Refine
Clear All
Your Track:
Live:
Search in:
Tennis IQ Podcast
Tennis IQ Podcast

Tennis IQ Podcast

Ninety percent of tennis performance is mental and that's what makes the sport so difficult. Sport psychology professionals Brian Lomax and Josh Burger share their insights on mental performance in tennis, discuss current events in the world of tennis, and interview guests with a unique perspective on mental toughness. Whether you want to learn more about the mental game in tennis or you just have an interest in the sport, this is the podcast for you. Send your questions to tennisiqpodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter using #tennisiq.

Available Episodes 10

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss whether venting is an effective way to handle anger. They review research from Brad J. Bushman at Iowa State University on this topic and his paper “Does Venting Anger Feed or Extinguish the Flame? Catharsis, Rumination, Distraction, Anger, and Aggressive Responding”. The co-hosts examine whether this research and past research has demonstrated the effectiveness of venting, and they offer suggestions for how tennis players can handle angry moments when they occur. If you’d like to read the research article you can send us an email at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com and we will send it to you.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Dr. Laura Swettenham is a sport and exercise psychologist from the UK, chartered with the British Psychological Society. She has experience working within a range of sports, predominantly professional football (soccer), youth tennis, and e-sports. In her practice, Laura uses acceptance and mindfulness approaches, such as acceptance and commitment therapy, to support athletes and coaches so they can thrive in and out of their performance environment. Currently, Laura works at Cultiv8 Academy, the Yorkshire regional player development center for tennis, and is the sport psychology and coach development lead at the federation of e-sports coaches. She is also an associate partner lecturer at the University of Portsmouth and has published multiple research papers within sport psychology utilizing the Think Aloud protocol. In this conversation, we discuss Think Aloud and its utility in exploring stress and coping mechanisms in tennis. For more information on Think Aloud, please read "Investigating Stress and Coping During Practice and Competition in Tennis using Think Aloud" by Laura and her colleagues. (http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/9077/) To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis, email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com or use the hashtag #tennisIQ​​​​​​​​​ on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh interview Jan Mühlfeit. Jan Mühlfeit is a global strategist, executive coach, and the author of the bestselling business book “The Positive Leader” (Pearson, Oct 2016, Jan Mühlfeit &; Melina Costi). His personal mission is “helping individuals, organizations and countries around the world to unlock their human potential”. Jan has a proven track record in building and leading successful teams, acquired through an extensive 22-year career at Microsoft Corporation where he served in various executive positions. His last role with the high-tech giant was as Chairman of Europe (2007–2014). Jan teaches his courses on a worldwide scale and has worked with many prominent S&P 500 companies. Among his key clients are Exxon Mobil, GE, Dentons, Microsoft, Generali, UniCredit, Siemens, Bosch, Société General, Skoda, Skanska, and many others. Together with Katerina Novotna, Jan has created a special seminar for children and parents – “Unlock Your Child’s Potential” – which guides children on how to be more self-aware and find their personal uniqueness. In his own words: “Every child is a genius, we just need to find out what they’re a genius at”. Jan coaches high-level executives, Olympic athletes, artists from different countries and continents, and he works closely in the coaching and mentoring field with INSEAD, Cambridge, Imperial College, Gallup and the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital (a Harvard Medical School affiliate).

