Whether working on big changes in your game, minor adjustments or playing in a heated match, there are moments when you may feel as if nothing is working. Tension sets in and you feel out of control. A tip that will help you to negotiate these difficult moments is to remember where you actually exert control. I call them the “3 Points of Connection” or “The 3 C’s” and I find this memory device helps players regroup under pressure, helps them find a sense of control.

The first “C” is the Connection with the ground. This is where the rubber meets the road and it’s all about preparation. Often, when you are struggling it is due to your foundation—your footwork. You footwork supports your source of power, balance and speed. It is worth changing your focus to your posture and the proper footwork in order to gain some control. You will find that you get to the ball sooner, with better balance, and can generate a smoother, efficient stroke.

The second “C” is the Connection with the racquet. An enemy of stroke production is tension and at times the feedback you give yourself after a miss-hit worsens the problem. When you are tense and focused on results, you forget that you can only control these results with good preparation and stroke production. Consider how different you feel when you are enjoying a good practice versus the tension of a tight match. The point to remember is that tension in the small muscles of the hand and forearm has a tremendous effect on our stroke through contact. Which leads me to…

The third “C” which is the Connection with the ball. You must know your contact point and I find that when players are tense (in practice or play) they peek too soon (at their shot) or become unaware of the contact point. When things are going well, the experienced player can sense the whole court. He or she sees the court as a whole. But under pressure, you may think too much about results rather than production. Re-focusing on the contact point reminds us of what produces a good shot: a good swing. By “seeing” the ball at contact we will drive through it and re-establish that elusive sense of timing.

Notice all three connection points happen before the leaves the racquet. These can be practiced between points via visualization, or in a real time via muscle memory. These three connections help to establish a sense of control in the present. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. So make the most of your opportunity.

There is one more “C” that makes the first three possible: Composure. So connect with your breathing and get back in rhythm….