Category: Table Tennis Training Methods

Michael Gerrard, My Inspiration

  • November 27, 2021

Every so often I’m asked who’s your inspiration/role-model/mentor?

I always answer, I try to learn from everyone but if I was to pick one.

It would be Michael Gerrard,

He inspired me to be the best version of me and a man that has given me pure hope and belief in myself. Most importantly, recently he has shown me that anything can be achieved.

But first a quick story…

17 years ago Michael walked into my club (back then Barnet TTC), asking for some table tennis coaching.

He wanted a private session (1-2hrs per day) 4 times a week. At first I thought great I’m cashing in (not in a selfish way but in a way of, this is helping me) and then I wondered why is a 47 year old man having so much coaching?

Michael had played a little as a kid at Barnet and decided to come back into the game after 20 odd years out. But this time he had a purpose, a special tournament! A charity event held at Lords Cricket ground (London).

Entry fee: £10,000
Rules: must never have had a ranking or played league table tennis

Michael set his mind that he would win this event and donate all the winnings to a (Cancer charity) in memory of his former business partner, who passed away from the disease.

Michael’s level back then I would say bottom division local league (depending on the league of course).

I had no idea about his potential opposition but the aim was to give him the best possible chance of winning.

The key focus was to elevate Michael’s strength (forehand), develop a block and a spinny serve. After a few months all of the above had upscaled and it was show time.

Tournament:

A lot of extremely influential people had entered including Michael Sherwood (CEO Goldman Sachs), Philip Green (owner of Topshop) turned up to watch, Ray Kelvin (owner of Ted Baker) and a few other hot shots…

Coaching:

I looked at each player knocking and made notes, I formulated a strategy against all possible opposition. Michael was focused and determined in taking this event, and put all his trust in me (his coach).

Match time

First match Michael cruised through, eyes turned on him plus Michael Sherwood for the title. In the semi’s Michael faced Mr Ted Baker and was routed on by Philip Greene who was worth £9 Billion at the time. Ray was able to hold his own in the rallies but struggled to return Michael’s spinny serves. I have another story that followed on from that match, involving Philip Greene (but I’ll leave that for another day).

In the final Michael was in the zone and overwhelmed Mr Sherwood to take the title.

My treat:

Michael paid for my Nobu meal and gave me a kind donation to my table tennis centre to say thank you. Yet that was nothing because that day created a life long bond between us.

As the years passed, Michael was always there when I needed a friend with a big wallet but bigger heart. He always picks up the phone to have a chat but never answers any text messages 😜.

Godfather

I saw Michael as a father figure, a man that had build a small empire yet is the most humble guy. He treats everyone the same and cares for people’s well being.

I was down a few times over the years and Michael always provided me with his wisdom. He encouraged me to keep driving forward and to always keep the light lit no matter how dark or dim it may be…

Most importantly Michael believed in me and kept having his coaching sessions every week.

He joined the local league Barnet plus Harrow & Wembley where he began at the the bottom moved up to the top division over the years.

Success, beyond belief:

In the past few weeks just gone, Michael beat two players whom I would never have dreamt possible, considering his level when I first met him and the age he took up table tennis seriously.

The players are top local and national league players;
Darius Zurwaski and the legendary Costas Papantoniou. When I received a message showing me the score card, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

How has a man who’s level was so low and began playing seriously aged 47 moved into the top division local league and beaten some of the best players in the country, (Both players had played Premier British league).

Veteran scene here we come
Michael is 64 now and we are both aiming to hit the world veteran scene. I’ve learnt that age is just a number and that the table tennis ball doesn’t know your age. I’ve also learnt to believe in the impossible because of Michael, who is Mr Impossible…

And that’s why Michael is my inspiration!

  • Posted in Adult Table Tennis Coaching
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Stevie Brunskill’s Kind Words Of Recognition

  • August 14, 2021

I have won 1 award in my 21 years of coaching and that brought me to tears!
Because I felt respected and recognised. I think it’s something we all want! Whether it be by one or one hundred people (that’s irrelevant), the relevance is making an impact and then for it to be recognised.
Today opening FB and reading a mini blog by Stevie Brunskill, felt like I had won my second award.

As a professional table tennis coach with over 40 years in the game, you could say that I have met, played, coached, and worked with some wonderful people. I have decided to write and pay tribute to some memorable people that have inspired and helped shape me as a person.

