September 2, 2024

Tip of the Week
If Serving Practice is Drudgery Then Perhaps Your Serves Are Too Simple.

Getting in Shape and Out of Retirement
On Aug. 1, 2024, just one month ago, as I flew to Scotland for 18 days, I weighed 210. (I’m 5'10', age 64.) That tied me for the most I’ve ever weighed. I’ve been around 205 for most of the last few years. And it’s cost me – I’ve had a number of matches (in hardbat events) where I might have won except I simply couldn’t move as well as I should, and worse, I’d be out of breath during the match and my legs would simply die. I blew the biggest lead I’ve ever blown against a really strong player in one match when, at the end of the match, I was completely out of breath and my legs had the energy of wet spaghetti. It also was a reason why I avoided regular sponge matches – I was too out of shape to play effectively.

So, during the flight to Scotland, I decided to spend those 18 days not only sightseeing and attending the World Science Fiction Convention, but also to diet. Between that and an incredible amount of walking in Glasgow and Edinburgh - anything under 1.5 miles I walked, and some of the tours involved hours of walking - I actually began to get back into shape. When I returned on Aug. 18, I weighed 203. I’ve continued to diet, keeping to roughly 1200 calories a day. This morning I came in at 198. One key thing – since Aug. 1, I haven’t had any Dr Pepper, which I usually sip when working. I’ve been drinking a lot of Diet Coke. I’m also snacking a lot on apples, pears, cherry tomatoes, and raw carrots.

I’m coming out of “retirement” at the Huntsman World Senior Games, which start on Oct. 7. I’m playing the regular (sponge) age events - Over 60 Men’s Singles, Over 60 Mixed Doubles with Alecia Moll, and playing down a division in Over 50 Men’s Doubles with Joe Ryan. I’m also playing Hardbat Singles. The plan was to get to 195 before the Huntsman Games. But since I’m already at 198 five weeks in advance, I’m now aiming for 190, or at least close to that. We’ll see.

I can’t play Hardbat Doubles because that takes place on Thursday, and I have to fly out that morning to attend the US Hall of Fame Inductions and Banquet in Houston, TX that night (Oct. 10). (See segment below on this.)

I pretty much retired from competitive sponge play back in 2007, with a rating of 2193. (I used to be a lot better than that!) Since then I’ve focused on coaching (with sponge, which is my “normal” game) while playing hardbat events at major tournaments. I’ve played four sponge tournaments since 2007 (in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2019), mostly spur of the moment while not in shape and out of practice, which dropped my rating to an even 2100.

I’m also playing age events (with sponge) and hardbat events at the US Open in December. The plan is to get to 185 by that time, though I’m toying with 180. There’s also the $50,000 Classic World Cup in Suzhou, China, Jan. 8-11, where I’ll be playing hardbat, sandpaper, and wood events.

However, it’s not just about losing weight. When you get older, you lose muscle mass. So, starting on Aug. 20, I’ve been weight training three times a week, usually Mon, Wed, and Fri. I’m not an expert on this, but after some research, here is my routine: I speed walk the 0.7 miles to Planet Fitness, do a one-hour routine, then speed walk back. The routine includes 17 different exercises on 17 machines, including two that are done twice (Torso Extensions both ways and Glute with each leg), so 19 in all. I choose a weight for each so that I can barely do 15-25, so I have to stop and rest, and do 30 in all. Because of past arm, shoulder, and knee problems, for certain exercises I lower the weight and so do all 30 continuously. The 17 exercises/machines are:

  1. Triceps Extensions
  2. Triceps Press
  3. Biceps Curl
  4. Shoulder Press
  5. Row
  6. Pull Down
  7. Chest Press
  8. Calf Extension
  9. Pectoral Fly
  10. Rear Deltoid
  11. Seated Leg Curl
  12. Seated Leg Press
  13. Leg Extensions
  14. Torso Rotations (left and right)
  15. Back Extension
  16. Abdominal
  17. Glute (each leg)

So, all this will get me in shape, but what about table tennis play? Since I only do group sessions now, I don’t get much from that. However, I played in the MDTTC Elite League this past Saturday. It was the first serious sponge matches I’ve played in years. My play was erratic, as expected, but I did beat a 2050 chopper 3-1, with every game close. I lost 3-0 against two other players in the 2050 range – but in both cases I played well in the third game, leading 10-6 and 10-8 before losing those games. Because I haven’t played serious matches in years my receive is weak, but it got better and better as the matches continued. In drills, I can block endlessly, but in matches I don’t block as well yet – but the blocking got better as the matches continued. I also was able to attack decently, especially when serving, but that too was erratic. The footwork isn’t quite fluid yet, and I still sometimes miss easy shots. But I could feel signs of my old game coming back. By the end of Saturday’s session I was at about 2000 level, but I feel like I can be 2100 in weeks. Then comes the long climb to 2200 level and beyond. Not easy at age 64!!!

Due to arm, knee, and foot problems, I’m playing all my matches with an arm brace; knee braces on both knees; and compression socks on both feet. I think much of the knee problems were because of excess weight and my legs not being strong enough. Both of these put a strain on the knees.

