How to add a new shot to your game

How to add a new shot to your game

Have you ever tried developing a new shot (e.g. a backhand flick), but found it difficult to actually use it in a competitive match? You can play the shot easily in training drills – and even in a practice match – but when it comes to a league or tournament match, you dare not use it. Why can it be so hard to add a new shot to our game? And what can we do about it? Keep reading

What’s your excuse when you lose a table tennis match?

What’s your excuse when you lose a table tennis match?

It’s very tempting to use an excuse when you lose a table tennis match. “The table was too slow.” “I wasn’t warmed up properly.” “My opponent used funny rubbers.” Players make excuses to protect their ego. It’s more comforting to blame something or someone else. This way you can maintain a belief that you are better than the player you just lost to. But ultimately making excuses will only hinder your improvement. Let’s look at some common excuses players use… Keep reading

Using mental rehearsal to reduce nerves and boost performance in table tennis

Using mental rehearsal to reduce nerves and boost performance in table tennis

I have suffered badly with nerves in the past when playing competitive table tennis matches. One technique which has helped me control my nerves is mental rehearsal. This is a technique which is very common with professional athletes in all sports. But you don’t need to be a professional athlete to experience the benefits of mental rehearsal. Any table tennis player, at any standard, can benefit. In this blog post, I explain what mental rehearsal is and how you can use it when playing to boost your performance. Keep reading

How to overcome “3rd game syndrome”

How to overcome “3rd game syndrome”

One of the players I coach often struggles when he gets to the 3rd game in a match. He told me… “I have found that I quite often win the first 2 games comfortably maybe 11:5 or 11:6 but then in the 3rd game I lose. I am sure this is a psychological thing. I have asked around and even some much better players than myself experience this from time to time. What’s going on? How to beat this?” In this blog post, I explain how you can overcome “3rd game syndrome” and win the 3rd game and the match. Keep reading

Responding positively to mistakes

Responding positively to mistakes

We all make silly mistakes and unforced errors when playing table tennis. But there is often a big difference between how players respond to making a mistake. Some players dwell on the mistake and start making lots more mistakes. Other players seem unaffected and bounce back stronger. How can we be more like the player who responds positively to mistakes? In this blog post I share a simple mental trick to help you react better when you make a mistake during a match. Keep reading

Dealing with illegal serves, white t-shirts & poor lighting

Dealing with illegal serves, white t-shirts & poor lighting

In this week’s blog post I’m going to address some issues raised by a reader of my blog called David from the USA. David has been playing table tennis for many years, but has become a little disillusioned because of illegal serves, white t-shirts and poor venue lighting. In the blog post, I’ll give my thoughts on David’s concerns and what the table tennis community can do about it… Keep reading

Changing your pushing mindset

Changing your pushing mindset

Many players I coach come to me with the same issue. They have a pushing problem. In matches they will push, push, push, push, push – waiting and hoping the other player will make a mistake. Does this sound familiar? Is this something you also struggle with? In this blog post, I will explain how you can change your pushing mindset and become more attacking. Keep reading

How to deal with nerves in table tennis matches

How to deal with nerves in table tennis matches

Some players deal with nerves absolutely fine. They love competing and channel any nerves or stress into a focused and energetic performance. Other players find nerves quite debilitating. The extra anxiety in playing a competitive match can make their body and mind freeze, which can have a terrible impact on their performance. In this blog post, I share three things (one mental, two physical) which can help you control your nerves. Keep reading