Want to dominate your opponents with your service game? This is the perfect training camp for you. It is solely focused on serves – how to improve your existing serves; how to use service combinations; how to execute a serve and third ball attack; how to devise a service strategy; and how to develop a strong service mindset. Plus you will get to learn and practise six different service actions. You will finish the training camp with a much stronger service game. Your opponents will be in for a shock!
- Date: Tuesday 19 March to Friday 22 March 2024
- Venue: Cambridge University Sports Centre, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS
- Start / finish time: 10am-4pm each day
- Coaches: Tom Lodziak, Ferenc Horvath, Craig Bryant (21 March only), Ádám Füzes
- Participants: Maximum of 16 players per day
- Cost: £70 per day
Programme
Here’s what to expect from the training camp…
Tuesday 19 March
- 10am-10.15am – Warm-up
- 10.15am-12.45pm – Improve your serves … Learn how to make your existing serves even stronger with more spin, better placement and clever variations.
- 12.45pm-1.15pm – Lunch
- 1.15pm-2pm – Service action #1 … Learn how to execute a pendulum serve
- 2pm-2.45pm – Service action #2 … Learn how to execute a reverse pendulum serve
- 2.45pm-3.45pm – Free choice exercise and match-play
- 3.45pm-4pm – Debrief / stretches
Wednesday 20 March
- 10am-10.15am – Warm-up
- 10.15am-12.45pm – Service combinations … Learn which service pairs you should use together to force your opponent to make weak returns and errors.
- 12.45pm-1.15pm – Lunch
- 1.15pm-2pm – Service action #3 … Learn how to execute backhand serves
- 2pm-2.45pm – Service action #4 … Learn how to execute a tomahawk serve
- 2.45pm-3.45pm – Free choice exercise and match-play
- 3.45pm-4pm – Debrief / stretches
Thursday 21 March
- 10am-10.15am – Warm-up
- 10.15am-12.45pm – Serve + 3rd ball attack … Learn how to follow up your serve with a strong 3rd ball attack.
- 12.45pm-1.15pm – Lunch
- 1.15pm-2pm – Service action #5 … Learn how to execute a hook serve
- 2pm-2.45pm – Service action #6 … Learn how to execute a fast, flat serve
- 2.45pm-3.45pm – Free choice exercise and match-play
- 3.45pm-4pm – Debrief / stretches
Friday 22 March
- 10am-10.15am – Warm-up
- 10.15am-12.45pm – Service strategy … Learn how to use your serves effectively in matches – when to serve short, when to serve long, when to serve backspin, when to serve topspin and when to use your best serves.
- 12.45pm-1.15pm – Lunch
- 1.15pm-2.45pm – Service mindset … Learn how to control your nerves, keep focused and develop a winning service mindset.
- 2.45pm-3.45pm – Free choice exercise and match-play
- 3.45pm-4pm – Debrief / stretches
The coaching team
The coaching team for this training camp will be:
Lead coach – Tom Lodziak
Tom is a full-time table tennis coach, based in Cambridge. In addition to coaching, he also competes in the top division of the Cambridge league and veteran tournaments around the country.
Support coach – Ferenc Horvath
Ferenc is head coach of Paragon Table Tennis and has featured in many of my YouTube videos. He has coached in many countries in Europe and plays to a very high standard. Ferenc will be joining the training camp for all four days.
Support coach – Craig Bryant
Craig is a former international player for England and Level 4 coach (the highest level). He has incredible strong serves and is renowned for his deadly kicker serve! Craig will be joining the training camp for Thursday 21 March only.
Support coach – Ádám Füzes
Ádám has over 30 years of playing experience. He has competed in Division 1 in Hungary and enjoyed success in the senior British league. Ádám is well known for his range of spinny and confusing serves! Ádám will be joining the training camp on 19, 20 and 22 March.
Who is this training camp suitable for?
This training camp is suitable for players who are already competing at a local league level or in amateur tournaments. At a minimum you should be able to serve confidently and be competent playing a forehand push, backhand push, forehand drive and backhand drive.
This training camp is not suitable for complete beginners. If you are unsure whether this training camp is suitable for you, please email me with more information about your playing standard and I will advise.
Training camp format
There will be a maximum of 16 players per day on this training camp. The big benefit of attending a smaller sized training camp is that you get lots of feedback from the coaching team.
There will be a mixture of demonstrations, drills and match-play exercises. There will also be opportunities for you to set your own exercises and work on the skills which are really important to you. The coaching team will observe you play and give technical and tactical feedback.
You will get the opportunity to play with different people throughout the training camp – usually a mixture of players from around the UK and also players from other countries. You will experience a positive coaching environment, joined by like-minded table tennis enthusiasts!
Venue + accommodation
This training camp will take place at Cambridge University Sports Centre, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS.
There will be eight good quality tables and good quality training balls.
The sports centre has a small car park (free of charge) and modern changing facilities. The sports centre sells basic refreshments and also has free water dispensers to fill up water bottles.
If you require accommodation, please take a look at this accommodation guide, which gives lots of affordable options.
Visit Cambridge
If you live in another part of the UK (or another country), you could combine this training camp with some sightseeing of Cambridge in the evenings. There is always plenty to do in the picturesque university city. Find out what’s on in Cambridge on the Visit Cambridge website.
How to book
This training camp took place in March 2024.
Click here to view the latest list of training camps. Alternatively, you may be interested in attending one of my group coaching days.