Strengthening mental performance

Jo San Asked 1 month ago

I find it challenging to read the opponent’s moves, look at the ball and, nearly simultaneously decide how to respond and execute the response. This all happens in fractions of seconds.

Therein, I was wondering if there are brain exercises (as a first step and a way to separate it from the physical move) to improve reading the service spin, deciding how to receive the ball and where to place it, or what balls should be attacked (depending on the height of the rebound), among others.

it could be an app with real videos o schematic images, a book, a website... it doesnt matter. The idea is to have a resource to prepare the first part of our own response (first, is to watch and seatch for key visual and auditive information; second, processing the information; third, deciding the response; forth, executing the response). Any orientarion on resources woulde be greatly appreciated

Alois Rosario Answered 1 month ago

Hi Jo San,

You've touched on a very important aspect of table tennis - the ability to quickly read, process, and react to various situations during a match. Improving these cognitive aspects can indeed give you a significant advantage in the game. Here are a few resources and methods you can consider to enhance these skills.

Watching high-level table tennis matches can be extremely beneficial. Platforms like YouTube have countless match videos. Focus on observing players' serves, returns, and placement strategies. Try to predict the server's spin and the receiver's return while watching. Pause and replay points to understand decision-making and positioning better.

Shadow training can help too.  This involves mimicking table tennis movements without the ball. It can be done while watching videos of professional players. Try to shadow the player's movements as you watch, focusing on their strokes and footwork in response to different plays. This not only helps in improving physical response but also sharpens your anticipatory skills.

Mental Imagery involves visualising different playing scenarios, including opponent’s serves, spin types, and your corresponding responses. The more vividly you can imagine these scenarios, the better prepared you’ll be during actual gameplay. This also helps in processing information quicker.

Coaching and Clinics are useful.  Sometimes, direct feedback from a coach or participating in workshops can provide personalised insights into your decision-making process and how to improve it. Coaches can provide drills that simulate various match situations and help you develop quicker and more effective responses.

By integrating these resources into your training regimen, you'll likely find improvements not only in your ability to read the game but also in your overall play.