September 9, 2024 - Plan Your One-Minute Break
You only get one break that you can call during a match, and it's only sixty seconds long. How should you use it?
Here are four reasons you might consider a time-out, in rough order of how often you should use this reason. (Ideally, you should have more than one of these reasons.) One catch – for older players and players not in good physical shape, “To rest” is likely the most important one. The best timeout might be when you do three or four of these at the same time!
- To regain your focus.
- To think about tactics or discuss them with your coach.
- To rest.
- To let a hot opponent cool off.
Far too many players use their timeout as a desperation move when they are on the brink of losing. That’s too late. Instead, use it when it can make a difference. For example, if playing a very strong opponent in a best of five, many players will lose the first two games decisively and fall way behind in the third game, and then call a timeout. Instead, perhaps call a timeout halfway through that second game (or even the first), when you start falling behind, so you can clear your mind and consider new tactics before you fall behind 0-2. That could turn the whole match around, which is unlikely to happen if you wait until you are down 0-2 and way behind in the third.
One interesting thing – the Chinese like to call timeouts when they are on the verge of winning a game or match, such as serving up 10-8. It’s a way to lock up that game. But this differs from player to player – if you are completely focused and know what you want to do, there’s no reason to call a timeout there.
