Training - Does it really matter?

To improve your game, I believe you need to practice and practice lots. It takes a lot of hard work to reach a high standard in any sport and Table Tennis is no exception. In a well organised training diary there will be small breaks and periods of less physically demanding training to keep the athlete refreshed.

Even to simply maintain your standard, most people will need to practice. However some people seem to maintain their standard with less practice than others. This really depends on the individual and their style of play. Some players seem gifted with great touch and tend to always have that touch even after taking a long break.

For me personally, I stopped playing for nearly 7 years. So when I first returned to the sport I was seriously out of touch. It took me several months to feel that I was playing at a reasonable level. However as I was 7 years older, I was less fit and a bit slower than in my prime so these factors affected my game and still do. As I don't practice very much anymore, I don't believe I will ever be as good as I once was. Now days I enjoy helping others achieve their goals more and so that is what I focus on.

So if you have goals of improving your Table Tennis and reaching a high standard then I believe you must be prepared to train constantly.