OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Half season analysis:

At the end of last season I set my self some table tennis targets for the coming year.

1. Have a win average of 33% in our premier division - subsequently changed when I got obsessed with achieving that and playing stopped being fun because I wasn't even close to it. I'm keen to treat the first half of the season as a learning curve with a view to pushing on in the second half when we get to play the same teams second time round. That is the true measure for me know. Will I improve second time round?

2. Qualify as a UKCC Level 1 coach

So how have I done?

1st target:

Using the spreadsheet I posted earlier in my blog this is my results analysis:

Win average = 15.15% [singles] - doubles is much better at 45.45%

That's not good. In fact it's when you look purely at the wins column. But when I look deeper it gets more informative.

% legs won according to order in a match I'm winning 42.42% of the 1st leg of each match and then it subsequently dips to 21.21% for the 2nd leg, 24.24% for the third and if it goes to the 4th game it rises to 36.84% before dropping back down to 25% in the 5th leg.

Now throw in some "Reflective Practice" techniques courtesy of the UKCC Level 1 course I've been on

I'm thinking the 1st leg is my most successful because the majority of players I play have never played me before and they use that 1st leg to work me out. The abiltiy to work players out is one of the differentiating factors between our premiere league players and players from other divisions. Players are much more astute and able to adapt in the premier division and they find your weaknesses out very quickly and hammer that weakness till it crumbles.

Average points won per leg

The average points I win in each leg is, 9.03 in the first game, 8.27 in the second, 8.18 in the third, 8.84 in the 4th and 9.33 in the fifth. The average points I lose each leg is 9.73 in the first game, 10.7 in the 2nd, 10.24 in the third, 9.68 in the 4th and 10.75 in the 5th. And that's the frustrating thing. Even though I've lost 3:0 13 times, 3:1 6 times and 3:2 9 times there isn't much difference between my points tally in each leg and that of my opponents.

Somehow I have to learn how to win those tight legs and games. I spoke earlier this week with our head coach. He told me how he won 33% of his games in his first season in the premier division, but the next season it was 75%. I asked him what he did differently. His reply was nothing really. Without realising it, his game was getting better. His ball placement, shot selection, control and spin. It was only when others commented on how he'd improved that he started to realise the "wall" had come down and his game was improving. Unfortunately for me, unless our teams results improve dramatically and mine especially, I won't have a second season in the premier division because we'll be relegated. It seems to be one of those things. You need to stay up that first season and if you can your game grows. It's staying up that first season that's so hard.

So in the meantime, I'll continue to work on the basics:
- Keeping my concentration
- Trying to relax
- Being patient and trying to pick the right ball
- Remember to execute my recovery postion. About the only time I'm in my recovery position is to return serve. Once a point starts I never seem to have time to get back in to it, or I completely forget about it and I know full well if I don't get in to my recovery position I'll lose control of my bat angle, I'll lean and stretch for the ball and my head will become totally unbalanced

Choice of Equipment:

And I'm going to change my forehand rubber. I've had nearly 2 years with Rakza 7 on my forehand. I like it. It doesn't have that catapult horrible springy feel of tensors and the sponge isn't too soft for me but increasingly I'm finding I play hit and miss with it. I win quite a few points with it, but I also lost quite a few especially hitting long. The points are so fast at times that I think I need a slower forehand rubber to give me more time to recover - the faster I hit it, the faster it comes back and also being slower I'm hoping it will give me more control. It's possible to hit winners past a player only 10 foot away with any rubber, so do I really need a fast rubber I'm struggling to control at this level? In the first division I felt comfortable with it. But then, when I attacked with it the ball seldom came back.

I'm thinking now, lower levels players like me believe they can use rubbers like Rakza, not because of my own ability but because at the level I was playing my opponents couldn't expose my weakness with it. The speed and spin generated by my opponents in division 1 is - no disrespect intended - but it's nowhere near as much or as fast as in the premier so my weaknesses and flaws in my technique are not exposed as much at a lower level.

Is it the case that the standard of the opponents you play will have as much an impact on the type of rubbers a player can use as the ability of the player themselves.

