis and Tennis Forehand Tips
Click Here For Play Your Best Tennis Instant Access Now!
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned professional, there is always room for improvement. And the Alan Douglas Play Your Best Tennis can best show you how. This guide will help you learn how to instantly improve the worst shots that you have in your game. And with this guide, you can even discover how you can win very important matches without having to inflict any injury to yourself.
With this guide, you can learn hundreds of proven techniques and keep them for as long as you play tennis. They can help you create the results you desire each time you play your games. And these results can even come faster than you have ever thought them to be possible.
It does not really matter whether your problem involves strategies and tactics on how to win matches or the problem is in your lack of confidence or focus so you can emerge as the mental winner. Or perhaps you need more functional fitness and tennis warm-ups or you need tips on technical strokes and injury challenges. Whatever it is you need to improve your game, you can very well find it in this learning tennis guide.
So what is it that you are waiting for? It might be high time that you grab your copy of the Alan Douglas Play Your Best Tennis guide. You can never tell but this might just be the very key to improving your game.
Author:
Sandy Hoffman
Click Here For Play Your Best Tennis Instant Access Now!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/alan-douglas-play-your-best-tennis-learning-tennis-review-3975160.html
About the Author
This author writes about Rules To Play Tennis and Tennis Forehand Tips
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Tennis Technique of the Forehand and Backhand Tennis Strokes
Tennis technique is one of the most important elements in tennis if you want to improve your tennis. All professional players have great tennis technique.
Optimum Tennis http://www.optimumtennis.net shares secret tennis technique lessons exclusively for tennis players looking for online tennis instruction
Why improve tennis technique?
Tennis technique or tennis strokes can make the difference between being an average tennis player and a great tennis player. There is not much difference between a 4.0 player than a 4.5 tennis player, other than the 4.5 player usually has better tennis technique. Tennis technique can be described as the way a person swings or uses their body to hit the tennis ball.
Pros like roger federer have flawless tennis technique. And when you watch federer\'s forehand technique on TV, it\'s astounding how he is able to create winner after winner with his forehand - and this is due to non other than having perfect tennis technique.
So what do average players have to do to improve tennis technique?
First, learn the tennis technique of the pros, like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova. Watch some slow motion videos of them playing tennis. Watch how Nadal's forehand shapes into the powerful bomb at contact. Watch Maria Sharapova's forehand and backhand and see how explosive and smooth it is.
Tennis Technique is one of the most important areas for any tennis player wanting to improve. Note that all great tennis players have world class tennis technique and its no longer a mystery why they can produce the excellent shots they hit - all due to tennis technique.
So If you want to play better tennis, focus on learning more on how to play tennis through Optimum Tennis online tennis instruction, where Coach Ed teaches the basic fundamentals of forehand tennis technique, and learn a thing or two with online tennis lessons on backhand tennis technique. Finally, understand how improving serve tennis technique can lead to mastery of your entire to-be arsenal of mass destruction.
World class tennis technique is a commonality shared by all high level tennis players. With quality practice and hard work, a tennis player can be on the path to improving their tennis technique.
Learn more about Optimum Tennis at http://www.optimumtennis.net
Optimum Tennis has released a new tennis ebook on tennis technique and tennis stroke production. So you can be on the path to improving your tennis technique and having the tennis forehand, backhand and serve you always wanted. This is the premier online tennis website that focuses on tennis technique of top professional players and teaches tennis players all around the world how to model their forehand like Roger Federer's Tennis Technique.
Author:
optimum tennis
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tennis-articles/tennis-technique-of-the-forehand-and-backhand-tennis-strokes-3690953.html
About the Author
Coach Ed - A former nationally ranked tennis player teaching tennis technique online on Optimum Tennis. Online tennis instruction and tennis lessons taught in a exclusive tennis technique book.
Optimum Tennis
http://www.optimumtennis.net
Optimum Tennis http://www.optimumtennis.net shares secret tennis technique lessons exclusively for tennis players looking for online tennis instruction
Why improve tennis technique?
Tennis technique or tennis strokes can make the difference between being an average tennis player and a great tennis player. There is not much difference between a 4.0 player than a 4.5 tennis player, other than the 4.5 player usually has better tennis technique. Tennis technique can be described as the way a person swings or uses their body to hit the tennis ball.
Pros like roger federer have flawless tennis technique. And when you watch federer\'s forehand technique on TV, it\'s astounding how he is able to create winner after winner with his forehand - and this is due to non other than having perfect tennis technique.
