Category: Table Tennis Training Methods

​How to Improve Your Table Tennis off the table?

  • November 23, 2017

How do I improve my table tennis off the table, is a question I’m often asked. There’s a common misconception that many players have, “if I don’t train (on the table) I won’t play well”. When I began playing, I only had access to a club once a week but I managed to accelerate at a faster rate than most. I was a sporty kid and used all other hand-eye coordination elements to embrace my initial table tennis, off the table.

How did I do this? And what can you do to accelerate your progress:
  1. Physical: work on strength, flexibility, endurance and speed.
  2. Nutrition: many eat what they’ve been brought up with and have not studied what they are putting inside their bodies. Study your food and make sure you put the right nutrition for peak performance
  3. Visualisation: try to watch yourself playing (by videoing games and practice session). Once you know what you look like when playing, you can use these visuals to enhance your performance. You can also do shadow play and try to do it in front of a mirror. Our subconscious mind does not know the difference between reality and our imagination. If you watch a scary movie and get goosebumps, it’s because inside your subconscious it feels real. So, use this to benefit your game and train inside your mind, serves, footwork, playing well under pressure
  4. Learn from the best by watching: I go to many clubs and countries and I always ask do you watch TT? Sadly 75% of the players don’t! It’s not like it was back in my day, begging friends to lend you their VCR tapes so you can watch a few TT matches. Today you have access to almost any and every professional TT match on the planet for FREE! So, go to YouTube or ITTF and watch the sport you love playing. Seeing the best gives you the ability to learn what they do tactically and physically.
  5. Information: The web is full of information, so go on blogs and video tutorials such as mine and others
  6. Serve: Practice your serve, it’s really the only element you can perfect by yourself and you can even develop it without a table at home. Look in the mirror at the motion of movement, is it disguised? Is it a legal motion? Is it creative? Does it have loads of spin? Is my wrist being utilised to its fullest potential?
  7. Mindset: Often we believe if we train on the table it will give yourself the confidence to compete. Yes, it helps but there will be times that you don’t have the time, unable to play, injured, lack of access to playing facilities. This is when you must; self-encourage, by doing the above.

    Table Tennis training off the table
    Training Off The Table
Improve my table tennis off the table by doing other activities:

Doing one thing is great and focusing on it surely will bring results. But I do believe in versatility and doing other things opens our minds to greater things inside our main objective. Try out other sports and activities and you will find your mind opening up and learning continuously. I found that I managed to improve my table tennis off the table when playing or doing other activities. The key is staying in tune and looking at how you can relate both table tennis and the other sport or activity.

Utilise your time off the table to improve your table tennis while not playing physically, I look forward to seeing your developments.

A nice warm-up exercise off the table click here

Written by Eli Baraty

eBaTT (Eli Baraty Academy of Table Tennis)
Coach Me Table Tennis 
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Table Tennis Training Methods: Regular vs Irregular

  • March 1, 2017

 

Most if not all table tennis players have used or are using a training method. whether it be regular, irregular or match play training to improve their game. I believe regular training is an extremely important aspect in today’s game but overused in most training sessions. 

Hennebont Table Tennis training

Regimented training 

What do we get out of regular training?

You will develop good or bad technique depending on how you are taught and in time your strokes will be second nature due to reps. Strokes which are reproduced constantly over time with reps fo around (approx 6,000 times), it becomes muscle memory. 
Systematic training provides you with increased consistency, improved footwork and good or bad technique. Other than those three it has nothing else to offer.
Having worked with some of the best players and coaches in the world I have come to a conclusion. It’s debatable so feel free to challenge me. I believe regular training should only be done for the first 2-5 years, which is the initial stage (I call it the development stage).

Change your ways!

Once a player has reached a good technical ability their focus should shift away from systematic training. Into semi-irregular and irregular training exercises. If a player has developed what I call the foundations (the basic four strokes to a high level) that player may be damaging their potential dramatically due to continuously, performing regular exercises.