Everyone that knows me, knows I do everything from the heart and give without ever thinking I want something in return. So when I get a small complement or something written or said to me or about me in a positive way. It truly fills my heart and makes me want to give more. 

Mr TT – Eli Baraty

Eli Baraty must be one of the most well-known names in table tennis. His self-promotion and his promotion of table tennis is probably of the highest in quantity and quality.

Some people might knock him for this, but actually who else is promoting table tennis like he is?
I don’t think anybody is. Not just in this country but I think it would be hard to find anybody in the world who relentlessly pushes table tennis to the mass market like he does. He constantly preaches about how great table tennis is. Eli really does live, breathe and sleep table tennis. Eli is very professional in his attitude and manner. I think his video presentations are possibly some of the best produced on the internet.

Eli and I have worked on several camps together. Eli’s coaching style is very professional, and he is always looking to develop and be creative with his delivery, often thinking outside the box, never shy to try new ideas and create new methods of training. Over the years Eli and I have become great friends.

Eli is a really nice guy who is easy to get along with, easy to work with and has brought many top coaches together with his coaching collaborations. Eli always gives great tips and advice to develop players and coaches. His presentation skills and promotion of the sport are second to none.

Although Eli is big on self-promotion, he never puts others down, in fact he is usually one of the first to praise and promote others. He is always offering to help and support others for the greater good of the game.

Another side to Eli that I admire is he is always looking to self-develop, always wanting to learn more and expand what he does, he never sits still. If someone is doing something and he is not, pretty soon he will be doing it and trying to develop it further if he feels it’s of value.

Again those that know me, know I don’t like to talk about what I do or can do but actually do it. Which means I must keep delivering, thank you so much for the love 💕🏓

Eli is very respectful and a true family man with strong traditional values and will always take a stand for what he believes in and stands by what he feels is right and wrong. He works tirelessly to help the game of table tennis improve, grow, and develop. It actually hurts him to see his beloved sport falter and fail and if he sees this, he is quick to say, not in a bid to drag the sport down, but to hopefully point out weaknesses and give suggestions of how he feels it could be improved, such is his passion for the sport.

Eli has a great zest for life, not just for creating good table tennis players or great clubs but also a general zest for life, if ever you ask how he is doing? Eli’s reply is nearly always “amazing” or “fantastic” He really does have this mindset of life is wonderful and probably sometimes it isn’t for him, but Eli is not going to bend to this. His mindfulness is so strong that he will continue until life actually becomes good. He tries to improve every aspect of his life which is something I admire.

He takes his table tennis work ethic and attitude into every aspect of his life. I think that’s what table tennis has given him, that’s what I feel table tennis has given me and I see this in Eli. Eli pushes this ethos of self-belief into the people he meets, helping others to develop many aspects of their lives by removing the restrictions and verbal barriers which other negative people may put in front of them. Eli himself dreams big and wants others to achieve their dreams also.
Eli is an extremely motivated guy who is so passionate and in love with the game, and what I think sets Eli apart is that his passion and love of the game is at every level, he loves the game no matter what, whether it’s played at home for pleasure, played for leisure or top elite, for Eli it doesn’t matter, as long as there is a bat in someone’s hand that’s what Eli wants to see. He would want for the sport of table tennis to be the biggest sport in the world and especially in this country more than anybody I know.

Many years ago, I remember someone saying, “table tennis will never be a popular sport until people in table tennis are willing to walk around town with tee shirts saying I love table tennis and not be embarrassed to say they are a part of the sport”. Until this happens table tennis will never grow. People within table tennis need to wear the tee shirt and be proud to be part of this wonderful sport.

Eli wears the tee shirt, and he wears it with pride.

Unfortunately for the sport of table tennis there is only one Eli Baraty.

As I always say, “if you have a dream, wake up and make it happen”
🙌🏓

Training Your Eyes for Table Tennis

  • May 10, 2019

How Important is Training Your Eyes for Table Tennis?

Should you train your eyes for table tennis?

Most of us are truly fortunate to have eyes that work but unfortunately, we often take our eyes for granted and in many cases neglect our vision. The same goes for our feet (they hold our bodies upright and allow us to move) but we rarely pay attention to that part of our body. Similarly, we use our eyes every day to view the world and through our vision, we are able to do countless of extraordinary things. Yet we forget that our eyes are powered predominately by white muscles (Fast twitch) which means we can develop those muscles. Instead, we often strain our vision by looking at screens for too long and allow our eyes to deteriorate over time due to little or no eye exercise. We can and are able to strengthen our vision by using certain exercises to develop eye movement, increase eye speed and visual focus.

