August 29, 2016

Tip of the Week
Keep a Notebook.

How to Stay in Practice Without Practicing
A student told me over the weekend how he’d taken two weeks off for vacation, and when he came back, he couldn’t play at all. He said it took about five sessions before he could play comfortably again. He also said the same thing happens when he takes time off from his other sport, basketball. Yet, he said he knew others who seem to be able to take time off from these sports and come back very quickly. “Why?” he wondered.

Now I’ve never done a study of this, which is why this not yet ready to be a Tip of the Week, but I’ve noticed something very obvious about this. When I asked the player if he’d spent much time thinking or visualizing table tennis during his two weeks away, he said no. I think that players who take time off but spend some of that time visualizing playing (in their head), and maybe even shadow practicing it some, come back more quickly. Your game is controlled by your subconscious, and so any thinking about your shots re-enforces that muscle memory.

So next time you go on vacation or are injured, spend some time each day visualizing in your head playing a match. Really play it out! Serve and attack, receive, block, loop, counterloop, smash, lob, chop – whatever you do in a game, do it in your head. And I bet when you come back, you’ll get right back into it very quickly.

More Spin
Here’s the new coaching article from Samson Dubina.

How to Deal with Losing Confidence When Your Best Shots Start Going Wrong
Here’s the new coaching article from MHTableTennis.

Eugene Wang: ‘I have no regrets’ over Rio 2016 efforts
Here’s the article about the Canadian champion.

Olympics Spur Dreams of Glory in Young Northeast Ohio Athletes
Here’s the article.

Rio 2016 Table Tennis Review
Here’s the ITTF video (7:30).

Club Intersport de Drummondville
Here’s the new highlights music video (5:02).

Ma Long and Xu Xin Rally with Three Balls
Here’s the video (13 sec)!

Now That’s a Behind-the-Back Smash!
Here’s the video (16 sec, including slo-mo) of Edison Huang’s nonchalant shot.

Smacking a Ball so it Rolls Around in a Roll of Tape Trick
Here’s the video (13 sec) by USA Junior Team Member Allen Wang.

Backhand Sidespin Loops Around Net and Rolling on Table
Here’s the video (58 sec).

Andy Murray Prepares for the US Open Playing Ping Pong
Here’s the video (59 sec).

Keep Your Eye on the Ball
Here’s the cartoon!

Playing in Front of Fans?
Here’s the video (6 sec) - we’re talking fans of the air-blowing type!

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