Put aside numbers for a minute, (we all know TT is played in the masses there) but numbers does not guarantee success!
It’s a collaborative system, structure and team work… Unity enables China to dominate TT like no other sport on the planet. If we truly want to compete with China, we must unite nationally and internationally. I have the master plan, now who will join me 🙌🏓💪🏼
It doesn’t matter your level, we all make mistakes in table tennis, in fact, we all make mistakes in life.
The Best Way to Learn
I am constantly looking for ways in which I can grow and develop both myself and those I coach. I’m yet to find a better learning path that is done via mistakes, my whole life has been full of big mistakes. It starts from my parents, them being together was a mistake, my dad and mother constantly making ‘life’ mistakes. I made one right choice in my life which enabled me to grow and learn from all my mistakes (table tennis was that 1 correct life choice). I believe table tennis is the no.1 sport for making mistakes and unforced errors. Every few seconds we make a mistake or error, by missing or misreading an element of the game. This is where we have three choices;
1) quit
2) keep making the same mistake and accepting a limitation or
3) learning from our mistakes.
Table Tennis Disappointments
You are in charge
The amazing thing about this life is the ability to make choices and decisions that can change everything. I made a few mistakes last week, one of trying to help the table tennis community but by expressing my disappointments (directed at the association) I didn’t realise this could be seen and felt by those I was trying to help. So, I took ownership and admitted my mistake and apologised. It’s easy to stand on a high horse and say that’s what I think and I am right! But if you’re true to yourself, you will learn from your mistakes. Table Tennis has enabled me to see mistakes and find ways of growing from them rather than allowing those mistakes to override my desires.
Table Tennis mistakes
We often look for solutions but sometimes making mistakes allows us to find a solution that has long term effects. A quick fix is nice but rarely is it a lasting solution! It’s ok to make mistakes and if you’re willing to go through the uncomfortable process you’ll find greater gains in the long run.
embrace the mistake because it can take you towards your ultimate goal
Table Tennis flow or ‘zone state’ is possibly one of the hardest things to master and few know how to enter that special dimension.
As a young player
Kids, enter a flow state naturally when they are engaged in something they enjoy doing. Nothing seems to affect their concentration and I believe that’s why their cognitive responses are greater than most adults. As a child, I excelled in physical activities because that’s what I enjoyed doing and when I began playing table tennis many people thought I was on speed. I played the game at such a high tempo and I was truly relentless back in my teens. I clearly remember jumping over barriers chasing the ball in between points, running around to get my forehand anywhere possible and bouncing up and down between each and every point. Where did I get that energy from? I truly don’t know, because I hardly ate in tournaments and barely slept night’s prior to events, due to excitement and anxiety. I may not have been the best player at some events but I would win many tournaments due to my Duracell bunny power.
Table Tennis Zone
How was I able to have this huge energy?
I believe it was due to my ‘flow state’ that I was able to enter into the zone 9 times out of 10. So how did I do it?
The answer is simple from the very first point, I wanted to win so much that my body and mind became in-sink. My mind was focused on one thing and that was winning! This meant I would think about what serves to execute and how I would follow up with a positive stroke or shots until I would come out on top. I truly felt invincible when (entering the zone) and in my mind, I believed anyone could or can be beaten.
3 Steps to enter a flow state:
Picture in your mind, yourself playing a perfect game (before the match)
Focus on the game and let nothing else distract you (stay in the moment)
Have a rhythm and routine which no one or nothing can break (keeps your body and mind relaxed)
Many Distractions
Breaking the flow
I remember when I played, few could break my flow because all I wanted to do was win and that meant I would fight for every single point. This brought fear to my opponent because they knew, no point would be given for free. Due to my youth I did come unstuck occasionally, some players would break my rhythm, some would comment and make me think about something else and some would take their time knowing I love fast tempo matches. Today with maturity and experience I am able to counter these things but now my will to win as a player has gone. This means I rarely enter into the zone because my mind is not focused on a specific task (winning).
Flow State
You see entering into a flow state, in reality, is simple, you just need to focus on the task at hand and avoid all distractions. The best way to explain it is if you are in a life or death situation (hopefully you’ll never have that). But imagine a scene where you must save yourself from a potentially life-threatening scenario. At this moment your brain will shut down all other interference or distractions and focus on the task at hand (survival). This focus gives you the best possible chance of coming out alive.
In the flow state
Flow state is about intense focus on the present task, akin to a life-or-death situation where the brain filters out all distractions. This intense concentration is what extreme athletes use in high-risk sports. In table tennis, instead of dwelling on external thoughts, focusing solely on each point can elevate performance.
