The Results for Week 18
22 HRS AGO - The Results for week 18 matches are now in: In the Premier Division, Cougars beat 2-man Post Expand
22 HRS AGO - The Results for week 18 matches are now in: In the Premier Division, Cougars beat 2-man Post Office, while returnee Ken Stonebridge won all 3 singles to help Abbots Langley hold Aardvarks to a draw. Urban ‘B’ won by walkover against Solaris ‘B’. In Div 1, Andy Miller and Dave Sims were unbeaten as Dolphins consolidated 3rd place with maximum points against Gazelles. James Dance was unbeaten for Hounds, but couldn’t stop leaders Watling ‘A’ from winning. Lukas Singer-Davis was unbeaten as Eagles consolidated 2nd place with a draw against Falcons. Graham Spooner won all 3 singles as Watling ‘B’... Collapse
Inspiring journey guys. Well done Ben and Sam!
3 DAYS AGO - Inspiring journey guys. Well done Ben and Sam!Guy Plays Table Tennis Every Day for a Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Inspiring journey guys. Well done Ben and Sam!Guy Plays Table Tennis Every Day for a Yearhttp://www.expertinayear.com/ - The Expert in a Year Challenge follows the progress of novice table tennis player Sam Priestley, as he attempts to go from beg... Collapse
February 26, 2015
3 DAYS AGO - Most Interesting Rules
Here are some of the more interesting rules in table tennis.
Table Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Most Interesting Rules
Here are some of the more interesting rules in table tennis.
Table Dimensions. Contrary to popular belief, the table is not 9 feet by 5 feet. It is roughly 8.98950 feet by 5.0038 feet. To be specific, the ITTF rules state that the table is 2.74 meters by 1.525 meters. A 9x5 table would be about 0.132 inches too long, and 0.036 inches not wide enough. Nor is the net 6 inches tall - it is 15.25 centimeters tall, which is about 6.003937 inches tall, or about 1/254th of an inch over 6 inches. No wonder all your smashes nick the net.
Net Extension to the Side. The net extends 15.25 centimeters outside the table, about 6 inches. The reason? Because players like Istvan Jonyer (1975 World Men's Champion) became so good at nearly unreturnable around-the-net sidespin loops that they had to change the rules. (Back then the net usually didn't extend off to the side.)
Broken Ball Rule. If the ball breaks in the middle of a rally, it's a let - period. It Collapse
New Table Tennis Project...Coming Summer 2015
6 DAYS AGO - New Table Tennis Project...Coming Summer 2015
2015 Qatar Open (Super Series)
7 DAYS AGO - GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour
Men's Singles Final
Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus beat Germany's Expand
7 DAYS AGO - GAC Group 2015 ITTF World Tour
Men's Singles Final
Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus beat Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov 11-9, 11-8, 15-13, 6-11, 11-9 to take the 2015 Qatar Open title on Sunday 22 February 2015.
Samsonov, seeded 4, beat the number 1 seed and World Number 6 in convincing style by playing some of his best table tennis in years.
Samsonov is the only player to have played in every year of the ITTF World Tour which started in 1996.
You can read more about Vladimir Samsonov here. Collapse
Table Tennis Troll With a Samsung Galaxy Note 3
20/02/2015 - I decided to try and have some more fun making videos and my first one was playing around with my Expand
20/02/2015 - I decided to try and have some more fun making videos and my first one was playing around with my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and trying to hit some cool shots and win some points. I managed to hit some forehands with the battery as well. I'm keen to try and play with some other things and see how much fun I can have with them. Wooden Spoon might be next! Enjoy :) Collapse
Why is My Training Level Better than Match Level?