Are we missing a trick?

An amazing fact: “table tennis was banned in the Soviet Union between 1930 and 1950 because the Stalinist authorities believed it was harmful to the eyes” Today we know that couldn’t further from the truth. In fact, it’s the opposite, table tennis provides huge benefits to your eyes and mind. I went to Steve Brunskill’s Vision training last weekend and not only did I learn a lot but I felt that we are missing a vital element in our table tennis training.

Steve has developed lots of training methods to elevate your visual endurance, speed, and focus. The training enables anyone who wants to enhance their game and it’s a training system which can be used to develop your table tennis, in-directly. All you have to do is invest some time practicing, which can be done at any time but I personally would use it as part of my pre-play warm-up.

Steve Brunskill Table Tennis Coach
Table Tennis Eye Training

How important are your eyes?

I think we all know how important our eyes are but I think many of us don’t know or realise that we can develop our visual performance. If we take some time to enhance our vision by building the muscles in our eyes, naturally we will upscale ourselves into a higher level player. I noticed eye development training many years back but I didn’t pay direct attention to it because I felt reaction speed was the requirement for better sports performance. I recently found out that our reaction speed can only be developed over a long period of time and the gains are so small, it’s nearly unnoticed.

World Table Tennis Champs 2019
World Table Tennis Champs 2019 in Hungary

I am always looking for marginal gains so if reaction speed is developmentally limited, then how can we develop something else to aid our reaction? And the answer is simple, by using our eyes! I was doing a few eye developmental training myself but I had not dived deep enough. After the course, I truly grasped the importance and how exactly to execute certain drills for fast and noticeable benefits in sport (table tennis) and life. Going to Steve’s, course reinforced things that I learned over time but the course also enhanced my knowledge and understanding of how important our vision truly is. I walked away, a wiser man and a coach that can deliver specific eye training to my players which can enhance their games.

Taking Vision training into the practice hall

As of last weekend, I have taken Steve’s vision training into the hall and it will remain in my warm-up routine for life. I have adapted a few of the training systems to suit my players and some new personal concepts but the general vision training in my view it’s a wonderful (Marginal Gain) of which I will always use from now on.

If you want to learn more contact Steve Brunskill – 01642 827282 / 07595641751. Email: info@swervettc.

In the meantime, I suggest for all players and coaches to open their eyes if they truly want to enhance themselves or their players.

What you can’t see you can’t hit

Inner Game by Timothy Gallwey

  • March 26, 2019

I will be attending the inner game conference held by Timothy Gallwey himself in Hertfordshire University on April 29th, 2019. It’s a full day packed with guest speakers and information provided to uplift your sporting game. If you wish to be a part of this special event see details below.

“Knowledge is Power”

I’ve grown as a person and coach because I’ve opened my mind to learning. Join me at the… THE INNER GAME

Conference with Timothy Gallwey

Venue: University of Hertfordshire, De Havilland Campus, Hertfordshire, AL10 9UF.

Date: 29th April

Time: 10:00am – 5:00pm / Registration 09:30am.

Email us at info@coachingkids4selfbelief.com for more information or to register your interest.

Accredited by TTE, LTA and many more.

I will be following this conference with a blog for the masses.

Table Tennis Rules

  • February 22, 2019

Most people who play or have played know the basic rules in table tennis. If you don’t here’s a link for table tennis rules.

Table tennis has and most likely will continue to evolve.

Table tennis has evolved so much that many recreational table tennis or (ping pong) players abide by the older rules. Such as celluloid balls, up to 21 points, 5 serves each, no ball toss etc. This means if you are unwilling to adapt and change, table tennis as a sport will gust rate the hell out of you.

Rules are important:

Rules are extremely important, it’s like building a cupboard from Ikea without instructions. You would put many holes in the wrong place, you may break a few pieces, some things would be the wrong way round etc.

Rules allow people to express themselves but with limitations and a clear outcome. How you reach the outcome is down to you. It also may pave the way in which we perform and carry out the task at hand.

Should rules be broken?