Regardless, I'm going to be dropping down a notch in pace and I'm going to try the Xiom Musa rubber. I've played with Zeta Asian sponge version before I broke my elbow and I really liked that but I've a feeling that will still be too fast at this stage of my development and I like the fact that the Musa is described as not being springy like a tensor.

On the backhand I've toyed with switching from Butterfly Challenger Attack but Andrew Rushton said my backhand drive and block were my best shots and the defender I lost to last week - and who I practised with this Monday night just gone - also told me afterwards that my backhand was hard to return and was a good shot. If only I had the confidence to use it properly in matches. The blade will not change.

Target 1 Conclusion:

How do I feel. Disappointed my win record is poor. One of the reasons I've not posted is because constantly losing kind of takes the fun out of the game Having had chance to think about things and talk to others, more optimistic I'm still on the right track and if anything I need to stop trying so hard to win and improve - I've almost been trying too hard and it's strangled me in matches.

One thing I'd recommend to anyone struggling is talk to your opponents, or your club coaches or other players. Get feed back from them. If you're like me, you'll tend to concentrate on what's going wrong, what your not achieving and that will cloud / hide the aspects of your game which are improving. And don't get obsessed by win averages. I'm pretty sure if I was averaging 33% I'd be thinking I must have set my target too low and I should raise it to 50%. It's almost like I'm not happy unless I'm not succeeding!

Target 2:

Last Sunday I qualified as a UKCC Level 1 Coach so that's a tick box on my Table Tennis TIP .

My training started back in July with a First Aid Course so it's been a long journey. For those who say coaching drags your game down eg feeding kids leads to feeding your opponent, well I'd have to say my understanding of how to play the shots, communication skills, motivation skills, planning, analysis and feedback skills have all increased massively and far outweigh the downsides, the biggest of which for me is having to use inverted rubber on my backhand when in match play I use short pimples. I've also learned the hard way, coaching is not just about knowing how to play the shots or being able to play them. There's a lot more to it than that.

And my confidence of interacting and dealing with strangers and different age groups has improved. The idea of coaching 9-12 year olds was a terrifying thought and experience to start with and the first session I took part in I was given 4 kids all using the same table. It was really hard to keep them all engaged and focused and interested for an hour, they get bored so quickly and constantly want to do things not listen. But now I'm actually enjoying it and find it really rewarding seeing and helping them improve especially when they recognise that improvement themselves too. Kids give great feedback when they're happy and they want to show it off. I'd recommend to anyone to get trained up.

Now if only I could apply what I've learned on the coaching course to my own game

After doing all the analysis, I'm glad you realised you just need better equipment... many of us here could have told you that straight away.

Seriously though, that's really good analysis, and I wish I could get myself to do this as well, so that I can see what my results are like.

I have not tried Musa, but I do believe it's a lot slower as it's not a tensor at all. It's a shame it only comes in MAX. Will be interested to hear how it works for you.

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Thanks haggisv .

The musa has been described in reviews I've read as more suitable for a backhand rubber because it's quite slow but spinny. However, when I've been helping out at coaching I used some premade sunflex bats and they are slow and pretty dead but still give enough power and spin to play the shots. Switching back to my match bat made me realise just how potentially powerful the Rakza is. It's basically too good a rubber for my technique at the moment.

Hopefully I'll return to the Rakza in the future but for now I'm also thinking as I hit and drive with my short pips which makes my backhand a fast shot when I'm aggressive, having a slower forehand rubber will have the added benefit of more contrast to my game and might induce more returns that I can effectively use my short pimples against.

haggisv, I've had a look at the ITTF approved rubber list and it shows 032 Musa II - but I can't find Xiom Musa II for sale anywhere or even on Xiom's website - only reference to Musa I. Do you know what the difference is between them?

It's not been released yet. Manufacturers often seek approval well before it's released, so that's not unusual. I've heard nothing about the release date either, so don't hold your breath.

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OOAK Table Tennis Shop | Re-Impact Blades | Butterfly Table Tennis bats
Setup1: Re-Impact Smart, Viper OX, Victas VS 401 Setup2: Re-Impact Barath, Dtecs OX, TSP Triple Spin Chop 1.0mm Setup3: Re-Impact Dark Knight, Hellfire OX, 999 Turbo
Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

I contacted Xiom direct about Musa II and aksed them a couple of questions, namely how it differed from Musa I and when it would be on sale. Isaac Lee kindly replied:

"...Musa I is a non-tensor rubber. Therefore if you are using Zeta Asia and Omega IV Asia, unfortunately Musa I will disappoint you.

