In the table tennis world, it is commonly believed that there are 3 types of players – positive, negative, and in-between.
Mr. Positive continues to strongly affirm himself throughout the match, even if he is down 8-0 or 10-2 or whatever the score, he has a high level of confidence.
Breathing both BETWEEN points and DURING the point is a very important, and often neglected, aspect of the game! Players who have learned to properly exhale at contact improve their timing, power, mental focus, and endurance.
So how do you test it?
Just warmup forehand to forehand. Is it natural for you to exhale with each hit? If it feels unnatural, you probably haven’t been doing it! Now play some points, ask a spectator to stand close and listen for the exhale and watch your chest.
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.
There are 2 primary ways to read the spin – watch the racket and watch the bounce. The pitfall that devastates most beginner/intermediate players is the timing. When they don’t know the spin, they panic and trap the ball too quickly. The correct move is to wait. Wait. If you couldn’t tell the spin from the contact point when your opponent touched the ball, then wait. Let the ball rise, then even drop a bit before returning it.
How does that make the return easier? There are 5 ways…
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