OOAK Table Tennis Forum

I go to tournaments on my own a lot, but can generally find someone to warm up with whether I know them or not. Just look for someone else who's arrived on their own, I bet they're thinking the same thing as you.

Don't sell yourself short; you don't know how good you can be yet. You've done pretty well, and have very limited tournament experience. Once that experience grows, you'll become more confident and I think you'll find that you will do better than you would expect.

Just remember to go, have fun, and don't think about results, just focus on playing your game and doing the best that you can. Results will follow from there.

_________________
"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5

dwruck, thanks for the advice, from an experienced tournament player.

Well, I am up early, before 6, didn't really slept well. I packed my bags last night before I went to sleep. I know today in Balboa Park is going to be real hot and humid, no air conditioning. Going to be there from 8 am to 5 or 6 pm, I packed 6 t-shirts, 5 pair of socks and 2 pair of shorts just in case. Lots of water, a whole bag of bananas and another bag full of cookies and snacks.

A true rookie in his first tournament, I'll try to look for another rookie for some light warm up. But first thing first, I want to have a good breakfast and lots of water and do some garden work first to relax.

See you, and THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

good luck Tat!

_________________
Grab my game-changing new book and take your game to the next level!

Personalized Online Performance Coaching for Table Tennis now available!

Go at it... Grrrrrrrrrrrrowl.

_________________
Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

I am back reporting, tire and cramp and I have to forfeit my Open Singles. Too bad, I could have the opportunity to play against the three best players in the club.

The +60 started at 9 AM, finished at around 12 PM, rest and ate some banana and English muffins with Gaterate, then +50 started at around 12:30 PM and ended at around 3 PM.

Actually, the cramp started when I was in the middle of +60 round robins (total 5 players), every match went to 4 games. All closed games, but never delivered at 8-8 or 8-7, then I hesitate and didn't hit through the pip or start missing o forehand. Frustrated, yes. Other than Bill, I have never played the other players before, all older than me, with completely different styles. All have some sort of pip rubbers on the backhand except one.

The +50 singles was more fun and actually easier because the boys were younger and not as familiar playing with hitting pips. Played 4 players with invert on both sides and one guy with a HallMark half Long. Because the cramp didn't go away, I was actually hitting through the ball more, but can't move fast enough to retrieve returned balls. Too bad, I could have more chances here in this group.

Sorry, can't make any videos because the arrangement of the courts is different than the Nationals last month, the tables were back to back and there is no room to place the camera and my wife didn't come.

Lessons learned in this tournament:

1. Never over trained before the tournament. George came back last Sunday, he and I had been hitting for 3 hours each day from Monday through Wednesday. Bill U came by Thursday to play another 2.5 hours and I played the Thursday night round robin. On Friday, George practice with and and decided to drill my forehand for 2 hours. On top, I had ballroom dancing for three hours Friday night.
Now that I think about it, big stupid mistake.

2. Never trust anyone and call out the score yourself even if the opponent call them. I did and it cost me at dues. Don't want to go too much into details but from then on, I called out the scores no matter who serve.

3. I tend to stand too close to the table and these people have the ability to place those balls pretty deep, taking away my ability to attack with LP, and I was too slow and tire to run around for the forehand.

4. Never play not to loose. During the day, my first games with all opponents were the best. Actually, other than Bill, I won all first games, and then I started to play conservative, hesitate and lost the timing.

5. I made too many unforced errors especially on the forehand side.

6. My backhand LP attack is a weapon and my forehand sucks big time. I need to find a good coach to correct my forehand strokes.

After the tournament, Bill U told me that he noticed my weakness in the forehand side and suggested I should make an appointment with our famous world champion club coach, perhaps a few lessons will help correct the strokes.

BTW, Bill U won both the +50 and +60. For a guy at 66, he is very steady and very seldom make unforced errors. He stays at the table and move his opponent around. He uses Mark V and 563 (medium pip) and twiddle a lot. Serves is no big deal (not like those BH's serves) but difficult to attack the first ball.

He has already called tonight and wants to practice more with me during the week. He called it appointments. I guess that means I am still useful and worth a hit with.

With more tournament experience, the chance of wining those close games should be better and the shot selection hopefully will be better than today.

Tat

_________________
http://www.NexyUSA.com
USE CODE "HAPPY15" FOR 15% discount at NexyUSA.com. Exp Nov 30th.
NexyUSA.com now carries Sauer & Tröger brand products
EASY P - http://nexyusa.com/collections/rubber/products/easy-p
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6tyNTO7 ... ure=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0zkq9Ja3E8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARovqP9tT0#t=64

BH, thanks for a quick reply with suggestions and encouragements, I guess you are a keeper too.