In today’s world, where distractions like phones are common, training our minds to focus is crucial. By consistently redirecting our attention back to the original thought, we can enhance our ability to concentrate for extended periods.
I never knew Table Tennis in Mauritius was a national sport and truly respected!
Table Tennis Experience
Wow, what an experience I had the past 2 weeks, in a small Island called Mauritius. I was invited to attend an ITTF Level 1 coach by Julien Girard and asked to run training sessions for the Mauritian national team. What an opportunity, to become an ITTF qualified coach and coach the national team, it was an experience I will never forget. I was on the course early morning to the afternoon and from 1pm I coached the national team for 3 hours, break then 2 hours (each day).
ITTF Level 1
The course, was smoothly run by Julien and although basic I felt privileged to be on the course and it helped me re-focus on basic fundamentals. Each coach was humble and truly open to learning and growing themselves via Julien’s knowledge and sharing experiences. A very big manual book was handed out at the start of the course and we went through it. For me the best part was learning about Para-coaching. How to handle players on a wheel chair and how to adapt your coaching to suit special needs.
Para table tennis coaching
Table tennis in Mauritius
In truth I had no idea what I was walking into when I agreed to attend the course and coach the national team. I was told the country is beautiful and that was all I had in my mind, I had an incredible flight with a stop over in Dubai. On arrival I was picked up by a driver whom was extremely friendly. He told me a little about the country and it was a life I had not seen or witnessed before. Driving through woods and mountains I was amazed by the scenery and saddened by the poverty. I was hosted in a beautiful resort which had tennis courts, a stunning beach, golf, restaurants, gym, spa and 14 pools to choose from.
Table Tennis Day 1
As we drove into the car park I saw three buildings, one was the office of Cedric the technical director of Mauritius table tennis. He is basically in charge of everything at the academy and he is treated like royalty. Table tennis is the third biggest sport in Mauritius and therefore if you have his role you are in the national newspaper and TV on a regular basis. The first hall is the size of 3 Badminton courts and is used for Judo but Cedric tells me they often use this hall for table tennis also. The table tennis hall and the larger of the two halls, is about the size of 8 Badminton courts. It was purpose-built for table tennis, with 20 tables set up permanently (ample space between each table), tar-flex flooring, new tables Butterfly and STAG, lifted seating stage area and shower-toilet facilities. This Hall was truly my ideal table tennis hall and one I would keep in my mind for life.
Mauritius table tennis academy
Table Tennis Day 2
Now the players know me and they have began to open up and explore my methods, players are varied from good to very good level (some ranked top 300 in the world). I was more impressed with the girls, they had great attitudes and wonderful games, with many different styles of play. Now I started to really connect with each individual player and found they each had a unique and wonderful story. What was also interesting was how they each had different religious beliefs but they were so close-nit (kissing and hugging, laughing and joking).
Gift from players to coach
Last few Days
Now it felt like we were all family and we had some bonding activities, (quad bikes), hiking and site seeing. I was awarded my level 1 certificate and more importantly the group of national players had written a card for me and bought me a special gift. I must admit it’s rare for players to buy you a gift and as coaches we gift without the sense of being given back. This was one of very few times in my coaching career where I was given a gift and it was truly heart warming
How Important is Training Your Eyes for Table Tennis?
Should you train your eyes for table tennis?
Most of us are truly fortunate to have eyes that work but unfortunately, we often take our eyes for granted and in many cases neglect our vision. The same goes for our feet (they hold our bodies upright and allow us to move) but we rarely pay attention to that part of our body. Similarly, we use our eyes every day to view the world and through our vision, we are able to do countless of extraordinary things. Yet we forget that our eyes are powered predominately by white muscles (Fast twitch) which means we can develop those muscles. Instead, we often strain our vision by looking at screens for too long and allow our eyes to deteriorate over time due to little or no eye exercise. We can and are able to strengthen our vision by using certain exercises to develop eye movement, increase eye speed and visual focus.
Are we missing a trick?
An amazing fact: “table tennis was banned in the Soviet Union between 1930 and 1950 because the Stalinist authorities believed it was harmful to the eyes” Today we know that couldn’t further from the truth. In fact, it’s the opposite, table tennis provides huge benefits to your eyes and mind. I went to Steve Brunskill’s Vision training last weekend and not only did I learn a lot but I felt that we are missing a vital element in our table tennis training.