We develop by continuously pushing the boundaries and giving our brain challenges and problems to solve. By challenging our brain we develop at a much faster rate. We are hardly challenged by regular training and it does not resemble a real game situation so why do we persist in doing it?

How are you training?

If you are at a level where you have a good forehand and backhand and your progression seems to have slowed down, ask yourself how are you training? As mentioned above you must focus on regular training at your development stage and you will notice huge gains. Once you’ve developed your shots the progression line will flatten out which means you need to change your training methods. Yes, this means you need to stop the regular training and focus on everything but regular…

You may have the best serve, backhand and forehand in the world. But if you don’t know how to use your weapons you will never be the best. To be the best you must train to your personal best…

Table Tennis Communication!

  • March 1, 2017
World Ping Pong Championships
Chris Doran and Eli Baraty

As coaches and players, we thrive to achieve our potential and table tennis communication is often something both parties lack. Coach’s, in particular, portray their thoughts and feelings and player’s, in general, absorb the information. In most cases, the coaches provide wonderful information (on few occasion it’s poor information). Either way, the ignorant student takes on board the information and does not have his/her say. Potentially, damaging their future potential and current progress. Furthermore the possibility of causing future friction between both player and coach. 

What is table tennis communication?

1. It’s a two-way thing: Both parties talk to one another giving and taking information and working together towards a greater cause.

2. No matter your position you need to express your feelings and thoughts (no one but you) knows what you’re thinking and feeling, so ‘EXPRESS IT’.

3. Table Tennis Communication can be delivered using your 5 senses (hearing, listening, seeing, smelling and feeling) try to use what you feel is best to get your point across.

Notice how both coach and player communicate with one another next time you are a club or tournament.

Communication builds trust and when we know how someone is thinking and feeling, we can trust them to take us to our desired destination.

Fail To Plan, Plan To Fail 

  • March 1, 2017

Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail,

I am a great believer in the saying, fail to plan, plan to fail! And through my early life, I failed constantly!
There are three types of sports people: A loser, A participant and A winner.
More often than not we choose our destiny (consciously or subconsciously).  

fail to plan, plan to fail
Did not Plan
We Aspire Greatness

Most have the same aspirations and dreams “to be a Winner” but most don’t have the PLAN and true desire alongside grit, in becoming a WINNER!

As a child I generally played on the streets, rarely seeing my mother or father. This enabled me to explore at free will and effectively do what I wanted. I used my imagination and to a certain extent, I believed anything is possible! This lifestyle developed my desire toward achievement and built my; resilience, determination and grit. These qualities are required in becoming a champion but I lacked one key ingredient a PLAN. 

Dreaming Big

I had dreams of becoming world champion and I was willing to do whatever it takes in order to achieve that dream. Unfortunately, I did not have a guide/coach and I took it upon myself to do what I thought was right by watching the best and trying to emulate them. 

I tried to train hard as a professional and copied their technical shots from visual observations. My progression was relatively fast throughout my junior career. And I genuinely believed I would become world champion one day! At 17-18 years of age, reality hit home and I realised my level was too low in order to achieve my ultimate ambition. Due to reality I was devastated and packed up playing all together when 19, and made a come back a year later.

The point 

I had a dream and the desire but I didn’t have guidance nor did I have a specific plan! This ultimately leads me into the losers category. I did not set up a plan, towards my goal, it was just a dream and without a set plan no dream can be achieved.

Guide/Coach 

You must have someone who has either experienced your chosen journey or the knowledge needed to guide you towards yours. Working together you both can work towards your destination and the guide/coach can direct you towards your dream. I was ignorant and didn’t know that it was virtually impossible to become a table tennis world champion starting at the age of 14. Especially being based in England (a relatively weak table tennis nation). I had no plan and I was on a journey without a map.
If you’re under the age of ten you have a chance but you must have a guide/coach to provide the knowledge and expertise alongside a set a plan…

Your guide or coach must be:

1. Be Realistic – this means the ultimate goal must be recognised early doors. It’s virtually impossible to become world champion at any sport if you start playing aged 30 for example. Nevertheless, aim high, as high as humanly possible and if you fall short its better than aiming low and falling short.

