March 30, 2016

Systematic Drills
I've never understood why more players don't focus like a laser beam on exactly what they need to do to improve, and do specific drills that allow them to systematically develop those techniques. The key phrase here might be "systematically." For example, many rallies begin with an opponent looping against a push. This means you will face a loop off a push a lot - and so should practice systematically against it. To many, this means perhaps playing games or doing drills where the point starts with a player looping off a push - and that's a start. But suppose you do that, while your twin does a drill where he faces these loops against backspin five times as often, who's going to improve against it faster?

So instead of playing out points, why not have one player serve and loop against a push, and while the other player reacts to the loop (probably by blocking, smashing, or counterlooping), the other player is reaching for another ball from a box of balls to serve and loop again. Result? One player gets systematic practice looping against a push; the other gets systematic practice against a loop off a push, perhaps working on his counterloop, which is different against a loop off backspin then a loop in a topspin rally. Both players dramatically improve. 

The same logic applies to other situations. Have trouble with a specific serve - say, a big breaking serve into the backhand? Then have a coach systematically give you that serve, without playing out the point. Or have a practice partner give you that serve and perhaps he plays one shot off your return, and then reach for another ball. Result? He systematically practices his serve and attack, while you systematically practice your receive off the serve that gives you trouble. 

So analyze what you need to work on in your game, both weaknesses to address and strengths to develop or improve, and find systematically find ways to develop them. This doesn't mean you never play out points; it means using a part of your practice systematically working on these techniques, and other parts of your practice playing out points. 

Training Alone
Here's a one-man coaching video (4:28) from Sri-Lanka. It covers nearly every shot.

College Table Tennis

Interview with Victor Liu
Here's the video (2:56) from Butterfly.

Interview with Tara Profitt
Here's the USATT interview.

11 Questions with Ross Brown
Here's the USATT interview. 

Butterfly Cary Cup Showcases Top East Coast Table Tennis Talent
Here's the article by Barbara Wei on the Cary, NC tournament this weekend.

How Garry Shandling Protected Me in Comedy (and Crushed Me in Ping Pong)
Here's the article from Vanity Fair.

Table Tennis Comes Alive at the World War Memorial Building
Here's the article from KX News (South Dakota).

2016 World Veteran Table Tennis Championships iOS App
Here's the info page.

Paddle Battle for Mental Health
Here's the info page, where they've so far raised $23,265. "The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada’s leading hospital for mental health, providing for more than 30,000 patients each year. They provide urgent, inpatient and outpatient care and specialized services for children, youth, families and seniors. CAMH has Ontario’s only 24/7 emergency department dedicated to psychiatric care. CAMH is also a leading centre for brain science research, focusing on genetics, molecular medicine, brain imaging and new drug development to better treat and prevent mental illness."

Playing Ping Pong to Fight Poverty
Here's the article from Tristate News (Indiana).

Top Ten Rallies from Fan Zhendong in 2015
Here's the video (5:05).

Interview with University of Texas and Andrew Chen
Here's the hilarious interview at the National College TT Championships this past weekend – the link should take you directly to 2hr 24min 49 sec, where there's a hilarious interview for about two minutes – that's Andrew Chen saying, "…but let's talk about me," and so on. The whole video is over ten hours if you want to browse the rest.

Elephant, Rabbit, Hippo Pong
Here's the image.

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