Steve has developed lots of training methods to elevate your visual endurance, speed, and focus. The training enables anyone who wants to enhance their game and it’s a training system which can be used to develop your table tennis, in-directly. All you have to do is invest some time practicing, which can be done at any time but I personally would use it as part of my pre-play warm-up.
Table Tennis Eye Training
How important are your eyes?
I think we all know how important our eyes are but I think many of us don’t know or realise that we can develop our visual performance. If we take some time to enhance our vision by building the muscles in our eyes, naturally we will upscale ourselves into a higher level player. I noticed eye development training many years back but I didn’t pay direct attention to it because I felt reaction speed was the requirement for better sports performance. I recently found out that our reaction speed can only be developed over a long period of time and the gains are so small, it’s nearly unnoticed.
World Table Tennis Champs 2019 in Hungary
I am always looking for marginal gains so if reaction speed is developmentally limited, then how can we develop something else to aid our reaction? And the answer is simple, by using our eyes! I was doing a few eye developmental training myself but I had not dived deep enough. After the course, I truly grasped the importance and how exactly to execute certain drills for fast and noticeable benefits in sport (table tennis) and life. Going to Steve’s, course reinforced things that I learned over time but the course also enhanced my knowledge and understanding of how important our vision truly is. I walked away, a wiser man and a coach that can deliver specific eye training to my players which can enhance their games.
Taking Vision training into the practice hall
As of last weekend, I have taken Steve’s vision training into the hall and it will remain in my warm-up routine for life. I have adapted a few of the training systems to suit my players and some new personal concepts but the general vision training in my view it’s a wonderful (Marginal Gain) of which I will always use from now on.
If you want to learn more contact Steve Brunskill – 01642 827282 / 07595641751. Email: info@swervettc.
In the meantime, I suggest for all players and coaches to open their eyes if they truly want to enhance themselves or their players.
Ma Long has become the greatest table tennis player of all time. I wrote a blog about a year ago comparing Ma to Jan Ove Waldner. Back then JO had my vote and honestly, Waldner will always be the greatest (for me personally). But in reality and factually Ma Long has the crown of the true table tennis GOAT.
World Champion for the 3rd Time in a Row
Why Ma Long is the greatest table tennis player of all time.
I first saw Ma when he was 16 years old. I remember instantly being drawn to him, he had this aura about him. A twinkle few have but they seem to shine above the rest and Ma was the new JOW. Special people like Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, Michael Phelps come along once every 20 years. Ma Long, had a technique that I had not witnessed before, big strokes but they were so efficient that he could implement them graciously. He seemed humble and he was a perfect athlete which enabled him to execute all his shots with immense power. I knew straight away Ma would become world no.1 and one of the games great players.
What Ma Long has Achieved
Having followed him for 14 years now, I witnessed his ups and downs and the ups are great but it’s the downs that show people’s true character. Zhang Jike has many ups and when the down times came he never truly turned it around into a positive.
Ma Long was not picked for the 2012 Olympic singles, he lost 3 world singles semifinals to Wang Hao, he suffered injury in 2018 and was out for over half a year. Yet Ma Long has taken all the downs and managed to turn each one into a positive.
Ma Long has defied all the odds and critics
Negative into positive
Losing three semi-finals TURNED into 3 world Championships titles
Not picked for 2012 Olympics TURNED into an Olympic Champion 2016
Injured and many felt his time was up TURNED by recovering just in time to win his third Championship World Title.
Greatness is not just winning it’s how you face the tough times and find a way of turning them around in your favour. It’s easy when you win, the question is can you turn a loss into a winning situation, further down the line?
The peoples champion becomes the world champion
Liu Shiwen
Liu has always been a peoples champion and often came up short on the big occasion but this month she finally did it. Liu is not the greatest player seen in women’s table tennis but she will go down in history as a world champion and someone who doesn’t take no for an answer.
The true greats, if you look carefully they do not have a flawless record. They often have huge failures and find ways of recreating themselves and producing super records via their ability to turn the tough times into something special.
A true champion has the heart of a lion, their spirit comes out when times are tough.a
Begin your journey to becoming the greatest possible player you can be…
We all love something or a few things but if you play table tennis from your heart, the game will change your life
Why Table Tennis
Today I am with a very special group of international coaches and each day we spend together the more I realise why they coach. I could be wrong but I’ve never seen a sport that captures people’s hearts the way table tennis does!
I know there are huge fans for other sports but for me, there’s something different with table tennis. A true table tennis player or coach gives to the sport and to those around them from the heart and with a mindset of “I want to give and want nothing in return”. Table tennis people seem to love sharing and want to grow alongside others.