Depends on who you ask, Arnold Schwarzenegger says, “break some rules but don’t break the law”. Personally, I love this quote and in many ways, I follow his philosophy. My wife, on the other hand, will not and does not break the rules. This may be because of upbringing, past experiences or developed via culture.

Arnold Schwarzenegger playing table tennis
Arnold Schwarzenegger playing table tennis
For me personally, there were little rules growing up. My mum was hardly home and if she was she wasn’t exactly a stickler for rules. On the other hand, my wife was brought up in a lovely family home with 4 siblings. This meant order was required in making sure everyone and everything was in check, keeping piece inside the home.

Pros and cons of rules:

If you are like me and break the rules you can find yourself in many sticky situations. Lots of mistakes, lots of disagreements, lots of seemingly (failures). But on the positive side, you may find lots of success, new ideas, exponential growth, unique methods, super learning, wonderful experience, development of strong mindset, grit, survival, and finding ways thought of as impossible etc.

On the other hand:

If you’re like my wife, you will not; try out new things, ponder over small mistakes, have fewer experiences, predictable often using systematic methods, let fear control you, follow others, be indecisive etc. But you will be trustworthy, organised, committed, play fair, rarely get in trouble, rarely make mistakes, consistent etc.

Are rules important?

Yes, 100% they are but if I had a choice (which we all do) I would choose to take positive qualities from both. This includes; Pushing the boundaries, look for loopholes and explore beyond to gain those special experiences via personal goals and vision. Yet I would also benefit from being committed, focused, have clear outlines and be organised.
I think if you are able to combine both elements you will witness great success.
Many of the best players explore the limits of scientific rules, both in physical and mental capabilities.

Breaking table tennis rules:

If the game is up to 11 why not play;
1. some games up to 100 points?
  1. Why not play half table only?
  2. Why not play two red rubbers one anti-spin?
  3. Why not serve behind the arm/body creating illegal serves?
All these things wild explorations will elevate your game because you will have to adapt. As human beings, we are the best creatures on the planet at adapting because not only does our body adapt but our brain also looks for solutions.
Of course, once the official game begins re-group, focus and use your new skills to find ways of winning inside the rule book.
The choice is yours, become one way or another or be everything.
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Written by Eli Baraty
eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis)
Coach Me Table Tennis
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Table Tennis Balls

  • January 25, 2019

How important are table tennis balls and do the characteristics and different ball companies, truly affect your game?

The History of Table tennis balls

Since I first began playing there has been two major changes to the ball, the size and the material of the ball. These changes can be seen both as a positive and negative. Nevertheless, they both have been implemented and thus we must all make best use of the current situation.

Table Tennis Makes and Brands:

The balls vary from brand to brand and depending on your ball purchase the quality will vary from little to greatly. Some brands such as butterfly have a glossy shine but depending on which class of butterfly ball you purchase, you will notice a considerable difference in texture and quality. Different brands produce and develop the ball slightly differently which can make it very hard to choose which ball to train or play matches with!

Table Tennis Balls
Same Brand Different Quality

Table Tennis Ball Variation and Characteristics:
  1. Texture: is the ball shiny, or smooth?
  2. Round: is the ball symmetrical?
  3. Bounce: what is the height and bounce, if you hold two different balls at the same height and drop them you may see a difference in the bounce of the ball? Is it the same or does one bounce higher? Is the weight or density different? Does one ball bounce longer because it’s denser? 
  4. Speed: does one travel faster due to a smooth surface?

You must understand how a ball can affect your game to enable yourself the best possible outcome. You will often hear people say, “it doesn’t matter what car I have as long as it gets me from A to B”. This statement is true if that’s all you require but if you have a specific requirement, any car just won’t cut it. For Example, if you want to go off-road, you may consider a Land Rover, if you want to win on a race track a formula 1 car is your best bet and if you have a big family, a 7 seater may be a good option.

Does a table tennis ball really matter or affect your game?

To a ping pong player (home, social club, or office player) any table tennis ball will suffice and rarely will you hear a complaint about a ball having a soft spot, or unsymmetrical! Yet a professional player will spend a good few minutes checking a selection of balls prior to his/her big match. As mentioned above any car will get you A to B but once you become proficient at anything your requirements become a lot more tailored.

A table tennis ball, does and can have a big effect on a players game and you must understand what, why and How.