So what do average players have to do to improve tennis technique?
First, learn the tennis technique of the pros, like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova. Watch some slow motion videos of them playing tennis. Watch how Nadal's forehand shapes into the powerful bomb at contact. Watch Maria Sharapova's forehand and backhand and see how explosive and smooth it is.
Tennis Technique is one of the most important areas for any tennis player wanting to improve. Note that all great tennis players have world class tennis technique and its no longer a mystery why they can produce the excellent shots they hit - all due to tennis technique.
So If you want to play better tennis, focus on learning more on how to play tennis through Optimum Tennis online tennis instruction, where Coach Ed teaches the basic fundamentals of forehand tennis technique, and learn a thing or two with online tennis lessons on backhand tennis technique. Finally, understand how improving serve tennis technique can lead to mastery of your entire to-be arsenal of mass destruction.
World class tennis technique is a commonality shared by all high level tennis players. With quality practice and hard work, a tennis player can be on the path to improving their tennis technique.
Learn more about Optimum Tennis at http://www.optimumtennis.net
Optimum Tennis has released a new tennis ebook on tennis technique and tennis stroke production. So you can be on the path to improving your tennis technique and having the tennis forehand, backhand and serve you always wanted. This is the premier online tennis website that focuses on tennis technique of top professional players and teaches tennis players all around the world how to model their forehand like Roger Federer's Tennis Technique.
Author:
optimum tennis
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tennis-articles/tennis-technique-of-the-forehand-and-backhand-tennis-strokes-3690953.html
About the Author
Coach Ed - A former nationally ranked tennis player teaching tennis technique online on Optimum Tennis. Online tennis instruction and tennis lessons taught in a exclusive tennis technique book.
Optimum Tennis
http://www.optimumtennis.net
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Prince O3 Speedport Red - Tennis Racket Review
Author:
Joshua
The Prince O3 Speedport Red has a 105 square inch head size suited for a wide array of players. Using the Speedport technology, this racket has a quick swing rate that can provide an exceptional mixture of pace & spin.
Tech
From the first O3 ports offered to the public in 2005, Prince has re-engineered the previous O3 ports with the innovative and upgraded O3 Speedport. The form, size & position of the holes on the racket have changed with the end result of a much quicker racket.
Due to the racket swiftness through the air you will be able to move into place faster that will permit you to achieve improved connection with the ball and strike smooth and accurate winners.
There are 3 most important improvements that these generous ports have over other rackets:
Specs
The Prince O3 Speedport Red has a very firm & improved touch from the baseline. The racket provides heaps of spin because ofits 16x19 spaced string pattern that helps control those deep shots. With the quicker racket head swiftness, you can really pile a ball with lotsof slice & force your opponent struggle.
Serve
This racket has a well balanced touch that provides excellent control whilst serving. This racket would be better with some added head mass to increase the length & pace through the court of a flat serve. Due to the quick racket head quickness plenty of spin was very reachable ensuing in good kick serves.
Returning
Due to the light mass & upgraded aerodynamics of this racket, you will obtain heaps of choices whilst facing serve. Many times these oversized and lengthy rackets don\'t perform when returning Prince O3 Speedport Red out performs by being very agile permitting sufficient time to assertively return tricky serves.
Volleys
Surprisingly the Prince O3 Speedport Red provides an successful mixture of agility & touch next to the net. Due tothe light racket mass you can approach the net assertively because ofthe positive feeling this racket provides you in being certain that you will react rapidly. & because ofthe 105 sq. In. Head area you get a very balanced feeling that encourages you to reach for those angles.
Summary
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tennis-articles/prince-o3-speedport-red-tennis-racket-review-1046512.html
About the Author
If you want some more information about Prince O3 Speedport Red Racket and some nice pictures of the racket then check out this link here!
Joshua
The Prince O3 Speedport Red has a 105 square inch head size suited for a wide array of players. Using the Speedport technology, this racket has a quick swing rate that can provide an exceptional mixture of pace & spin.
Tech
From the first O3 ports offered to the public in 2005, Prince has re-engineered the previous O3 ports with the innovative and upgraded O3 Speedport. The form, size & position of the holes on the racket have changed with the end result of a much quicker racket.
Due to the racket swiftness through the air you will be able to move into place faster that will permit you to achieve improved connection with the ball and strike smooth and accurate winners.
