Training Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Tom Lodziak Table Tennis Coaching

7 tips to get back into your table tennis groove

08/03/202505/05/2021 by Tom Lodziak

Table tennis clubs in England can reopen again from 17 May. Hooray! I have been coaching for the past three weeks, so I have a bit of a head start. The players I coach are delighted to be playing again. Yes, we are all a little slower and a little softer around the stomachs, but most players have retained their skills. In this article, I share my 7 top tips to help you return to play and quickly get back into your table tennis groove. Keep reading

Ultimate guide to playing table tennis at home

18/01/202502/02/2021 by Tom Lodziak

Life is in limbo. With ongoing restrictions and lockdowns, most of us have not been able to exercise and play sports in the way we would like. With our choices severely restricted, many of us are trying to find ways of being active at home. Table tennis is one very good option. It is great fun. It is beneficial for your physical and mental health. It is suitable for all ages. And you can play with family or by yourself, with the right equipment. In this detailed article, I am going to give you lots of practical information about playing table tennis at home… Keep reading

[Video] Tom in training #2 … Help me improve! (Nov 2020)

28/10/202412/11/2020 by Tom Lodziak

Here’s some footage of my last training session, filmed the day before the latest lockdown. In this session coach Ferenc Horvath is once again helping me to develop my attacking game. As always, I am happy to receive constructive feedback. Just leave a comment with your thoughts on what I need to do to improve. Keep reading

29 table tennis shadow training ideas + FREE workout sessions

15/10/202510/11/2020 by Tom Lodziak

In this video I share 29 shadow practice exercises you can do in your home. Shadow practice is a great way of exercising and developing your technique. You don’t need any equipment – you just practice the movements of table tennis shots – drives, loops, chops, flicks, smashes. You can use the shadow practice ideas in this video to create your own exercise routine. Even 5-10 minutes a day can make a difference to your fitness and technique. I also share links to free 30-minute table tennis exercise sessions. Keep reading

[Video] Tom in training…Help me improve! (Sep 2020)

15/10/202522/09/2020 by Tom Lodziak

I’m back in training, trying to improve me game. When life returns to normal, I will be entering a few tournaments and see how far I can get. To help me improve, I have enlisted the help of coach Ferenc Horvath. In particular I have asked Ferenc to help me develop my attacking game and my footwork. I have a habit of being too cautious when I play, so Ferenc is encouraging me to get into my beast mode. Keep reading

Training in uncertain times

15/10/202518/09/2020 by Tom Lodziak

In the UK, table tennis is slowly spluttering back to life. Some clubs and sport centres have reopened giving us some opportunities to practice. But competitive table tennis – leagues and tournaments – is still very limited. So what should our focus be during these uncertain times? Well if you do have the opportunity to play table tennis, I would suggest now is the ideal time to be focusing on improving your technique and sorting out any weak areas of your game. Keep reading

How to replicate training form in league matches

26/11/202419/09/2019 by Tom Lodziak

Why do some people play great in training and terrible in league matches? I have given this topic a lot of thought over the years. And I believe there is one thing you can do which can drastically change your match form. So if you want to replicate your training form in league matches, then read on… Keep reading

How to prevent injuries when playing table tennis

08/03/202530/01/2019 by Tom Lodziak

Almost every table tennis player I know has experienced injury at some point. Common complaints are back injuries, twisted knees and ankles, and repetitive strain injuries in the wrist, elbow, shoulder or hip. However, we can take positive steps to reduce the chances of getting injured. In this blog post, I explain a few different ways you can minimise the risk of injury when playing table tennis. Keep reading

Step-by-step process to improve a weakness

15/10/202517/01/2019 by Tom Lodziak

Weaknesses. We all have them in our table tennis game. Even the no.1 player in the world – has a weakness of some sort. So how do you go about fixing a weakness? What steps do you need to take? In this blog post I explain a process you can go through to turn your weakness into a strength. Keep reading

Training drills or matches?

12/11/202508/11/2018 by Tom Lodziak

In your training sessions, you have a choice about what type of training you do. You could do regular training drills, where you know where the ball is going. You could do irregular training drills, where you don’t know where the ball is going. Or you could just play matches. Whilst all three training methods are very useful in different ways, in this blog post I’m going to make the case for playing more matches… Keep reading