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multigraincracker

(34,126 posts)
Sun Apr 18, 2021, 12:32 PM Apr 2021

Anyone else read The Inner Game of Tennis back in the 70s?

It's on my list of books to read again. I read it in 1975 and thought it was great even though I'm not a tennis player or ever hope to be one.


https://theinnergame.com/inner-game-books/the-inner-game-of-tennis/



A phenomenon when first published in 1974, the Inner Game was a real revelation. Instead of serving up technique, it concentrated on the fact that, as Gallwey wrote, “Every game is composed of two parts, an outer game and an inner game.” The former is played against opponents, and is filled with lots of contradictory advice; the latter is played not against, but within the mind of the player, and its principal obstacles are self-doubt and anxiety. Gallwey’s revolutionary thinking, built on a foundation of Zen thinking and humanistic psychology, was really a primer on how to get out of your own way to let your best game emerge. It was sports psychology before the two words were pressed against each other and codified into an accepted discipline.

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Anyone else read The Inner Game of Tennis back in the 70s? (Original Post) multigraincracker Apr 2021 OP
I read it back when I was playing tennis. Ocelot II Apr 2021 #1
LOL, I just saw this MuseRider May 2021 #6
Oh, my heavens. Yes! Biophilic Apr 2021 #2
Sure did PJMcK Apr 2021 #3
I read it a couple of years ago - think of it often lisa58 Apr 2021 #4
also The Inner Game of Music.... bahboo Apr 2021 #5

Ocelot II

(121,101 posts)
1. I read it back when I was playing tennis.
Sun Apr 18, 2021, 12:36 PM
Apr 2021

I don't remember much about it, and I never got very good at tennis.

MuseRider

(34,381 posts)
6. LOL, I just saw this
Thu May 27, 2021, 04:42 PM
May 2021

and my answer would have been exactly the same.

I loved playing but I stunk so badly I could not find very many people who would bother with me so I just took lots of lessons.

Biophilic

(4,864 posts)
2. Oh, my heavens. Yes!
Sun Apr 18, 2021, 12:37 PM
Apr 2021

I used to train Hunters and Jumpers and their riders. I used that book for both. It really was good and I had actually forgotten about it.
Well worth going back to, I suspect. Thanks for bringing it up. I could use some of that thinking these days.

PJMcK

(22,942 posts)
3. Sure did
Sun Apr 18, 2021, 12:42 PM
Apr 2021

Since you were taken by the philosophy of the book, (I assume!), let me suggest a book by the sports psychologist, Dr. Bob Rotella. He helps professional athletes learn to develop mental strengths to overcome the nerves excited during competition. He's worked with basketball players, golfers and others.

I highly recommend his book, "How Champions Think (In Sports and Life)." It's full of great positive insights with lessons on how to ignore negative thoughts and influences.

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