As for the differences between Musa I and Musa II, Musa II is not yet released. It is the project we are working on right now.

I hope my answers helped."

I'm not sure if that means they intend to make Musa II a tensor product or not and if it's a project they are still working on I doubt it will be released for sale in the new future. With that in mind I've just bought 3 sheets of Musa I in black max. One to go on my match blade, one to go on my coaching blade and one, well it made the value of the order up so there was no postage charges and I'll use it as my first change. I'm hoping it's going to feel quite dead compared to tensor rubbers which means I'll have to do more work for power shots but should help me control the ball better in all round play and at the same time contribute to helping me improve my technique rather than relying on trying to "hit through" opponents with the first attacking shot ie it'll help me build points.

Disappointment is in the eye of the beholder... and since you went ahead and bought some sheets, you obviously had the same thought.

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Recent Articles: Butterfly Tenergy Alternatives | Tenergy Rubbers Compared | Re-Impact User Guide

I like the Zeta I had some feel with it but I was disappointed with the Omega IV- ping and gone.

Week 13:

Well, the Christmas break is over and I managed to get a short knock with my new set up after coaching on Monday evening. The Xiom Musa is definitely slower, less spinny, lower throw - that's very noticeable - and "deader" is how someone put it tonight, than the Rakza I've been using for nearly 2 years (not the same sheet of Rakza I hasten to add!). For deader, that means for me, more touch and easier to control. It also means I have to do more work because I can't rely on the Rakza to generate the pace or spin. I've read reviews which say it's more of a backhand rubber because of the lack of pace but to be honest, after tonights practice session that's not an issue. If anything it's helping me put in to practice what Larry Hodges talks about in his book "Table Tennis Tactics for Thinkers". There is a lot of emphasis in that book on ball placement. With the Rakza on my blade I've tried to overpower opponents. Now I'm moving more to a mixture of placement to set up the power shot if needed on my forehand side and probably being more aggressive off my backhand side with a slightly thicker sponge on my Butterfly Challenger Attack (1.7mm instead of 1.5).

If anything I've had more problems adapting to this slightly thicker sponge on the short pips. I feel like I've traded some of the "feel" for the ball on the rubber for a little bit more help in lifting the ball ie it's not as flat. Helping out with inverted on my backhand (can't use short pips when coaching) has been messing my technique up these past few months. The switch to 1.7m is an attempt to help the transition between the two different types of rubber. I'm not good enough to simply be able to pick up a bat and play with anything and although the Challenger still plays a different to inverted it's more managable now.

But how did it go in last nights match when we played the only team we've beaten so far this season. Well, in a game we really had to win if we want to avoid finishing bottom, we lost 7:3. But it was a very close and hard match and the last game of the night saw their number 1 beat our number 1 11:9 in the decider in what was the best "match" I've watched this season. From a pesonal point of view, my game was as much about trying to put in to practice the things I'm reading about in Larry Hodges' book - particularly concentrating placement of the ball out of hitting zones - putting short balls wide and long balls deep either to a players pocket or in the corners - and also about trying to remain positive and focused. I've invested in some "mind" and "positive thinking/analysis" books. I'm working on the principle it's quicker to train the mind than to learn the physical skills needed to play table tennis. Short term, get my head straight. Medium long term, develop the physical skills to take advantage of clearer thinking and better understanding of the game and it's tactics. I should have just got it right by the end of the season

In terms of results for me, I lost 3:1 in my first game to a very consistent looper. He only really hit the ball on mid table balls to his forehand which he set up well with a serve I struggled to read the amount of side and top it had on. My best tactic was to block to his backhand varying soft and hard blocks waiting for a lose return and hitting it. He was more consistent than me though.

Second game I won 3:0 against someone I lost to in a cup match just before Christmas. Anti on his backhand and inverted forehand. He tended to serve short very spinny serves mainly with top and side, and savage the pop up return. My tactic was to take his serve away from him and pin him on his backhand. Each game I won was by only 2pts and two of those games were set. I was pleased with this result simply because I've lost so many tight games, it was good to finally find ways to win them.