There are 3 most important improvements that these generous ports have over other rackets:
- Because ofe ofthe portsgenerous dimension & as they are aerodynamically molded like the air intakes seen on quick autos & airplanes, air slips through them quite effortlessly resulting in drastically reduced drag. In reality, the Speedports cut aerodynamic drag by twenty-four percent!
- The Speedports permit the strings to shift with entire lack of restrictions raising the sweetspot area by up to fifty-nine percent - Prince currently name the sweetspot a Sweetzone because ofthe area increase. Raising the sweetspot has in addition resulted in improved pace.
- Big O3 Speedport permits the strings shift without restraint on contact - this releases the energy more efficiently ensuing in reduced vibrations travelling to your hand for a much more improved feel
Specs
- 105 square inch Head area
- 10.5 oz (298 g) Strung mass
- Moderate Power Level
- Quick Swing pace
- 16 x 19 String Pattern
- 27.25 inches (69 centimeters) length
- 1pts Head Light
- 321 Swingweight
- 65 Stiffness
- 23-25-23 mm Tapering Beam Width
- GraphitExtreme / Copper / Tungsten / Titanium
- 53-63 Pounds String Tension
The Prince O3 Speedport Red has a very firm & improved touch from the baseline. The racket provides heaps of spin because ofits 16x19 spaced string pattern that helps control those deep shots. With the quicker racket head swiftness, you can really pile a ball with lotsof slice & force your opponent struggle.
Serve
This racket has a well balanced touch that provides excellent control whilst serving. This racket would be better with some added head mass to increase the length & pace through the court of a flat serve. Due to the quick racket head quickness plenty of spin was very reachable ensuing in good kick serves.
Returning
Due to the light mass & upgraded aerodynamics of this racket, you will obtain heaps of choices whilst facing serve. Many times these oversized and lengthy rackets don\'t perform when returning Prince O3 Speedport Red out performs by being very agile permitting sufficient time to assertively return tricky serves.
Volleys
Surprisingly the Prince O3 Speedport Red provides an successful mixture of agility & touch next to the net. Due tothe light racket mass you can approach the net assertively because ofthe positive feeling this racket provides you in being certain that you will react rapidly. & because ofthe 105 sq. In. Head area you get a very balanced feeling that encourages you to reach for those angles.
Summary
- Prince O3 Speedport Red is a very agile quick swinging racket
- O3 tech has changed into O3 Speedport which has made the generous holes much more slick and has improved the sweetspot by fifty-nine percent!
- New aerodynamic design means a quicker racket head rapidity providing you access to extra pace and spin above its predecessor
- Shifting dampener system permits for a changable touch
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tennis-articles/prince-o3-speedport-red-tennis-racket-review-1046512.html
About the Author
If you want some more information about Prince O3 Speedport Red Racket and some nice pictures of the racket then check out this link here!
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Winning Game
Author:
Sandra Prior
The old saying gets it wrong. In sport, as in life, winning isn\'t the only thing. The only thing is doing everything in your power to win.
Have you ever wondered why even the bitterest sporting rivals often embrace each other after the final whistle has blown or the final point has been played? And why the closer the result and the greater the performance, the warmer the embrace? Or why the truly exceptional can be devastated by the retirement of their toughest opponent, the very person whom we might think blocks their path to greatness.
I recall John McEnroe saying that the worst moment of his career was the retirement of Bjorn Borg, his vanquisher in the epic 1980 Wimbledon Final, in which the 21 -year-old McEnroe had won the fourth set tie-break 18-16, only to lose the match in a rather tamer final set. One feels that the greatest regret in McEnroe\'s life was Borg\'s retirement when he was only 25.
The answer, I suspect, is that to become the very best, you have to understand that the challenge in sport is not really about the sport. It is about our search for an elusive perfection. McEnroe needed Borg as much as Tiger Woods now desperately requires another to match his ability, if he is to fulfill his destiny as the unchallenged greatest golfer of all time.
Where, you might ask, would New Zealand or Australian rugby be without the Springboks? And vice-versa? And where would world cricket be but for the contribution of Australian cricketing excellence over the past 90 years since the appearance of Sir Donald Bradman in the 1920s?
So your opponent, it turns out, is not the obstacle to your success. In fact, they may be the most important ingredient in determining how hard you will need to prepare and the level to which you will ultimately ascend, not just in sport but perhaps also in life.
The ultimate goal in sport cannot be merely winning. US football coach Vince Lombardi is most remembered for a quotation incorrectly attributed to him: ‘Winning is not everything, it is the only thing.\' The error, he said, is to believe that winning is ‘the only thing\'. Rather, he explained that the ‘only thing\' is doing everything in your power to win.
