Serving and Cool downs in Training Plan Template

Gerard McCarthy Unknown Asked 15 years ago

Hi Alois
Regarding the Training Plan Template that accompanies the Training Secrets Revealed Table Tennis DVD, why would you finish the training session with serving? Why not do some serving practice before playing games? In the DVD there are match drills based on short backspin serves. Why not serve a bucket full of serves before or after these drills, before moving onto games?

Secondly. You didn't include a cool down in the Training Plan Template or the Training Secrets Revealed Table Tennis DVD.
I know that I personally need to make sure that I do some hamstring and back stretches to prevent too much tightening after a session. In general, in what situations would you recommend some form of cool down at the end of a training session? And what activities would you recommend as a cool down?

Alois Rosario Answered 15 years ago

Hi Gerard,

You can definitely add serving time during the session rather than at the end.  It can be a good way to start the Match drills part of your session.

The serving drill at the end tends to act as a bit of a cool down itself and calms and slows you down before the end of the session.  Either way is certainly acceptable, as long as you do soem service practice.

Coold downs can be useful just to gte you back to normal after a hard sesison.  Stretching at th eend of a sesison especially as we get older can help with your recovery.

For youger children it can be a good way to calm things down after the game time which can often be fast and furious.  It can also be a way of wrapping up a session and getting a chance to talk to the group to reinforce some of the main points from the session.