Third game was against someone I've not played before and rarely seen. He played close to the table with a pretty central stance and top spin drove off his backhand - which he favoured - or blocked and hit with his forehand and he had a forehand tomahawk serve he uesed at some very crucial points as his surprise weapon - and it worked very well for him. In the warm up I'd figured out heavy spun balls with some height and depth on gave him more trouble than a flatter faster topspin drive type of game. My problem is I'm not really a looper. Once the game started I concentrated on trying to go give him no spin balls in to his pocket or wide balls which I hoped he'd lean to reach rather than move to and thus lose some control of his returns. Unfortunatley he moved better than I'd hoped! In hind sight I should have taken a step back from the table to give my self more time to see and recognise what was going on but I think in the match I got caught in the "I'm not going to admit your a better counter hitter than me by moving back" mode and when I did get some good chances to my forehand side off some pushed or rolled balls I tried to win them with my first attacking shot instead of setting up the point for my next shot. Trying to win the point too soon again. I really must stop doing that.

So at the end of the night, we lost. But I enjoyed the match. I hadn't lost my temper. I'd won my first game for a while. I was more consistent. I felt I had more control in my game and I was thinking clearer - up to a point. Down side, I got drawn in to playing a tactic that wasn't working, I was too passive off my backhand and sometimes too anxious to end a point quickly off my forehand. But the positives outweighed the negatives so bad result short term, good result long term.

Next weeks match should be fun though. We play a team that beat us 10:0 last time we played. It will be a good test of playing positively without being wreckless. If I don't I'll simply be disected because they are much better and experienced players than me.

So did you play that team with the new rubbers? If so, you should be very happy since it can take quite a while to get used to them, and once you do, you can expect further improvement.

Good on you for (finally ) looking into the mental side of things

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Yes I did haggisv and i find it easier to adapt downwards ie less speed and spin and "bounce" than the other way round when a rubber can be very lively and harder for me to try and control.

Week 14

This week we played a team that thrashed us 10:0 last time we played. They turned up with two of the three players being different from the last time.... and thrashed us again 10:0.

In a masochistic way I actually enjoyed this match though. They all had a set plan. They all knew exactly what they were trying to do. And they were good enough to execute that plan. When we did manage to push them, they had other gears to go up in. They did what you could call a "professional" job on us. Turn up, do enough to win, go home. From my point of view it was an "educational" experience watching how they disected us.

Lesson learned:
1. Sometimes opponents are better. Live with it.

Week 15

This week was an imporatant game. We'd started to fall adrift at the bottom of the table - 6pts behind 2nd from bottom and 12 pts from third from bottom - the maximum pts you can win in any match is 10pts. Even worse for us, our run in to the end of the season involves playing all the teams in the top half of the table so chances of picking up points are slim.

We've now changed our target from avoiding relegation to avoiding finishing bottom. Sometimes, clubs fold which means a team due for relegation can keep it's place in the premier division. So not finishing bottom is important in the pecking order of survival. This weeks game was against the team third from bottom. They beat us 7:3 last time round at their place.

My first game was against their number 1. He beat me badly 3:0 last time. I've watched him a few times now and I always think he's nothing special. He's one of those players who stands close up to the table, takes a postion in the middle of the table and then seems to chisel away with pushes until occasionally he just opens up out of nowhere with a backhand top spin drive/loop, or he waits patiently until a rolled or topspin ball comes to his forehand and he then hits it hard. Obvious tactics would be deep with heavy top spin or wide and either make him stretch and thus lose control of his bat angle resulting in a pop up and easy kill. Sounds easy but I can't loop/load my backhand with topspin with pimples and I tend to get drawn in close to the table myself and get involved with a pushing game - at which he's better, or I lose patience, get anxious and try and initiate a topspin rally too early off the wrong ball because I know I'll lose a pushing rally. It even affects my my serving game because if I serve backspin, it plays in to his pushing hands, and if I serve topspin/side he's time to attack it. End result, 3:0 defeat and back to the drawing board on how to play these players.