What – If the ball has a soft spot, you will find variation in the ball (bounce) characteristics, some jump up too high, another may skid through. This will affect your timing and technique which can also affect your mindset.

Why –  You must try your best to train with high-quality table tennis balls, this develops technique, confidence (via consistency) and develops good timing.

How – Have a variety of high-quality tournament balls and vary your training by using different balls on any given occasion. Most importantly prior to an event or tournament, find out which ball brand is being used and practice with those balls as soon as possible. Each ball has a slightly different characteristic, therefore, the more practice you get with the ball beforehand the better you’ll manage on the day.

Over Thinking:

Table tennis is one of the most technical sports in the world and often due to its unthinkable variants, people overload themselves trying to out-think the sport. It’s nice and its good to know what’s best for you and your game but sometimes its just as good to just get on the table and fight with your heart. The elements are often shared and you can use them as your advantage if you just accept what’s in front of you while your opponent fights to beat you and the elements.

Try to create and have the best elements in your favour but if all that fails, then do what every dog in a corner (FIGHT), your way towards that winning edge.

Written by Eli Baraty

eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis)                          
Coach Me Table Tennis 
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Personal Table Tennis Development

  • January 3, 2019

Today I want to talk about personal table tennis develop. How and why you should develop your personal game.


The Hook

It all starts with some kind of trigger; you see a top table tennis player executing beautifully crafted shots, you hear the sound of the ball pinging from side to side, or you play a friend in their house and execute some crazy smashes. Once you’re hooked, it’s a sport that draws you in deep and due to its super complex variety of skills, few truly master the game.

Table Tennis Backhand
Table Tennis Focus


Tips to develop your game:

Join a club; joining a club has multiple benefits. Variety of players, possible coaching sessions and a coach. You can enjoy competing against and with your club teammates. You have access to a table and depending on the club it can be potentially accessible 24/7.

Sparring partners: try to have a list of players in and around your area. Hook up with them for regular training and match play. As you develop and tweak your game, the level or sparring partners must be monitored. Some may grow with you and others may not pay close attention to who’s helping you develop.

Coach: if you are fortunate enough to afford a coach, invest in one. A coach often finds ways of developing your game at an accelerated rate. A good coach will provide many opportunities for growth and development in your game.

Expand your horizon: 

Have a base (club, coach, sparring partners and training location) but often go out of your normal routine. This includes visiting other clubs, trying a new coach or having a side coach. You may find by expanding your base that your current base does not cater to your needs anymore. Never forget your original base and always pay respect but if you have outgrown or feel you can benefit more from somewhere else. Then I believe a good base will support your decision if you do decide to move on.

Monitor: A club, sparring partner and coach can only monitor your game so much. Unless you have a full-time coach who solely focuses on you, it’s up to you to monitor your game. How? Have a table tennis book. In this book, you should be writing down all your experiences and developments. This book is your guide towards achieving your goals.

The development comes by understanding your past experiences alongside knowing your current experiences which guide you to your chosen destiny.

Written by Eli Baraty
eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis)                          
Coach Me Table Tennis 
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Twitter: @elibaraty
FB: Coach Me Table Tennis
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W:  www.coachmetabletennis.com
M:  07900401144

How Important Are Parents in Table Tennis?

  • September 21, 2018

It’s a very difficult question to answer, how important are parents in table tennis, or as a sporting parent in general?

Personal experience:

Many know by now from previous blogs my story. A single parent and a single child, but did my circumstances enable or disable me?

My mum was very supportive in terms of giving me free will. This enabled me to express myself as a competitor and I thoroughly loved representing myself when competing. If I lost, I was upset with myself but took full responsibility. If I won, I had done me proud and I may have received a small tap on the back from mum and a few others.

Self-pressure:

I enjoyed the self-pressure and more often than not performed under pressure. My mum never came to watch me play. I did not have a coach or corner support which meant whether I won or lost, the outcome was not amplified from external sources. The aim is to impose personal pressure in order to achieve and like many I am my own worst critic. Something I like to do is bet on myself but never gamble on external entities. Unfortunately, self-pressure only lasts for so long! As I got better I also got a coach, friends and family would start to support me. The pressure increased more and more and playing for big clubs in England and Europe, changed everything!

Pressure:

This is my weakness, and as external support increased, I felt the pressure to perform for others. I really struggled to control my nerves, often wanting to win for my supports and teammates. I was not used to playing for anyone but myself.