2. Find Experience – Find someone who has experience in your chosen field and a vision which co-insides with your dreams and beliefs 

3. MOST IMPORTANTLY – The coach must have a PLAN. It’s easy to quit, it’s difficult to stay in the game and it’s near impossible to become world champion. Therefore to become special you must have a plan to drive you towards hitting your targets. Often we are caught in a system and become either a follower (a participant) or we quit (a loser). If you have a vision and know what you wish to achieve then creating a plan can be easy because you know where you are going. 

We see something we like and decide to go into that field but more often than not we are sucked into a system. A set way of training, a set tournament schedule and a set belief system. 

The plan

You are an individual which means if you follow or copy others it’s highly unlikely that you will be a champion. 

You must have a plan in place that suits you specifically.
Things which need to be taken into account:
– Body shape and height
– Mindset 
– Goals 
– Desires 
– Work rate
– Sacrifice 
– Your Resources 
And so on..

Once these have been taken into account a plan can be placed within a specific training schedule. Which includes: mental training, nutritional plan, physical training and optional target hitting chart. 

Fail to plan, plan to fail

Please note: a plan can be altered or changed depending on the situation but a plan must always be in place. If you truly want to be in the small group of winners, make a plan.

How To Improve Your Table Tennis Ball Placement

  • March 1, 2017

One of the hardest things to improve is your table tennis ball placement. I think most of us see the top player hitting the ball hard,  its visually pleasing and we want to emulate them. I was the same, always looking to hit the ball 100 miles per hour irrelevant of what the ball received!


Your form does not predict results:

I was 18 years old and playing some of the best table tennis of my short. I had worked my way up the Grand Prix circuit winning every band and at Bath Grand Prix I was in Band 1. I was in good form going through the rounds. Players included Craig Bryant, Victor Guang and other top England players, in my path towards the final. In the final, I faced England no.67 at the time. I was on firebombing shout from both wings and felt I would wipe the floor with whoever came my way. Oh, how wrong I would prove myself to be! 

I lost 3-0 and before I had a chance to realise what had happened my first band 1 final was over and done with! Everyone who watched the final was shocked, as to how badly I got beaten (3-0).

Picture
Mitchell Jones & Guarav Aravind Table Tennis Training
Try to Learn from your experience

At the time I just took it on the chin and admitted to myself that he was better on that occasion. I continued playing my usual game, of trying to hit every ball hard. A few years down the line after becoming a coach I reflected on that loss. Then it hit me, that player put the ball in places where I was unbalanced making it hard for me to unleash my bombs. He did not possess power shots like me but instead, he had fantastic ball variation, deception and placement. Today I have learnt to adopt that skill alongside power when the opportunity arises.

How did I improve my placement?

1. Putting targets on the table when doing exercises, for example, a piece of paper and then folding it in half every time you hit it. Or to spice things up you can place chess pieces and attempt to hit targets but alongside a thought process e.g. knock the king down and you win the match.
2. Table restriction put a small towel in a certain area of the table. Or as shown (Picture) put barriers in play to restrict the angles or open the angles for one person but not the other. 
3. Watching the opponent and placing the ball into their crossover section or using the angles, depending on where they are standing.

I have placed some pictures and videos (click here).

Good ball placement in Table Tennis

When you learn to place the ball where you wish it to go. You will often hear players saying, “you make me feel uncomfortable and I don’t know exactly what you’re doing?!

Another Tip, take two pieces of paper one on each side. Both players must attempt to hit the opponents paper. When you hit the paper it must be folded in half, making your target smaller and harder to hit. You can increase the difficulty by varying the location of the paper after each hit.

Table Tennis Angles

Focus on the angles given, you have a right and left-hand triangle angle. For example, if you’re hitting the ball from the right-hand side (your side) you have a wide angle to the left-hand side. 

Deep ball placement

A deep ball means towards the end/edge of the table which can also be seen as good ball placement. When knocking up watch where your balls are landing. Notice if they land short and if so amend your shots accordingly.

Placement can be just as powerful if not better than hitting the ball hard…