Jan is a well-regarded global speaker at WEF, Harvard, MIT, INSEAD, Cambridge, Imperial College, Washington Post and The Economist events. As an established leadership and personal development specialist, he has been interviewed by CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, Financial Times, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. You can find more information about him on his website - https://janmuhlfeit.com/en/.
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In the 150th episode of the podcast, Brian and Josh discuss how decision making on court can be improved through intentional decision training. The co-hosts reviewed a paper entitled “Effects of Decision Training on Decision Making and Performance in Young Tennis Players: An Applied Research” by Luis García-González, Alberto Moreno, Alexander Gil, M. Perla Moreno & Fernando Del Villar. Both Josh and Brian provided their thoughts on the study and its findings, and they considered some of the practical applications that tennis players and coaches can utilize on court to instill better decision making over time. If you’d like to read the paper, please send us an email at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com and we will send it to you.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Kollman Gearhart is the founder and driving force behind the BTB Project (Built to Be Project), a dynamic podcast that empowers listeners to discover their purpose and live their best lives, regardless of circumstances. With a rich background as a former athlete and motivational coach, Kollman has dedicated the last two decades to inspiring thousands through his personal journey. His mission is clear: to help individuals, teams, and organizations unlock their true potential. Kollman played Division 1 tennis at University of Northern Colorado, has coached dozens of players to receive scholarships to Division 1, 2, and 3 universities, and has coached numerous players to secure CHSAA Tennis State Championships in Colorado. His podcast guests come from diverse fields, including athletics, business, entrepreneurship, science, fitness, and nutrition. Kollman firmly believes that the impossible is nothing, and through his podcast, he invites you to join the journey of becoming 1% better with each episode and interview.

You can connect with Kollman on Instagram at @the_btb_project_ and through the BTB Project Podcast on Spotify and Apple.
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Marius Barnard is a former ATP pro who spent 13 years on the tour, winning 6 titles, and reaching the men’s doubles quarterfinals at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open. During his playing career, he also had doubles wins over 6 world number ones, including Roger Federer. While playing on the tour, Marius studied psychology and business management. After his career was over, he used his expertise in performance psychology and business to become a coach and mentor. Today, Marius is an executive coach helping CEOs, Directors, and Managers improve their performance with tailored development programs and managing their work pressures with self-belief, optimism and resilience. Interview Highlights: 2:11 - Marius explains his introduction to tennis and transition from a professional tennis player to an executive coach 5:40 - The Clear Links model and the importance of self-belief to tennis players 11:10 - Utilizing interventions including visualization within the Clear Links model 22:02 - Developing a "highlight reel" from your matches to build confidence 23:58 - Focusing on the present moment in competition 28:56 - Helping athletes develop awareness 30:52 - The differences between confidence and self-belief 35:57 - How is optimism connected to self-belief? 42:11 - The parallels between life as a professional tennis player and working as an executive coach 46:27 - Resilience during a global pandemic 56:07 - Finding the silver lining from difficult situations https://www.mariusbarnard.com/ - Marius Barnard - Performance Executive Coach

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the 2023 U.S. Open where Coco Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, and Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 to win the women’s and men’s singles championships. The co-hosts discussed the champions and finalists from a sport psychology perspective, and also discussed other top players including Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz.

Coco Gauff Final Interview Transcript - http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=190805
Aryna Sabalenka Final Interview Transcript - http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=190803
Novak Djokovic Final Interview Transcript - http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=190823
Daniil Medvedev Final Interview Transcript - http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=190822
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss a recent case study “Serving a Brief-Contact Cognitive Behavior Therapy Intervention” by Zoe Louise Moffat and Paul McCarthy of Glasgow Caledonian University. The co-hosts summarized the study findings and shared certain actionable takeaways for players. If you’d like to read the paper, please send us an email at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com and we will send it to you.

Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us at TennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

Visualization has many uses for improving tennis performance, and in this episode, Brian and Josh review how visualization can aid and train better decision making on the court. Listen in for tips on how to create visualization plans and scripts that you can use for your game.


Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the connection between a tennis player’s behavior and their performance. This conversation started with a quote from Frank Slootman, "Performance is something that we will give more time; behavior we won’t. And that’s because behavior is a choice, not a skill set.” The co-hosts discussed whether they believe that behavior is ultimately a choice, and talked about how tennis players can prioritize controlling the aspects of performance that they’re able to control and impact.
Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership
To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can email us atTennisIQPodcast@gmail.com. If you’re enjoying the show please rate us on your favorite podcast platform including Apple Podcasts and Spotify and write a review. Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube or your podcast platform of choice (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, etc.) to stay up to date on future episodes.