Table Tennis Family
Table Tennis Family

One small event called Maccabi Open was clear proof that I struggled to perform when others support me. I was the best and most well-known player in the event. All the young players, parents and even opposing players inflicted pressure on me to win the event each year. For 10 years I lost in the semi’s or final, I was unable to control my nerves. If you took the external pressure away I may have won the event 8 out of the 10 years. I wanted to perform so much for the people who supported me and instead of the support elevating me, it deflated my performance. Aged 29, I finally crossed the line, I became more accustomed to the pressure and my close family did not attend for the first time. I was also able to focus on secluding myself from people on the day due to experience. Even though the tournament is insignificant in the grand scheme of table tennis, it was a huge success in my mind. I was able to absorb the external pressure and managed to handle my nerves.

Handling Pressure, internal and external

I was accustomed to self-pressure and enabled myself on most occasions to perform at my personal peak. Unfortunately, I was not exposed to external pressures and when they sneaked into my playing career it changed my whole world. I believe if want to be great at any given industry we must learn to develop ourselves under both scenarios. Self and external pressures.

Parents contribution:

I’ve read many books and seen many world champions and world-class athletes achieve because of their parent’s or loved ones supporting them.
For example Lewis Hamilton, Tiger Woods, William sisters, Timo Boll, Federer, Mayweather etc.

All of these extraordinary athletes achieved because of their supportive parents.

It’s a balance:

I do believe parents have a huge role to play in making their kid’s special but I also believe they can destroy them too. I’ve witnessed parents so hard on their kids the child often quits, sometimes they may also resent the parents. Worse case, again I’ve witnessed this, the child and parent fall out and communication is broken.
It’s a fine line between support and pushing your child, (often) the parent push due to ‘personal dreams’.

Good sporting parents:

The secret in my mind;
1. Provide opportunity (find what your child loves and enable them to pursue a pathway in that field.
2. Support but don’t push, this means to guide them in the right direction but don’t push them there.
3. Love, the number one rule, show love to your child regardless of the result. Express your belief in them but at the same time make them understand that a result does not define them. And they are your special one and you love them regardless of any given result.

How to develop regardless of your personal circumstances:

1. Communication
If you feel pressure from your parents, then the first thing to do is communicate. Often parents will put pressure on their kids unintentionally, even sitting in the corner quietly can have an effect on the child.

Tip: When I first started coaching I wanted my players to win so much I was nervous, anxious and even angry sometimes. Kids have a sixth sense they feel your anxieties subconsciously and even though you may think you’re not showing it they feel it. Like when someone walks into a room very angry, they may not say anything and try not to show it but more often than not we feel the tension in the room. I’ve learnt to really stay calm and be compassionate with my players. Now, I am controlled in the corner, show signs of; belief, support and focus. This enables me to enjoy the performance and give the best advice possible.
We forget to enjoy the performance! Do your best to stay positive regardless of the situation rather than allow your emotions to have an effect on the player.

2. Handling external pressure 

Everything we do (that we good at) is due to one fact developmental repetition. If you struggle in a certain area the only way to develop it, is to do it over and over again with a purposeful outcome.

Roger Federer, said many years ago walking into a Wimbledon final (the crowd, stadium, family, friends and supporters overwhelmed him) he thought he was going to faint. Years later that environment has become very normal to him. Because he has repeated that scenario so many times.

*We must go from an uncomfortable environment to making it comfortable via purposeful repetition.

3. Understand 2 things:

Those that support us want us to win but they will still like or love us when we lose, sometimes even more so.
Pressure is a choice we make, a tournament is no different to a training hall, the difference is a title and maybe prize money. The game is the same the pressure has been amplified via your personal thoughts. The best in the world know how to switch off all the outside noise and focus on producing what they do in practice.

Side thought

Interesting thought, the superstar athletes mentioned above, where or are in an individual sport. Team sports as much as parents are involved in the background it does not seem to have the same effect as it does on an individual sport. Is this because the team and coach are practically your families? Parents are not allowed to be involved as much because the team help and drive each other on!

Purposeful repetition, support, guidance and love no matter what are the keys to success. With this in mind, we can all achieve great things!

