Because many of you will be playing in the Newgy Cincinnati Open this weekend, I thought that I would summarize some of the mental strategies that I’ve been writing about over the last 8 months.  Here are some things that you must remember…
 
1. Watch your opponent in a prior match and study his style, his serve, and his serve return.  Before beginning a match, also make sure to check his racket.
 

Most club players can’t train 40 hours per week due to family commitments, school, job, etc…  However, most players can dedicate around 10 hours per week to improve.  For my personal students, I ask them to work hard to produce the best possible 10 hours that they can do.  I ask them to do 4 hours of matches, 1 hour of serving practice, 1 hour of physical training, 1 hour of video analysis, and 3 hours of training with the Newgy Robo-Pong 2050 robot.
 

At a professional tournament, statistics were taken for the length of the rallies.  These statistics are fairly common across the board for all levels but differ based on game-style.
 
On average…
12% of serves are not returned
18% of points are won on the 2nd ball
26% of points are won on the 3rd ball
13% of points are won on the 4th ball
11% of points are won on the 5th ball
6% of points are won on the 6th ball
4% of points are won on the 7th ball
10% of points are won after the 7th ball
 

 
 
In order to maximize your performance, it is important that you learn how to win and that you learn how to lose?
 
You might be thinking to yourself, “Samson, if you saw me at the last tournament, then you would say that I already have enough experience losing!!!”
 
Actually, that’s not what this article is about…
 
This article is about the post analysis of a match.  Sitting down in the bleachers after an awesome win and knowing what to do next.  OR…   Sitting down in the bleachers after a terrible loss and knowing what to do next.

Bible Verse of the week
 

1Timothy 4:8  For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
 
I am training very hard to reach my table tennis goals, and I really believe that it is a good thing.  However, I must keep the right perspective that tt is temporary.  Serving and loving God has major spiritual benefits in this life and also in the life to come. 
 
 

 
Here are a few simple rules to improving…
 
1. Learn It
First, you need to have a clear understanding about your strengths and weaknesses.  You must also learn new information about how to improve your technique, how to improve your footwork, how to improve your strategy, and other aspects of your game.  The best way to learn it is to get professional coaching – in person or online.
 
2. Remember It

Looping serves is a bit more challenging than many players imagine.  However, if you follow the right thought process and use the right technique, then you will be on your way to major improvement.  Here are some steps…
 
1. Watch the opponent’s positioning at the table and body language to possibly see if he will serve short or long.
 
2. Next, watch his backswing, contact point, and where the ball contacts his side of the table.  At this point, you need to start adjusting your feet while keeping your hand in front.
 

In table tennis, there are five different ways to win points…
 
1. Speed
2. Spin
3. Placement
4. Variation
5. Consistency
 

You are playing the most important match of your life in the final round, crowds have gathered, big money is at stake, you are preparing to serve, the score is 9-9… should you call timeout?
 
This article gives some helpful tips on when to call timeout. The question above could be answered “YES” or “NO” depending on the circumstance. In the above situation, you should possibly call timeout if:
 
1. You need to consult your coach. If you are unsure on what to serve or what strategy to use, ask your coach.
 

In this blog posting, I’ll be detailing robot drills 11-20 and giving some tips on how to perfect your game using these drills.  Every robot comes with FREE lessons when purchased at www.samsondubina.com
 
 
Drill #11