Newgy’s Blog

One important factor in table tennis that each player needs is rest. For me, it is best to rest after a major competition. This allows my body to recover and gives me time to consider my previous performance and what I can do to improve for the next competition.

During my rest days (usually 2-4 days) I do two important things…

The first thing is video analysis. I watch my table tennis matches and practice sessions and analyze them point by point. I compare my strokes, footwork, serves, receives, and mental game to the top athletes then make improvements.

The second thing is stretching and light exercise. If I do absolutely nothing on my break, my body will become stiff. Staying flexible will allow my muscles to recover yet still be prepared for the next training session.

After a couple days of rest, I am back and ready to train harder and more focused than ever before!

Samson Dubina

I have traveled a lot for table tennis. I have been all over the U.S. and to a few different countries. I have found that the most beneficial training came from Montreal, Quebec in Canada. Even though it was only a short flight away from Cincinnati, it felt like another continent because the city of Montreal is the second largest French speaking city in the world.

I typically went there for two weeks at a time. Most people think training should be something that is long, intense and lasts the whole day. In Canada, training is intense but it is just enough so you can handle it. I trained at a former Olympic site that is now turned into a sports school. The head coach there (Dejan Papic) is a former Olympic coach along with the assistant coach (Christian) who is also a former Olympic coach.

I would start off my day with a training session from 8:30 – 10:00 am. There was a study done that an athlete can only focus for one and a half hours straight. This session is normally very intense and ended with physical training/conditioning. Usually we would run laps, lift weights or play basketball or soccer. Then we’d eat at the cafeteria in the school or go somewhere around the training center. The next session was from 1:00 – 3:00 and then 5:00 – 8:00 or just 4:00 – 7:00 depending on whether the kids are in school or not. That next session would typically start off with the same theme as the morning session and then play some sort of game towards the end.

After this session you have physical training. This was very intense. This was usually sprints and laps. Occasionally we would lift weights. Each week they would have one thing they would work on. That whole week was used to practice the skill in every situation.

After the training was done you have the night to go out into the city of Montreal.

Pierce Scott

Most table tennis players label topspin shots into several categories such as: loop, block or smash. However, modern attacking players have developed an offensive block called an active block. Active blocking is a combination between a block, loop and counter loop. It is best used off-the-bounce against a slow to medium speed loop.

Watch in this video as Kenta effectively uses active blocking to stop his opponents’ attack and take control of the table.

Kenta wants to make the opening attack, but often his opponent attacks first. By using active blocking, he is able to keep the pressure on. Once his opponent hits a softer loop, Kenta moves in for his hardest attack.

Steps to Learning Active Blocking

1. Start by first developing a controlled forehand block without any backswing
2. Slowly add more follow-though crosscourt, still without any backswing
3. Add some topspin by brushing over the top of the ball while keeping the ball in front of your body
4. Focus on adding 10% spin and 5% speed to the oncoming ball

Good luck!

Samson Dubina

Carl Hardin is one of the best table tennis coaches in the United States. He has a different coaching style than most coaches. He is very strict and pounds into your head the importance of great form.

I started receiving coaching from Carl when I was rated 543. We would start off by warming up my forehand on the Newgy Robo-Pong table tennis robot. Then I hit some backhands on the robot. He hadn’t said anything to me yet about anything I had done wrong. I thought my strokes were fine. I was extremely wrong! He said there was no use of hitting balls coming out of the robot if all of my strokes were wrong. So we grabbed a box of balls and I dropped the ball and then hit it. After each ball I hit, I was given criticism on what to fix. After about an hour of that we did the same thing on the backhand.

I had no idea so many things that went into one shot. Carl saw everything I did wrong, every single time. After we got that taken care of, we started to do drills on the robot. He would stand there and move the frequency up until my strokes broke down, then would immediately shut it off. He taught me correct footwork, forehand, backhand, push, flip, serve, loop, and serve return. I am glad I got to experience Carl’s coaching. I would not be where I am today without it.

Remember:

“Practice makes permanent, not perfect.” – Carl Hardin

Pierce Scott

My full-time job is coaching table tennis to students age 5 – 75. Regardless of age, I expect each of my students to listen to my coaching as I give them advice point-by-point and apply what I am teaching them during each coaching session.

Tournaments are somewhat different though. For example, when I am coaching Perry Wilson in a tournament, I can give him advice between games; but I am not allowed to coach him during the actual game. Perry is the one who needs to coach himself during the game. Between points, Perry needs to analyze for himself what went right, what went wrong, and what he needs to do in the next point.

Between games, I give Perry 1 or 2 tips and have him repeat the advice back to me.

Then I ask:

Who’s the coach?

Answer:

Perry is the coach.

Samson Dubina