A recent study of Harvard graduates found that the best predictor of the future success of these elite young men and women was not the intellectual prowess they showed at University. It was the positions of leadership they filled, especially in University sport but also in other collaborative activities. I conclude that sport produces crucial life lessons that are best learned in the preparation for, and participation in, competition.
W. Timothy Gallwey, author of the classic books The Inner Game of Tennis (and Golf), best describes why sport provides a unique learning experience. To achieve the goal of winning, the athlete must overcome obstacles. But the value of winning is determined by the nature of the obstacles that are overcome. The better the opponent, the greater the value of the victory.
He also explains that in tennis, as in any sport, there are two games being played at the same time: ‘One, the outer game played against the obstacles presented by an external opponent and played for one or more external prizes; the other, the Inner Game, played against internal mental and emotional obstacles for the reward of increasing self realization, that is, the knowledge of one\'s true potential.\'
So why then do opponents embrace after the game in which everyone has done everything in their powers to win? Because in what Gallwey calls ‘true competition\', no person is defeated. Rather, both have benefited from the severity of the obstacles posed by each other.
The higher the obstacles, the more we each learn about our true potential, and what we can still achieve.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tennis-articles/the-winning-game-2251332.html
About the Author
Sandra Prior runs her own bodybuilding website at http://bodybuild.rr.nu.
Sandra Prior
The old saying gets it wrong. In sport, as in life, winning isn\'t the only thing. The only thing is doing everything in your power to win.
Have you ever wondered why even the bitterest sporting rivals often embrace each other after the final whistle has blown or the final point has been played? And why the closer the result and the greater the performance, the warmer the embrace? Or why the truly exceptional can be devastated by the retirement of their toughest opponent, the very person whom we might think blocks their path to greatness.
I recall John McEnroe saying that the worst moment of his career was the retirement of Bjorn Borg, his vanquisher in the epic 1980 Wimbledon Final, in which the 21 -year-old McEnroe had won the fourth set tie-break 18-16, only to lose the match in a rather tamer final set. One feels that the greatest regret in McEnroe\'s life was Borg\'s retirement when he was only 25.
The answer, I suspect, is that to become the very best, you have to understand that the challenge in sport is not really about the sport. It is about our search for an elusive perfection. McEnroe needed Borg as much as Tiger Woods now desperately requires another to match his ability, if he is to fulfill his destiny as the unchallenged greatest golfer of all time.
Where, you might ask, would New Zealand or Australian rugby be without the Springboks? And vice-versa? And where would world cricket be but for the contribution of Australian cricketing excellence over the past 90 years since the appearance of Sir Donald Bradman in the 1920s?
So your opponent, it turns out, is not the obstacle to your success. In fact, they may be the most important ingredient in determining how hard you will need to prepare and the level to which you will ultimately ascend, not just in sport but perhaps also in life.
The ultimate goal in sport cannot be merely winning. US football coach Vince Lombardi is most remembered for a quotation incorrectly attributed to him: ‘Winning is not everything, it is the only thing.\' The error, he said, is to believe that winning is ‘the only thing\'. Rather, he explained that the ‘only thing\' is doing everything in your power to win.
A recent study of Harvard graduates found that the best predictor of the future success of these elite young men and women was not the intellectual prowess they showed at University. It was the positions of leadership they filled, especially in University sport but also in other collaborative activities. I conclude that sport produces crucial life lessons that are best learned in the preparation for, and participation in, competition.
W. Timothy Gallwey, author of the classic books The Inner Game of Tennis (and Golf), best describes why sport provides a unique learning experience. To achieve the goal of winning, the athlete must overcome obstacles. But the value of winning is determined by the nature of the obstacles that are overcome. The better the opponent, the greater the value of the victory.
He also explains that in tennis, as in any sport, there are two games being played at the same time: ‘One, the outer game played against the obstacles presented by an external opponent and played for one or more external prizes; the other, the Inner Game, played against internal mental and emotional obstacles for the reward of increasing self realization, that is, the knowledge of one\'s true potential.\'
So why then do opponents embrace after the game in which everyone has done everything in their powers to win? Because in what Gallwey calls ‘true competition\', no person is defeated. Rather, both have benefited from the severity of the obstacles posed by each other.
The higher the obstacles, the more we each learn about our true potential, and what we can still achieve.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/tennis-articles/the-winning-game-2251332.html
About the Author
Sandra Prior runs her own bodybuilding website at http://bodybuild.rr.nu.
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