Second game up for me was against their number 2. We usually have close games although in our last league meeting he beat me 3:0. Sometimes he comes down to help out as a feeder at our coaching sessions and I'll have a practice with him once junior coaching has finished. He uses LP's aggresively on his backhand and hits hard off his forehand. His tactic is spinny serve, kill the pop up or if returning, attack anything short, long or middle length to his forehand and hit backspin serves to his backhand. My tactics are try and play him down the middle (right hip if possible) and cramp him and give him nothing to work with to his LP's. It's hard for him to hit with them if he's no spin of mine to use against me and if he soft blocks with the LP's the ball can fall straight off them in to the net. He's already lost to our number 1 player and you could tell he was not happy with his rubbers, our table or how he was playing. As the game progressed he got more and more frustrated and I just did enough to feed that frustration. By the end of our match he was missing some easy kills which he'd normally bury and was extremely frustrated. I "won" 3:0.

With our number 1 we went on and won the doubles and with only the last round of singles to play the score was 4:3 to us. I went on next against a lefty looper. He tended to play just a couple of feet back from the table and being left handed he could get some wicked sidespin wide angled topsins down my backhand side. He would push more off his backhand side, but every so often, like his team mate, he'd whip a topspin drive cross court and that made him unpredictable of his backhand side. Last time we met I'd been 2:0 up and was blocking well. That was until he stopped being tentative and started to really whip his forehand from where ever he could deep or wide to my backhand. This time round, he carried on from where he left off. I couldn't stop him attacking in such a way that I had a chance to get in to the game and when I did narrow the angles and take the pace of the ball with my blocks he'd throw the ball up deep from low down close to the table and I'd get caught still almost on top of the table having not moved back after blocking. Thant meant I was leaning back trying to hit a rising ball, instead of stepping forward and hitting the ball at the top of the bounce. Too many errors and an inablility to stop his game from dominating mine. 3:1 defeat.

At 4:4 our number 2 played their number 2. Both inverted forehand, both LP backhand. But both used there LP's completely differently. I was scoring this game and as our number 2 raced in to a 2:0 lead as he gave him nothing to work with on his backhand wing and steered clear of his dangerous forehand. You could feel the anger, frustration and tension in the air that was eminating from their player. At the change rounds I wondered if I gave off the same "storm warnings" when I was playing and getting frustrated. It was an un easy atmosphere watching someone I like almost unravelling in front of us. But then his forehand started to work a bit better and our number 2 lost the initiative. 2:0 became 2:2. At the change round I asked our number 2 what he was doing. He'd started to go more to his opponents forehand, opening the game up. He was concerned he was getting hit off the table, his blocks weren't working, he couldn't hit his forehand. Self doubt. I told him to go back to what had worked for him in the first two games and not just put the ball on the backhand side of the table but be aware if the opponent had moved round to take it on his forehand - in which case, go even wider to the backhand or switch it down the forehand. And most importantly keep serving LP's to his opponent's LP's and invite him to have to do something with them - that's where the mistakes were coming from.

Our number 2 rediscovered some calm, got off to a good lead and held on. As the match ended their player threw his bat across the room in total frustration and anger - with himself. It was a good job the curtains were closed. It makes it hard to celebrate when there's such a bad feeling in the air but our number 2 had done us proud. Their number 2 pulled the LP's off his bat and sat down at a loss to explain his poor form. Our number 1 was last on and won his match against their number 1 3:0. He'd won all three of his games tonight, had already reached his target of wins for the season and was buzzing. We were happy too. Only our second win of the season, 6:4. Something for us to build on.

As usual as we packed away, all the players shook hands. That's what I like about table tennis. Most players, infact all players are capable of bad peformances, feeling really frustrated and angry. Confused. But when your games over, the bad feeling stays at the table. You shake hands, thank your opponents maybe have a chat and then go home - and if your like me, spend the next 3 hrs in bed tossing and turning unable to sleep as you relive every important point of the match thinking what went well and what could have gone better.

