Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category

When asking for an equipment suggestion…

Sunday, September 30th, 2012

Recommendations

In our forum, we get a lot of people asking for a recommendation on what rubbers or blade to pick. However the answer I always give is a series of questions. In order to give a helpful recommendation, we need to know more about you, your skill level, your playing style, and other specific needs. Read more

Writing Out a Game Plan for Improvement

Sunday, April 1st, 2012

Game Plan

All serious table tennis players should set long term goals. Having a goal ensures that you keep making steady progress and spend your practice time effectively instead of stagnating as you practice aimlessly. Read more

12 Drills That I Use

Saturday, December 31st, 2011

Samson Dubina Training

To dramatically pick up your game, you need a solid routine of various types of drills. Here are the drills that I personally use on a daily basis. Read more

What I Do When I’m Losing

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Never Give Up

I’m playing a very important match in a tournament. I am losing 0-2 in games and now losing 0-5 in the third game. What should I do? Read more

How often should I change my rubber?

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Change Rubber

It’s important to know how often to replace your rubber with a new sheet. Use an old one too long and you’ll be playing with reduced performance. Switch too often and you’re wasting money with very little benefit. Read more

Carbon or Wood?

Friday, October 7th, 2011

Carbon or Wood?

In this blog series, I will be answering the questions most frequently asked. Should I use a carbon or all-wood blade?

Generally, carbon blades are faster and more suitable for the advanced player. For a beginner, it is best to choose a very slow, controlled wood blade. This will allow the player to develop solid strokes because the ball has more dwell time on the racket. A faster blade is better for an attacking player who makes contact with the ball at the top of the bounce. A controlled blade is better for a defensive or allround player who plays at many different distances from the table. Read more

Being an Effective Coach at Tournaments

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

Effective Table Tennis Coaching

Encouraging and coaching fellow club members at tournaments is one of the best aspects of a competition. In this article, I’m going to outline how to coach another player between games.   Read more

Perfecting Your Serve

Monday, July 25th, 2011

Perfecting serve

Serves are the only part of the game where you have full control. You can dictate how the rally will develop by having a serve strategy and executing on it, so focus on this part of your game. Committing considerable time to this craft can be the fastest way to progress. In this article, I will be outlining nine tips that I personally use to perfect my serve. Read more

Active Blocking

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

Active Blocking

Most 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 of a block, loop, and counterloop. It is best used off-the-bounce against a slow to medium speed loop. Read more

Who’s the Coach?

Saturday, April 16th, 2011

Who's the Coach?

My full-time job is coaching students aged 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. During a coaching session, I am in charge; my student’s job is to listen to my advice. Read more