Relaxation practice

Bob Yorke Asked 11 years ago

Hi Alois, do you have any tips or drills to help me play and practice with a more relaxed arm and shoulder on my shots.  I am aware, particularly in matches when under stress, that I become tense, over grip my bat, and try to use too much strength to hit the ball.

Thanks

Bob

Alois Rosario Answered 11 years ago

Hi Bob,

This is one of the most common problems I see with strokes during matches.  The shoulder is often the first thing to tighten in a match.

One thing you can do is during practice really just keep focus on the shoulder.  You can do this by placing your other hand on your shoulder during the stroke.  It will be a bit awkward to play the shot but it just puts attention there.  While you have your hand on your shoulder tighten and relax your shoulder to feel the difference in tension and the effects on your stroke.

You can start to put your focus on the shoulder during some practice games as well and see what is happening.  Just see whether your shoulder feels tight or relaxed using the reference of how it felt during your training sessions.

Once you get the feeling of the difference between the two you will find it easier to relax your shoulder once you feel it starting to tighten.

Another simple indicator is how tight you are gripping your bat.  Try to grip it as loosely as possible while still maintaining grip of course.  If the hand is tight, you will feel the effects right up into your shoulder.