I’m also planning on doing a one-hour session once a week with Coach Lidney at MDTTC. I’ll be doing the usual footwork/stroking drills, but long, repetitive drills strain my arm and shoulder, so I have to limit those. But there’ll be a lot of multiball – I know which ones I can do without injury. I’ll also do drills where I have to withstand his attacks – I need to get back my brick-wall blocking defense and sudden forehand counter-attacks. I’ll also rest between drills by doing receive drills – need to get back the super-consistent receive I used to have.

When serving, my basic playing style is serve and all-out forehand attack. (I can loop and smash equally well.) My serves are a big strength, but I need to practice them a lot to get back to where they were. On receive, I loop deep serves with the forehand whenever possible, but mostly try to get into straight backhand-to-backhand rallies, where I’m super consistent (but sometimes too soft), while challenging opponents to either try to get through my backhand, or change directions and give me a forehand, which I’m waiting for. I flip most short serves, both backhand and forehand, while mixing in short and long pushes. In rallies, when forced off the table, I used to rely on steady fishing and lobbing, with counterloops mixed in and some chopping, but I suspect I’m no longer fast enough to do that, so I may focus on staying closer to the table.

I volunteered to be a free practice partner in our Elite junior sessions (where the players are 1600-2500, and I’d be with the lower half), but apparently there’s no room. So, for more match play, I’m going to play at the Potomac TTC on Wednesday nights, and look for at least one other time each week to play matches. Between match play three times/week, weight training, and losing weight, who knows – maybe I can give Kanak Jha a scare next time we play! Speaking of Kanak...

Kanak Jha in the German Bundesliga
Here’s discussion and links to video at the mytabletennis.net forum on his recent performances. Last week, from down 0-2 and 6-9 down in third, he defeated Yi-Hisin Feng (TPE, world #50) and Luka Mladenovic (LUX, world #89, who uses frictionless antispin on the backhand). This week he defeated Patrick Franziska (GER, world #10) and Darko Jorgic (SLO, world #15). Kanak’s current ranking is #70. Here is his ranking history. His peak was #19 in January, 2023.

5 Tips from Table Tennis Tactics for Thinkers by Larry Hodges
Here’s the review and five tips highlighted from tabletennis.ph (Philippines).

Team USA Para Table Tennis Men’s Singles Events Set to Begin
Here’s the schedule. I believe you can watch it on NBC | @peacock | Youtube @paralympics.

Table Tennis History Magazine
Here’s the fourth issue, September 2024, 54 pages, from Steve Grant. Some really great stuff in here!

US Table Tennis Hall of Fame Inductions and Banquet
You can register at Omnipong for the 2024 US Table Tennis Hall of Fame Annual Awards Induction Banquet, to be held at the Houston International Table Tennis Academy in Houston, TX this year, on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 6-9PM, in conjunction with the 2024 Si & Patty Wasserman Junior Championships held that weekend (Oct. 11-13, Fri-Sun), which you can also enter through Omnipong. You’ll get to meet and talk to the honorees, as well as the many others who will attend. Cost is only $25. (It’s free to junior players who enter the 2024 Si & Patty Wasserman Junior Championships.) This year’s honorees are Patty Martinez Wasserman (Lifetime Achievement Award) and Hall of Fame inductees Stellan Bengtsson (Contributor), Glenn Cowan (Athlete), and Dennis Taylor (Contributor). Here is the 2024 Hall of Fame Program Booklet. I’ll be there! (I did the program booklet and will do the induction speech for Dennis.)

Major League Table Tennis
Here’s the upcoming Fall-Spring 2024-2025 schedule.

Classic Table Tennis World Cup
Ready to try out hardbat, sandpaper, or plain wood? Want an excuse to see China? Then why not enter the 2025 Classic Table Tennis World Cup, Jan. 8-11 in Suzhou, China! I’ll be there, doing coverage and playing in Over 60 events.

Butterfly Training Tips

New from PongSpace

Table Tennis Multiball Training
Here’s the video (4:10) from Pingispågarna.

264 Exercises & Adjustable Spin - Arc - Placement and Random
Here’s the video (21:58) from Ti Long.

Mental Training Tip – Visualize like an Olympian for Your Table Tennis Glory
Here’s the article by Alan Chu, Ph.D., CMPC

Ask the Coach
Here are the latest questions and answers from PingSkills.

Ping Pong Players Exhibit Superior Brain Structure and Function, Study Finds
Here’s the article from Psychology Post. Here’s the actual study from Science Direct, Long-term table tennis training alters dynamic functional connectivity and white matter microstructure in large scale brain regions.

Was Table Tennis Better Before? Ma Long The GOOAT Old Footage
Here’s the video (2:23) from Taco Backhand.

77-year-old Table Tennis Champion Player on Overcoming the Odds
Here’s the article featuring Cindy Ranii from Spectrum News.

New from Steve Hopkins/Butterfly

New from the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association

New from USATT

New from ITTF

Forehand Flick Levels 1 to Lebrun
Here’s the video (12 sec)! (A flick and a flip are the same thing.)

Crazy Anime Table Tennis Cartoon
Here it is! What should the caption be?

It’s a Table Tennis Thing, You Wouldn’t Understand
Here’s where you can buy the shirt at Amazon!

College Challenge: Level 1-20
Here’s the video (15:58) from Adam Bobrow!

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