Winning Table Tennis
NEW Coaching Article
By Coach Samson Dubina
A missing key in table tennis is a proper understanding of between-game analysis and between-point analysis. In this article, I’m going to mention the three keys – understanding the problem, finding a solution, and encouraging yourself with the benefit of implementing the solution.
The score was 9-9 in the final game, your opponent served a half-long serve to your backhand, you thought that the serve was long enough to loop, but it wasn’t. With a full backswing, you looped right into the table! Ouch! As blood began to gush from the back of your hand, you wondered to yourself how this could have been prevented. In this article, I’m going to give you ten tips on how to make peace with the edge of the table.
Learn about the importance and pitfalls of recognition
In the table tennis world, giving players recognition is very important. I think it is great when tournaments have an award podium and make the awards ceremony very official. The Samson Dubina Table Tennis Academy will be promoting more and more recognition in the sport as we continue to grow. However, some players only play for the recognition from others. IF THIS IS YOUR MINDSET, IT WILL HINDER YOUR PROGRESS!!!
In competitive sports, there are always athletes who want to win so badly, that they will do absolutely anything to accomplish that goal. Yes, there are cheaters in table tennis too. Instead of giving you dozens of examples of how cheaters get away with it, I’m going to give you a more general perspective on how you can properly handle any situation that arises.
In this article, I will be outlining 11 ways to perfect your serve:
#1 Use the serves that best setup your game
#2 Train them in a tournament environment
#3 Miss some serves
#4 Use your best serves early
#5 Vary the quality of spin
#6 Serve LOW
#7 Remember to attack
#8 Be willing to sacrifice a couple points
#9 Train them to perfection
#10 Use Visualization
#11 Play practice matches
If you have played for many years with the incorrect stroke, should you change it OR should you keep it and improve other aspects of your game? This is a tough question. Personally, I feel that YOU need to be on the one to answer this question. But as you think to answer it, there are some stroke considerations that you should make in evaluating your own stroke and evaluating how a change would help or hurt your progress both short term, mid range, and long term.
Just like any other table tennis skills, developing a tactical mindset takes discipline. As I work through the various styles over the coming weeks and teach you how to play against various opponents, I want you to understand that you too can think of your own tactics. I’m not very smart, I’m just an average guy. However, I do spend quality time thinking. You too can develop this same discipline.
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