United Table Tennis Camp in Portugal 2019
Julien Girard (Former Pro A Coach in France)
20 years ago both I and Julien crossed paths (as players) when I lived in France back in 1999-2000. We both went on to become coaches (I in England and Julien in France) with lots of success respectively. A few years back I saw an important message from Julien on Facebook and I immediately felt connected to him and his story.
I decided to reach out to him and our relationship began. I then had one of his players come to England and be a part of my set up for 3 months and he was the last sign I needed. It was time for me to form a physical connection but how would I do this?
United Table Tennis Coaching Team
How did it happen?
My wife and I occasionally watch X factor together and I saw a panel created by Simon factor and thought how can I create a super team in my field? That night I began researching Europe’s leading coaches. For me, the team was under my nose but I needed someone respected throughout Europe to have that true pulling power. Julien was that person and I felt if he was on board the others would feel join without hesitation.
I began talking to Julien and over time we noticed how our path and mindset were in sync, this was my trigger and I dropped the bombshell. Would you be apart of a special European team? to my delight, Julien did not hesitate and this gave me the power I required in creating the United Table Tennis Coaching Team.
The Aim
UTTCT was created to provide an opportunity for all table tennis lovers, for those who want to be apart of a coaching and playing system, normally only accessible to professionals. If you have a dream, wake up and make it happen.
Table tennis has the ability to grab your heart and give you the key to virtually anything on the planet.
There are 3 table tennis characters and you fall into one of them!
History of human survival
Humans have evolved with a “fight or flight” response when facing danger or potential dangers. Our ability to flee or stand up and fight has helped our ancestors avoid or even defeat predators. There is another system we use to avoid harm which is the freeze effect. This is when running away may not be an option and escaping is too late but fighting may prove too hard due to strength or being outnumbered.
When under stress or when we feel our safety is compromised, that’s when we typically will experience one of these three physical reactions: Fight, Flight or Freeze.
Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier two Warriors
Which response is the most effective? and do you see yourself in one or all? Let’s find out!
Flight:
In today’s table tennis tournaments and events, we often see the flight reaction, this is where players will avoid certain tournaments. They may lose to someone on purpose to avoid another player later on in the event, fake an injury, enter low-level events to accumulate points but avoid facing higher level players.
Pro – From all angles, this seems like a very negative approach but there is one positive notion from a flight response. If you pick certain events and schedule your calendar properly, it can allow you to prepare for events, avoid injuries, and provide longevity. This is the positive aspects of “live to fight another day”
Con – Hiding, avoiding, faking an injury mid-match, selecting events that only suits you criteria will only have a negative outcome. Eventually, the lions will find you hiding place and when they do, your number will be up.
Freeze:
Lin Quayan Freezes from 10-4 up to lose the match at the 2017 World Cup
I believe we have all experienced this before, we have prepared and yet when it comes to the big occasion our mind and body’s don’t align. Our mind says let’s do this but our body starts shaking, we struggle to serve, we think about the consequences and nothing seems to work.
Pro – Again not many positives can be found here but there is one, this means you have not truly prepared or over-prepared. There is something missing or you’ve done so much that you expect a certain result and it put too much pressure on yourself. This is where you must learn to prepare as best as possible but at the same time when the moment comes to understand that the outcome is not always in your control. Therefore all you can do is provide your best with what you have done and can do.
Con – You think and know your ability is far greater and you’ve proved it in the club or in the past but yet occasionally or often you freeze. The freeze effect can become habitual and cause plenty of distress, sometimes have such effect players move into the flight mode. This is when they leave the sport and feel the best way for them to come out on top is by disappearing altogether.
Fight
At the 2 minute mark of the video you see Kalinkos start to make a mountainous fight back (an amazing match to watch – but notice how Kreanga starts fighting mentally, physically and vocally). Its a shame about the poor video quality video
For survival and sport, this is the role we must possess to come out on top more often than not. This character is often the toughest to possess because you must have courage, be willing to face defeat and a lot of pain.
Pro – Fighters are often seen as heartless or pure heart regardless of view its the heart that will get you to your chosen destiny. If you fight each battle and you’re willing to accept losses on the way you will win the war and the journey will have been great no doubt.
Con – You may be seen as a mean or bad person and you’ll face lots of hurdles all in an attempt to stop your inner desire of becoming a true champion. There will be times when you don’t feel the power or energy to fight but you know deep down those are the times when it truly counts.
Can we change our character?