19/02/2015 - I recently received a request to give some insight into another common area of problem in table Expand
19/02/2015 - I recently received a request to give some insight into another common area of problem in table tennis. Thanks Michael for your question. Michael told me he is a solid training partner within the top 500 players in his country, but at playing level he would only rate himself in the top 3500. So why is it that some players can be so effective in training and not be able to pull through in matches? What can you do to improve that situation?This is certainly a problem for a number of players who can be high level training partners but are lacking something in matches. First of all you need to distinguish that there can be a big difference between training and matches and it is important at stages to try and narrow that gap as much as possible. Here are some tips to improve your matchplay.Improve Your MatchplayWhat Kind of Training Are You Doing?How mixed is your training? Are you doing a lot of fixed placement drills (i.e 3 point forehand and falkenberg). Are you focusing too much on Collapse
February 18, 2015
18/02/2015 - Team League Sign-Up Time
Here's a call-out to players in the Capital Area, New York, and Los Expand
18/02/2015 - Team League Sign-Up Time
Here's a call-out to players in the Capital Area, New York, and Los Angeles areas - time to join a team!!! Below are the team leagues in these regions. Deadlines are coming up fast, so enter now! (Deadline for the Capital Area Super League is this Friday.)
As I noted in my Feb. 2 blog, leagues such as these are the first step toward changing the culture of table tennis in the United States. As I wrote then: "…developing these team leagues won't be easy, and that's because of the culture of table tennis here, where few have ever played regularly on a table tennis team. They don't know what it's like to compete regularly on a team where your teammates and friends are cheering you on, even as you cheer them on - you know, like most of you were cheering on a football team at the Super Bowl last night! Except - you get to be Tom Brady or Russell Wilson."
It's going to be a long process, but eventually, if we can Collapse
Sometimes to Win the War You’ve Got to Lose a Battle
16/02/2015 - It would be nice to win all the battles and the war but sometimes that just isn’t possible. Expand
16/02/2015 - It would be nice to win all the battles and the war but sometimes that just isn’t possible. When it comes down to it we need to focus on winning the war. That might mean losing a few battles along the way but we must think long-term. What am I talking about? Table tennis, of course! […]
The post Sometimes to Win the War You’ve Got to Lose a Battle appeared first on Expert Table Tennis. Collapse
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Re-Impact Smart blade review
1 DAY AGO - A comprehensive review with pictures of the Re-Impact Smart blade. The Smart blade is a Expand
1 DAY AGO - A comprehensive review with pictures of the Re-Impact Smart blade. The Smart blade is a balsa-based combination blade, that not only has considerably different speeds on either side of the blade, but also quite different characteristics. This makes it highly suitable for certain specific styles, which will also be discussed […] Collapse
Interview with the great Norio Takashima!
3 DAYS AGO - OOAK Table Tennis Forum has just published an exclusive interview with the great Norio Takashima. Expand
3 DAYS AGO - OOAK Table Tennis Forum has just published an exclusive interview with the great Norio Takashima. Special thanks goes to Steven Feltstein who organised this interview, and of course to Mr Norio Takashima who obviously spent a great deal of time answering all our questions! Norio Takashima was one of the […] Collapse
February 25, 2015
4 DAYS AGO - Willie and the Coat, and Other Competitions
Yesterday I lost a competition. Willie, an Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Willie and the Coat, and Other Competitions
Yesterday I lost a competition. Willie, an eight-year-old, has this habit of wearing his coat while he plays. We usually convince him to take it off. Yesterday, while coaching him and another in a one-hour multiball session from 4-5PM, I secretly (and jokingly) told others I had one goal this session: to get Willie to take the coat off by 4:30PM without my having to tell him to do so. And so I worked him to death with lots and lots of side-to-side footwork drills, with constant mentions of how tiring this must be, how sweaty it was, and how hot it was. But he never took the coat off. At 4:30, I gave up and told Willie what I'd been doing, which he thought was pretty funny. I'm guessing he's still wearing that coat. Did I mention he also tends to lose his shoes while playing?
I have other little "competitions" with students. With Daniel, a 1639 rated ten-year-old with a supernatural ability to get nets and edges, we Collapse
February 23, 2015
6 DAYS AGO - Tip of the Week
Shadow Practice When You Miss.
Forehand Topspin Against Backspin, and Proper Expand
6 DAYS AGO - Tip of the Week
Shadow Practice When You Miss.
Forehand Topspin Against Backspin, and Proper Forehand Technique
Here's the new video (3:36) from PingSkills. You should study it to learn to loop against backspin. However, it's also a chance for many of you to fix up your forehands in general by fixing your contact point. While this video features looping against backspin, many of the principles apply to all forehands.
