In tennis, there are a number of routines and rituals that players can use to bring out their best performances. However, not all players use routines as effectively as they could. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss some of the challenges with using routines, and offer suggestions for how to commit to these important practices. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses,...

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss what tennis players can do when nothing is working for them in a match. The co-hosts examine different strategies and tools that tennis players can use in these moments, and also consider broader mindsets and perspectives that can be helpful to apply in these situations. Topics discussed include going back to a player’s fundamentals, targeting an opponent's weakness, and finding ways to relax and relieve physical tension. Tennis IQ Patreon...

Ryan Harrison is a former professional tennis player and Head Coach at Harrison Tennis Academy. With a playing career spanning over 15 years on the ATP Tour, Ryan Harrison stands as a Grand Slam Champion, clinching the Roland Garros men’s doubles title in 2017 with Michael Venus. His journey in professional tennis has seen him reach a career-best singles ranking of No. 40 in the world and No. 16 in doubles. Ryan has showcased his prowess on the global stage, competing in the ATP World Tour...

Dr. Cathy Utzschneider is the founder of the coaching practice, MOVE! - a method of goal achievement that helps all kinds of coaches and executives assist others with their goals. Cathy's 25 years of experience as a national- and world-class masters athlete, as well as her doctoral dissertation on goal achievement and excellence, support the method. A certification program for the MOVE! method has created a community of professionals focused on helping others. Cathy is also the lead faculty...

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss different aspects of motivation relative to self-determination theory, and how tennis players can be clear about what motivates them in terms of competence, autonomy, and relatedness (basic psychological needs). They also examine how people are generally motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, rather than being wholly intrinsically or extrinsically motivated. Tennis IQ Patreon...

It's commonly believed that tennis players learn more from their losses than their wins. But is that actually true? In this episode, Josh and Brian highlight the benefits of studying your wins and your best performances. Don't take those successes for granted; learn to replicate them. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com....

In this episode, Brian and Josh discussed how tennis players can be experiments and students on their tennis journey. The co-hosts examined the ways that tennis players can benefit by experimenting more, and how experimenting rather than committing to changing/fixing things tends to be easier because it doesn’t present a permanent change. This protects the player’s identity and doesn’t threaten their ego in the same way as the feeling that they have to make major permanent changes....

Before a match begins, everyone wants to win, but maintaining that desire throughout the match is not easy. Similarly, we all want to play to win during a match, but that has its own challenges. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the relationship between the "desire to win" and "playing to win," and the challenges associated with each. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology...

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss various sport psychology themes from the Netflix movie Hustle. The movie stars Adam Sandler as a NBA scout who identifies a talented basketball player from Spain, and then brings him to the United States. The movie includes various themes related to mental performance including work ethic needed to get to the next level, the improvement and development process of an athlete, the coach-athlete relationship, the importance of moving on after missed shots,...

The 2024 Australian Open has wrapped up with Aryna Sabalenka winning the women’s singles title over Zheng Qinwen 6–3, 6-2, and Jannik Sinner winning the men’s singles title over Daniil Medvedev 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the finals of the women’s and men’s singles championships, review the performances of other top players, and comment on mental performance themes that emerged from the tournament. Tennis IQ Patreon...

Ryan Redondo is CEO/GM of Youth Tennis San Diego and the Barnes Tennis Center, as well as Tournament Director of the San Diego Open WTA 500. He comes from a long tradition of tennis players in his family, and he is a former college and professional player. After his playing career, he went into coaching, both privately and at the collegiate level. He joined the Barnes Tennis Center as CEO in May of 2020. Ryan is passionate about transforming the tennis experience for players in the San Diego...

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the different contexts that tennis can be understood as a team sport. They discussed three main situations in this episode. First, they talked about situations where training is done as a team which includes in academies, high school teams, college teams, and adult league teams. Next, they discussed the roles within a performance team and the important support system that it creates. Lastly, they talked about viewing the tennis community as a team, and...

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss common self-limiting beliefs that tennis players often hold, and approaches that players can take to address and change these beliefs over time. The co-hosts talk about the importance of awareness of self-talk, the benefits of journaling, and detail the process that tennis players can go about to adjust and improve their self-limiting beliefs. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo learn more about Josh and...

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the top things they learned from 2023 and their top takeaways from the year. These include tennis-specific learnings and takeaways from 2023, as well as general lessons from the past year. They also announced a special event on December 28th at 8 pm EST / 5pm PST. This event will include an "Ask Me Anything" session with the co-hosts as well as a discussion of the book, Mindset by Jackie Reardon and Hans Dekkers. This free event will be open to anyone...

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss an article from Fast Company, written by Kevin Lake and Dr. Michael Gervais , “The psychological pitfalls of tying self-worth and happiness to performance”. The co-hosts outline the main points from the article, talk about the benefits of establishing a purpose-based identity, and discuss the practical implications for tennis players. The article can be accessed...

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the lifestyle challenges of professional tennis players. This conversation is based on an article in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology by Saul J. Shrom, Jennifer Cumming & Sarah-Jane Fenton titled “Lifestyle Challenges and Mental Health of Professional Tennis Players: an Exploratory Case Study”. The study analyzed current and former professional tennis players of various levels and the challenges that they faced on the...

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the importance of tolerance as a mental skill. This includes both physical tolerance (pain, withstanding physical training, playing in heat, etc.) as well as emotional tolerance. The co-hosts discuss how applying mental tools such as self-talk, visualization, and journaling can be helpful for building tolerance. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport...

In recent years, the concept of Grit has been popularized in performance contexts through the work of Angela Duckworth. But what is grit? How can you become grittier? Is this actually a useful concept for tennis? Josh and Brian discuss these questions and more so that you can take practical steps toward developing a healthier brand of grit on and off the tennis court. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds...

Motivation is the driver of our energy and the source of our reward. It's not unusual for tennis players to experience issues with their motivation, and in this episode, Josh and Brian examine ways for players to strengthen their purpose and drive for playing tennis. Purpose, passion, and goals are a few of the topics discussed. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membershipTo learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go...

Matt Futterman is a staff writer at The Athletic where he covers tennis and Olympic sports. In addition to covering tennis, Matt delivered award-winning investigative reporting for The New York Times, writing a series in 2020 called “Sledhead” that examined the dangers that sliding sports, particularly bobsled and skeleton, pose to the brain. Matt has also covered seven Olympics, a role he will continue to play at The Athletic. Matt joined The New York Times as a deputy sports editor in 2017...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...