Tat

I could only relate to the cramps part -- Gatorade or whatever sports drink might be expensive, but sure beats cramps and muscle pain problems! I drink...before, during, after a game. Had a nasty spasm with no one around once...never did want it to occur again!

_________________
Viscaria. H2 Neo 2.15. Tenergy 05 1.9.

One finally two things I did noticed when I played with Bill in this tournament, he played differently from the practice serve and returns in my garage. In my garage, when I hit a good ball, he won't chase it. Man, during the match, he chased down every single ball even when the ones I thought would be a winner.

Also, when we played in my garage, he never hit the ball too hard, gave me a wrong impression that I have a chance. Not during tournament matches, he hit the balls a lot more harder.

I notice these but what does that mean? I will chase down any balls even during practice and that's probably difficult to change. During tournament matches, the harder I hit the more chance for me to make mistakes. Ah, this game is so challenging.

I still think your performed well enough to be proud and can take a lot away from this tourney. Bill and your other training partnes are a huge asset to you and each other. None of them would do this if it wasn't. I have here one Captain who can hit hard FH drives all day to help my close to the table blocking and counter-attacking game. That can only help me and he is an immeasurable asset in that way. My good blocking for him keeps him able to continue the attack and move to the ball when I decide to change the angle and speed of the blocks.

Man, what I would do for a tourney. I might luck out and have my vacation around the Baltimore Team tourney as I will drive that way to see my daughter in Boston, but how can I get picked up for a team? I might just end up settling for dinner and training with BH.

_________________
Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

A table tennis junkie!

Now that you've seen your buddy's form, maybe you could ask him to step up things a little bit when playing in the garage?

_________________
Viscaria. H2 Neo 2.15. Tenergy 05 1.9.

You learned a LOT of valuable lessons there. Even with calling out the score, sometimes there's still problems. But almost all of the time, calling out the score, even when your opponent is serving, will alleviate them. I don't understand why people risk losing track of the score and not saying it; too many hard feelings, whether an honest mistake or not.

You really did do a lot of physical activity leading up to it. Not knowing how good of shape you're in, I can't comment about whether or not it was too much. The ballroom dancing the night before was probably the final straw that really drained you. No matter how much I may want to go to a club the night before a tourney for a final tune-up, I never do.

I also tend to over-hydrate a little, just to be sure to not cramp up. Typically, I'll make sure to drink a lot of water in the couple of days prior to a tournament, for a good "base". Then, I usually take a mix of regular water and Gatorade. I usually drink about 32 ounces for every 3-4 matches. I tend to sweat a LOT, but I've never had a cramping problem.

About the playing not to lose as opposed to playing to win, I think that even the most experienced players do that from time to time. I know I still fight that tendency, especially with the long pips. But that's a key one to learn.

Sounds like you really have progressed from the mental standpoint, and know what you need to work on from the physical. That's the key to future success!

_________________
"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5

Thanks BH, Der_E, Yuzyki and Dwruck for your comments, you have no idea how important these feed backs are, especially to a guy like me playing his first tournament in over a decade, truly appreciated.

I should have known (taking a favorite phrase from the attorneys during deposition when I was a design engineer and our company got sue) how to prepare myself before and after a tournament; my son has been competing many important tennis tournaments during his Junior years and throughout his college years. I won't schedule him to play that many hours before his tournaments either, but I am old and I have no boss (wife doesn't count) and have never refuse a game especially when a friend called. Regarding the ballroom dancing, that is my wife's favorite activity and only happened on Fridays and Sundays, I won't dare to say no. Well, we'll see what happened on the next tournament.

Thanks again, guys.

Mate, don't dare to say no.

I would recommend a good massage (can be done by yourself if it's accessible) and a good hot shower to ease sore muscles in case you have some activity prior to a tourney.

Anything else -- you're most likely stretching prior to and after a game anyway, so I think it's really the water and salt loss that might have lead to the cramp. Mind if you ask me where the cramp was? Legs?

Mate, I'm cheering for you!

_________________
Viscaria. H2 Neo 2.15. Tenergy 05 1.9.

Only if you promise not to laugh.

The cramps were all in my toes, the third and fourth ones on both feet. I think I use my toes to run and move around and I use the cheapest table tennis shoes I can find, those $32 a pair Tibhar Rookie I shoes which I bought from Paddle Palace. Well, this was not the first time with the toes, I had that before when I play nonstop for a few hours.

I brought with me 7 T shirts, 8 Gatorates, 4 water, 4 extra pairs of socks, but end up changing 2 T shirts, drank 3 Gatorates, and change 1 pair of socks only.

A good experience, now I know how my son felt when he competed his tennis matches when he was on top of the ranking.