Note in the video how he basically rotates his body around an imaginary rod going through his head, and how he contacts the ball almost exactly to the side of this? Most players violate one of these principles, either moving the body forward too much as they do the shot, or (even more common) contacting the ball too far in front.
There are times when you should move the body forward on a shot, such as against an easy high ball or when you are rushed in stepping around the backhand corner, but normally you should go more in a circle. This both gives you great Collapse
Very impressive!! I think he's only 11.
21/02/2015 - Very impressive!! I think he's only 11.Sensational 12 Year Old Table Tennis Player! Expand
21/02/2015 - Very impressive!! I think he's only 11.Sensational 12 Year Old Table Tennis Player! www.tabletennisdaily.co.ukThis kid has not yet 12 years (Jun 2003) !! In the Quarterfinals of Safir Open 2015 he beat Omar Assar (WR 43) In the Semifinal he beat Jens Lundqvist (WR 71) Tomokazu Harimoto, take note this name !! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sE1hAsy4Qw Collapse
February 20, 2015
20/02/2015 - Ping Pong for Fighters
Ping Pong for Fighters by Tahl Leibovitz, a Paralympics gold medalist, is a Expand
20/02/2015 - Ping Pong for Fighters
Ping Pong for Fighters by Tahl Leibovitz, a Paralympics gold medalist, is a relatively short read, which is both good and bad, i.e. reading it isn't a huge commitment, so don't expect War and Peace; it's a two-hour read, full of golden nuggets. It's available in paperback ($13.45, 152 pages) or Kindle ($9.95).
I've known Tahl since he was about 13 years old, when he was part of the New York Junior Team that competed with a Maryland Team in a ten-on-ten match. He was always a battler, but back then he didn't look special, other than a knack for pulling off spectacular shots. Well, he can still pull off spectacular shots, but as he relates in the book, he's learned patience and tactics, and knows how to use these shots - how to fight with what he's got. On the back cover I wrote, "Tahl Leibovitz has forever been overcoming the odds as he fought his way to the top, so it's only fitting that he wrote Ping Pong for Fighters - Collapse
Step-by-step guide for acing the reverse serve.
19/02/2015 - Step-by-step guide for acing the reverse serve.Reverse Pendulum Serve - Action Plan - Table Tennis Expand
19/02/2015 - Step-by-step guide for acing the reverse serve.Reverse Pendulum Serve - Action Plan - Table Tennis - Like a Boss!This video is a step-by-step tutorial or lesson to learn how to trick your opponents with the Reverse Backspin and Topspin Pendulum serves with Coach Brett C... Collapse
The Results for Week 17
18/02/2015 - The Results for week 17 matches are now in: In the Premier Division, Gerry Hawkins was unbeaten as Expand
18/02/2015 - The Results for week 17 matches are now in: In the Premier Division, Gerry Hawkins was unbeaten as Abbots Langley had a surprise win over leaders Bats. Jamie Fisher was unbeaten as Urban ‘B’ got the better of Post Office, while Arif Hirji was unbeaten as Cougars shared the points with Aardvarks. As the season reaches its final few weeks, 2 points separate 3rd place Abbots Langley from 6th place Aardvarks – all to play for! In Div 1, Eagles won against Gazelles, while leaders Watling ‘A’ extended their lead with a 7-1 win over 2-man Falcons. Ishan Bairoliya continued... Collapse
February 16, 2015
16/02/2015 - What, did you think I was going to blog while everyone else is taking the day off? Heck no!!! Expand
16/02/2015 - What, did you think I was going to blog while everyone else is taking the day off? Heck no!!! It's President's Day, and I'm an amateur presidential historian. (During long car trips to tournaments I drive people crazy by reciting all the presidents in order, including their terms of office and other trivia. It's how I punish bad-behaving juniors.) So in honor of our presidents - especially the ones who play table tennis (Obama, Bush Jr., Clinton, Bush Sr., Reagan, Nixon), I'm off today. I'll have lots to write about tomorrow, and plenty of time to do it since I'll likely be snowed in here in Maryland (5-8 inches expected). Collapse
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February 27, 2015
2 DAYS AGO - Beginning Junior Class
I teach two beginning junior classes, one on Thursday 6-7PM, and the other Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Beginning Junior Class
I teach two beginning junior classes, one on Thursday 6-7PM, and the other on Sundays 4:30-6:00 PM. And so should your club!!! Yesterday's session had 16 players ranging in age from 7 to 12. Assisting me were the Triple J's - Coaches Jeffrey, John, and Josh. Here's the info page.
