Should I give up

Jana K Asked 11 years ago

I've been playing table tennis for 3 years and in this time I haven't improved nearly as much as I should have. I am really working hard, and while I know that being self-taught can hinder my progress, I really suck beyond belief. I can still only beat absolute beginners, and keep losing to people who don't even have a proper grip. But that doesn't matter, because they can win, I can't. There are some days when I can play flawlessly, but most of the time I end up being disappointed in at least one aspect of my game. I think that I may even be getting worse instead of better. I can't really be 'just having a bad day' 90% of the time.

So, is continuing to put effort in this sport just a waste of my time and money?

Alois Rosario Answered 11 years ago

Hi Jana,

This game can be frustrating but it isn't always about the results of matches. Think of it more as the skills you can learn. Think about the feeling of the ball on the bat. Just focus on getting your strokes better. You don't even have to play matches. Enjoy the game for itself.

You are probably being harsh on yourself as well. It is difficult to judge your own progress because you are seeing yourself all the time. Sometimes I talk to players who feel they are not improving, but I am seeing them every month or so and can see the progress they are making.

So the short answer is, "No" don't give up.

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RJ Reyes Posted 11 years ago

You sound like you're really hard on yourself. Step back, relax, and have fun. I have played for years, then was sidelined in a wheelchair for about a year and a half. When my therapists and doctors decided that I could remain competing, at least at a minor minor level I was estatic. I played in HS every single day, but without table tennis, I realized that I enjoyed it. I picked up a paddle, and had fun. My hitting partner says in the two months that I resumed playing, I was more consistant because I wasn't being overly self critical. Losing really sucks, but Alois is right, in every loss, there is a lesson in every game. I found it relaxing to just listen to the "ping pong" noise and the rhythm of the game. One day Jana, those three years, each and every one of those losses, and all those frustrations will mature your game into something wonderful!

Don't forget why you started playing, and how much fun it is! It will work out in the end!

Arnon Thaicharoen Posted 11 years ago

Once I read somewhere that a person asked that if he trained as hard as Waldner, would he be as good?

The answer : yes, if your time was spent on quality training. No, if not.

The moral of this is, that you train hard is not enough, you have to train properly.

In my club, I watch some players hitting forehand to forehand for hours. They are good at it, without doubt. But when they competed, they always lost. And they complained about why they lost without analysing their own shortcomings.

In TT, you have to be able to play most strokes consistently, otherwise your opponent will find and attack your weak strokes. For example, you might have the best forehand drive in your club but when your opponent short-pushes, your forehand drive is out of action. Since you haven't put quality practice hours in short pushing, you cannot match him. The outcome: you lose even if you think you're better.

Most of the time, we like to practice the strokes that we are proficient, because it feels good to be able to do it. But it's the practice of the strokes that you're not good at is the way to improve your overall TT level of play.

Service and return are another examples of this type. You know that every point starts with a serve and then return, but how much time do we invest in practicing them?

Don't give up. You need to find out why you are not improving and correct it.

Oliver Posted 11 years ago

Well from what I heard, unless you are a semi-professional player (in the say top 500 of the world), it will come down to whether you can apply what you learn, not just learning new things. You can do this by playing games and overall your knowledge of the game will improve over time along with training. I am telling you this from personal experience and in my 4+ years of playing, I have felt like this many times, and after many hours on the training court and also in games, I always push past. Be flexible with what you can do rather than focus on what you cannot in the meantime and learn new stuff after you can do it. Like they say, you must walk before you run, so learn to walk properly