Written by Eli Baraty

eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis)                          
Coach Me Table Tennis 
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Instagram: _elibaraty 
Twitter: @elibaraty
FB: Coach Me Table Tennis
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W:  www.coachmetabletennis.com
M:  07900401144

Table Tennis Vs Smartphones

  • September 5, 2018

What is your opinion, when using smartphones in table tennis tournaments or in the training hall?

10 years ago, the most you could do with your phone was; call someone, take a picture and play snakes. Today your phone is like a computer in your hands…

Smart Phones:

Table Tennis Vs Smartphones
Table Tennis vs Smartphones

The ability to play games, email, phone, text, surf the net and entertain friends on social media has given most of us access to entertainment at any time.

The problem:

Having access to virtually anything on the planet at a flick of a finger has its pros and cons.
When you enter a table tennis hall or tournament, take a minute to look around, you will find many players on their phones if they are off the table. Unfortunately, people nowadays are tapping away on their phones constantly and this occurs before, during and after a table tennis event or training.

Every sport requires focus:

In order to tap into peak performance, your mind has to be clear. You must hone your attention towards the goal and outcome you require. Our minds are super powerful and because of this, most of us fail to use it efficiently!

Success comes via control over your mind and body.

Put it away: If you don’t put your phone away when training or in a competition your results will be affected (FACT). Constantly looking and playing on your phone takes away your concentration. If you are able to focus on the event only, then you will amplify your results.
Distraction: We all like to have a look at social media and check if we have any messages or calls. Here’s an example of what you are doing, try to ride a bike while looking to the left or right the whole time. You’ll be able to ride the bike but sooner or later you will have an accident. When we play or train, our focus should be on the task at hand and avoid distractions.

Promoting your success or failure:

It’s a pleasure when you’re doing well and naturally, you wish to share your success. It can also work the other way, if you lose or have had poor results, it’s nice to gain support and words of wisdom from your social network. But Unfortunately, publishing your footsteps prior, during and after table tennis is a clear sign that your focus is spread out. Let others post for you on your behalf or wait until your training or event has completely finished. Once ended, then allow yourself to express your thoughts and feelings on social media and other forms of communication.

Focus and Time:

We live in an age of instant gratification and that often distracts us from achieving greatness.
In order to achieve something great special and to be truly proud of, you need focus alongside quality time. When you focus on something and spend plenty of time on that task, then you can hold your head up high.

*Take control over your body and mind and focus on what you truly want to achieve.

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Written By Eli Baraty
eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis)
Coach Me Table Tennis
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Eli Baraty

The Backhand Flick, Boomerang Flick

  • August 3, 2018

The backhand flick has become one of the most used shots in table tennis.
I could be wrong but I believe Dimitrij Ovtcharov, is the main person who took this shot into the masses.

Peter Kobel

Peter Korbel was known for creating the Banana or Chiquita flick but Dima made the backhand flick a shot used a lot more and many cases executed anywhere on the table.

Strawberry flick

Today, we see most top players look to return short serves with their backhands. Whether it be the Chiquita flick or a normal backhand flick. Recently a new flick has come to play, the “strawberry flick”. The is a shot which technically starts in the same position as the Banana/Chiquita flick (high elbow) but is executed in an opposite movement to the Chiquita flick.

Change of name:

I’m unsure as to how the flick got the name “strawberry” but I would like to see a better name given. I think it’s important for our game to look and be portrayed in a professional manner. Banana and Strawberry sounds more like a fruit salad than an Olympic Sport.
I want us to refer to this newly introduced shot as the “Boomerang backhand flick” unless you guys can suggest something better?

How to execute the inside out flick.

1. Step into the table, keep your body facing in the direction of a normal or Chiquita flick. This enhances the effectiveness of the shot by deceiving your opponent via your body language.
2. Have your elbow nice and high to enable good shot execution.
3. Rotate your elbow and wrist in the opposite movement of a Chiquita flick. Wrap your wrist around the ball, injecting plenty of side spin (choice of top or back-side spin) depending on ball contact point.

To see this shot in execution click here

Personally, I love being creative and finding new concepts inside table tennis. Believe it or not, the Boomerang flick has been around for many years. But now it has been taken to a whole new level due to the versatility and collaboration of the Chiquita flick.

The disguise between both shots is extremely effective and I urge all players to incorporate this magical shot into their games.

Written by Eli Baraty

eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis)                          
Coach Me Table Tennis 
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