It’s said our response cannot be controlled and we never truly know how we will respond to a crisis situation. But I have two theory’s
Uncomfortable situation: I like to put myself and my players in an uncomfortable situation as often as possible. This shows me their character and which one of the above they truly are! We can then work together to develop all three and find a way of making the fight (character) their no.1 characteristic.
Breathe: Lots of research has shown me that deep breathing (trigger’s your parasympathetic nervous system) which can ground into the moment. This method enables you to notice more clearly (be aware) by seeing, hearing and physical (not emotionally) feel. This method reassures your mind and body that it’s ok and this period will pass and you will soon regain control.
In the wild it’s all about survival of the fittest, do you have what it takes to become king of the jungle?
When I began playing all I knew was serve and bomb any ball that came my way. Many said you need to develop your table tennis short game and as a teenager, those wise words had no meaning to me.
What is a short table tennis game?
It’s what many find boring; short serves, short touch, pushing and flicks. This part of the game if developed correctly can stop your opponent from attacking you and can enable you to execute both your backhand and forehand. I often tell my players, to avoid prejudgment when watching others knock up with their backhands and forehands. Think about it like a car you must start from first gear (short game) up to fifth gear (big topspin shots). If you watch someone executing both wings, you’re only seeing the car in motion. You have not felt how it handles the road, the acceleration, and its true capabilities. Therefore stay focused on your game and try to avoid pre-match jitters when seeing someone’s backhand and forehand in action.
Pic courtesy of Roger Hance
How can you develop your short game?
Practice your serve
Work on flicking, this involves good footwork (stepping in and out)
Short touch, good timing is key
Positive long push
Training ratio:
Most clubs and players focus on footwork and both wings (backhand and forehand). In truth, you may have the best backhand or forehand in the world but if a player stops you from implementing those strokes, your shots are effectively obsolete. I suggest training your short game just as much as the long game and for me personally, I like to coach my players 65% short & 45% long. The ratio changes depending on your personal game and style. So be aware and willing to adapt.
High quality
Often I see players pushing, touching and flicking but the quality is poor.
Short touch: must be low, spinny and if possible only have two bounces on the opponent’s side.
Long push: must have a variety of heavy and not so heavy spin (which look similar in action. The push should be deep, fast and well placed making it tough for your opponent to execute an aggressive attacking shot.
Flick: whatever flick you’re executing the aim is to put the opponent under pressure and not necessarily make a winning shot out of it. Often players think they must make a winner out of a flick and that’s not the case. A flick is a mini topspin taken early which means the opponent has less reaction time. Therefore a well placed or deep flick will more often than not give you a weak return of which you can capitalise on.
The short game is often seen as boring because it feels action-less. Therefore it’s important to find ways of making this part of training fun. For example how many can you touch short (2 bounces only) when receiving 10 serves. This is great for mental stimulation, competition and a clear view of current ability and future developments.
The short game is the fuel for anyone looking to drive their supercar.
I believe table tennis rivalry whether it be; coaching, players, clubs, etc. is and should be seen as a healthy form of development.
Table Tennis Player
As a player, one of the best ways to grow and develop yourself is by having a person or persons seen as rivals. Great examples of rivalry in sport include Roger Federer and Nadal, Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier, Messi and Ronaldo. These greats became extraordinary because they pushed themselves beyond normal capability in view of becoming better than their rivals. Positive rivalry depends on your character some will avoid rivalry and see it as a negative impact on their career or focus. The fact of this matter is you must focus on yourself (primarily) because you are unable to control someone else’s action. But if you notice what others are doing it can help you develop and drive you further than someone who’s solely focused on themselves.
Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier Rivalry
Table Tennis Coach:
I am Unsure about other countries but in England, it feels as if there is a lot of rivalry between coaches, is this healthy? Yes and No. As a coach, I believe we coach to develop players and the game and by having strong coaching rivalries we can damage players and development as a whole. It’s good to learn from other coaches and develop players to the best of your ability but try to avoid aggressive rivalries.
Table Tennis Clubs:
We see very strong club rivalry in English Football but does it elevate the game? In my opinion yes it does, it makes every aspect of each club and the fans wanting more. I do believe table tennis should collaborate much more as we are an individual sport but maintain a vision of development alongside other clubs. We must find a way of having more full-time clubs and this would enable further growth and healthy rivalry.
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I think many players over the years have become great and even better than what they may have believed possible because of local, national and international rivalry. If you have a good balance of rivalry it will enable you to grow and push beyond what was first thought.
Your rivalry can change but you as a person must not change, the mindset must stay the same. Use your rival as someone or something healthy which makes you a better person.