We started with ball bouncing. This is especially important for beginning juniors as it helps them develop the hand-eye coordination needed, as well as helping them get used to the proper grip. First they bounced on the forehand side (calling out every tenth in a row they make), then on the backhand, and then alternating. For the very, very brave (but mostly older ones) I challenged them to alternate between forehand and off the edge of their racket! Many can do a couple of these. While they did this, I worked with two new players who were there for the first time, showing them the proper grip and stance.
Then we did some forehand and backhand shadow practicing as a group. Collapse
Don’t Skip the Warm Up (Unless You’re Trying to Lose)
3 DAYS AGO - How important is it to warm up before playing table tennis? When I was training as a kid, as a Expand
3 DAYS AGO - How important is it to warm up before playing table tennis? When I was training as a kid, as a member of group training sessions at Crusaders TTC, we would usually always do a warm up before getting onto the tables. We’d take it in turns to lead the warm up. This continued at Grantham […]
The post Don’t Skip the Warm Up (Unless You’re Trying to Lose) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis. Collapse
February 24, 2015
5 DAYS AGO - Today's blog will go up late - USATT business has intervened. It should be up by Noon.
Professional Table Tennis Player - Vladimir Samsonov
7 DAYS AGO - A profile of Vladimir Samsonov - professional table tennis player. One of the world's top table Expand
7 DAYS AGO - A profile of Vladimir Samsonov - professional table tennis player. One of the world's top table tennis players ... Collapse
Here We Go Again
20/02/2015 - Shame on you Mr Blogger for not posting anything for some months now. New Life -New Job – Expand
20/02/2015 - Shame on you Mr Blogger for not posting anything for some months now. New Life -New Job – New horizon .. Many thing to write about if only the energy and drive of sharing thoughts and ideas was there. Heal … Continue reading → Collapse
February 19, 2015
19/02/2015 - Ping-Ping Diplomacy by Nicholas Griffin - Review
This book should be of great interest to table Expand
19/02/2015 - Ping-Ping Diplomacy by Nicholas Griffin - Review
This book should be of great interest to table tennis buffs, history buffs, and Chinese buffs - lots of great stuff! It's subtitled "Ivor Montagu and the Astonishing Story Behind the Game That Changed the World." It's 275 pages, plus another 61 pages - so 336 total - of various end notes, acknowledgements, index, etc. It has 51 chapters, divided into four parts. There's also a very nice photo section in the middle.
Part 1 is titled "The West." Here we learn about Ivor Montagu, the founder of the ITTF, the person most responsible for table tennis becoming an international sport due to his tireless efforts - when he wasn't spying for the Soviets. Yep, our sport was pretty much founded by a communist spy! But we learn how he was instrumental in helping spread the sport to China as well as a little bit of Soviet history, where we even meet Trotsky.
Part 2 is titled "The East." To me, this was Collapse
Zhang Jike's favourite serve -the reverse pendulum serve.
19/02/2015 - Zhang Jike's favourite serve -the reverse pendulum serve.Tutorial - Reverse Pendulum Topspin Expand
19/02/2015 - Zhang Jike's favourite serve -the reverse pendulum serve.Tutorial - Reverse Pendulum Topspin Serve -Table Tennis - Like a Boss!Tutorial lesson on how to learn the Reverse Pendulum Topspin Serve skill. If you have learned the Reverse Backspin Pendulum Serve, this video will teach you ... Collapse
February 17, 2015
17/02/2015 - I got a late start today - too many late-night movies on TCM, and a really good book. Today's Expand
17/02/2015 - I got a late start today - too many late-night movies on TCM, and a really good book. Today's blog (and Tip of the Week) should be up by noon. Collapse
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