Lesson's learned:

1. TV might like to see emotions and players care and tantrums. TV might hate robots and clones. But as a player, nothing gives me greater confidence and encouragement than an opponent obviously angry or bemused with how badly they are playing. I must learn to control my own emotions better, save the energy for where it matters, on the table and focus on what I need to do not what I'm not doing. Others might need that angry spark to ignite their game, but then what do angry players turn to when their anger doesn't work and their game only gets worse? Is there anything left to turn to?

2. Never underestimate a style or an opponent. If your opponent is playing regularly in the same division as you, they're there because invariably they deserve to be.

Week 16

After last weeks 6:4 win, we were keen to build on it. Our opponents beat us 6:4 at our venue last time round so it wouldn't be easy and it was being played on a Tuesday which is not a good night for me. Due to work commitments it's invariably a rush to get home, changed and back out to the venue in time for the start of the match. Throw in some Table Tennis Committee work which had been rumbling on for a few weeks and I really could have done with just relaxing at home.

I'll not go in to much detail this time, only to say that we managed a 5:5 draw. I lost my first game 3:0 to a two winged looper who was too consistent and placed the ball deep and wide making it hard for me to block consistently and who also took my serve apart - which has been one of my strengths this season.

My second game I won after being 2:1 down against an inverted FH, LP backhand player who twiddles a lot. Until tonight, I'd never beaten this person in match play. My tactics were simple. Tight to his FH off his serve to try and stop him attacking with his inverted and then switch up the ball placement as much as possible. If he twiddles I was working on the principle he was doing it early because he was expecting the ball to come back to a certain place. If I put it some where he wasn't expecting it, he'd either have to rush to twiddle back and possible make a weak return or he'd have to force the shot and hopefully make a mistake. As it happened, it was a combination of both that saw me over the line as I turned in my best "mental" performance of the season, staying focused and calm through out - maybe being tired after work has it's advantages!

My third game up I played someone I beat last time round and someone who I was expected to beat this time round. A novel feeling for me! I suppose in a way, having won a game I wasn't expected to, I went in to this one very nervous. It's a different pressure being expected to win. He won the first after I threw a way a 10:8 lead. Won the second 12:10 with the help of an outrageous thin edge at 10:10 - I won the third comfortably, still angry at the first two games and then was destroyed in the fourth 11:1. I'm still not sure how that happened. I guess my concentration only lasts for so long before fuzzy dream state sets in and I lose all track of what I'm trying to do. He deserved his win.

in between my partner and I won the doubles. Our number 1 continued his good season with 2 wins and our number 2 also chipped in with a win. A 5:5 draw was a fair result. It also means we managed to build on the win from last week. Momentum is huge.

Lessons learned:

1. Never take anything for granted
2. Momentum is a big factor which can become like a rolling stone - learn to enjoy and embrace it when you have it and not fear it
3. I'm a "half empty" kind of guy when it comes to table tennis. When I got home I was in a foul mood. For some reason, I was obsessed with my loss to someone I expected to beat. It completely obliterated any feeling of pleasure from winning a game against someone I'd never beaten before. I was told in no uncertain terms "Why do you play table tennis? Because if it's to relax and enjoy, your deluding yourself. Get over it or stop playing because it's winding you up and making you unbearable". Priorities are a strange thing. As is a hobby which can be so rewarding and yet so frustrating. Last week though, I said the bad feeling should stay on the table and certainly not brought home. Here was an example of not only that bad feeling coming home, but helping itself to my slippers, supper and warm bed. That has to stop. I'll keep reading those positive mindset books

Next week it's our leagues Divisional Singles. That means I'll be filming Monday night, Tuesday night and playing and filming Thursday night. There will be definitely some matches going on our YouTube channel and I'll post the finals from each division here so people can get an idea of the standard we play at. And before any bright spark still reading says anything, the divisionals are a round robin group format with the winners of each group progressing through to either the quarter finals or semi finals where it's sudden death. These groups are seeded. I've one of the worst averages in the division. I won't qualify from the group so no video of me but I will enjoy trying as there's no pressure on me except to get the filming right for the finals.

Attached is a high level process map of what our league does. I'm not sure our members are aware of how much a table tennis club can or does do other than just run the winter league fixtures.



Out of interest, if you are a member of a table tennis club or league:

1. What type of things does your club do or get involved in
2. Do you get involved in any way, and if so, what do you do
3. If you don't get involved, why not