Overcoming Service Yips

Are You Struggling with Your Service Motion?

Have you ever struggled with your service game to the point you lose all feel and control?

In this weekโ€™s tennis psychology podcast, mental game of tennis expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn answers a question from Ryan.

Hereโ€™s what Ryan had to say about his game:

โ€œI feel anxiety when itโ€™s my turn to serve.  When the yips come onโ€ฆitโ€™s not just that I am double faultingโ€ฆit is How I am double faulting.  I literally have no โ€œfeelโ€ or control.  There is also a significant drop in what power.  In some cases, my serve is literally bouncing to the net which seems impossibleโ€ฆbut is my new norm with the yips. I have no power, feel, or control is the best way I can explain it. Whatโ€™s going on?โ€

COHN: Ryan, thanks for your question about the service yips. They arenโ€™t super common in tennis but I do see the yips a lot in the area of golfโ€ฆ

COHN: What the heck are the yips? โ€ฆThe yips are when you feel like you donโ€™t have any control over what your arm is doing or your action. In many cases people will freeze or they will continually catch the ball on their tossโ€ฆ

COHN: โ€ฆFear leads to a severe over control of your service motionโ€ฆ Youโ€™re trying so hard to control your service motion that it almost feels like youโ€™re out of control, that youโ€™re losing the feel.

Listen to the podcast to hear what Dr. Cohn suggests to overcome service yips!

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Patrick Cohn
Mental Performance Coach Dr. Patrick Cohn has helped athletes for over 40 years enhance their performance. Dr. Cohn earned a master's degree in sports psychology from CSUF and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, specializing in Applied Sports Psychology. Today, he is the president and founder of Peak Performance Sports, LLC in Orlando, Florida. He's working with Olympic athletes, NFL, NHL, MLB, professional tennis players, and professional motocross racers and NASCAR racers. See Full Bio

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