Coach Samson Dubina US National Team Coach 4x USATT Coach of the Year
 

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Mental Strategies - Part 6

by Samson Dubina on Fri, 2013-11-01 13:05
Hesam Hamrahian
Learn to analyze your opponent in less than 10 seconds

Blog --- Mental Strategies Part IX
Think Quickly!
 
 
     In practice matches, you probably play against opponents that you feel comfortable playing against.  You understand your opponent’s basic strengths, weaknesses, serves, and common patterns.  Often, in a tournament, you will compete against a variety of styles.  From the first few points, it is critical that you quickly make a game plan then continue to readjust your game plan as the match progresses.

Mental Strategies - Part 5

by Samson Dubina on Wed, 2013-10-30 08:14
Learn about the proper amount of anticipation to use

Mental Stratgies – Part VIII
Guess or Not to Guess?
 
     In table tennis, there are 2 aspects of anticipation.  The first is to have a reasonable guess as to where your opponent will hit the next ball.  The next aspect is watching his body position and racket angle and adjusting based on the direction of his swing.

Mental Strategies - Part 4

by Samson Dubina on Sun, 2013-10-20 20:16
Learn how to make your game unpredictable!

Blog – Mental Strategies Part IV
Throw a Curve Ball
 
You have heard the expression many times, “My boss threw me a curve ball,” or “my day threw me a curve ball.”  The expression basically means, something happened that you didn’t expect.  In a close table tennis match, it is important to “throw a curve ball” to your opponent;  something that he doesn’t expect.  At the same time, it is critical that you do something that you can reasonably achieve.
 
Here might be some good options for you:
Serving from a different location

Mental Strategies - Part 2

by Samson Dubina on Sat, 2013-10-05 07:18
Dealing with a Trouble-Maker

Mental Strategies – Part II
Dealing With a Trouble-Maker
 
Some opponents like to cause controversy to break your concentration.  This trouble maker might cheat on the score, break the ball, complain about your serve, delay the game, or try to distract you in many other ways.  So what should you do in this particular situation?
 
1. Stay Calm
If you get worked up over this cheater, he will have accomplished his goal.  If you stay calm, you can keep your focus.
 
2. Get an Umpire

Mental Strategies - Part I

by Samson Dubina on Sat, 2013-10-05 06:35
What should I be thinking about during a table tennis match?

Most top players would agree that table tennis is about 50% physical and 50% mental.  Yes, a top table tennis player must have good technique and good physical fitness, but equally important is the ability to play courageously, think strategically, overcome obstacles, and adapt to different game styles. This is an outline of the most important things that I concentrate on and the thoughts that I avoid while playing table tennis.
During a table tennis match, I want to focus on three primary things:

Four Elements of Footwork

by Samson Dubina on Wed, 2013-09-18 16:36
Footwork Mechanics, Anticipation, Visualization, and Fitness

Four Elements of Footwork
 
“If I can lose 10 pounds, my footwork will really improve!”
This is a common statement made by hundreds of club players nationwide.  Yes, their footwork probably will improve, but losing 10 pounds is only 1 of the 4 elements to having excellent footwork.  I have seen some great athletes (in other sports) who had very poor footwork in table tennis.  I have also seen some 300 pound table tennis players who had decent footwork.
 
Element #1 Mechanics

Playing Better vs. Improving

by Samson Dubina on Sun, 2013-08-04 02:59
Learn How to Boost Your Level Faster!

Playing Better vs. Improving
 
Last week, coach Massimo Costantini was discussing with me the difference between playing better and improving.
 
I can play better if I continue to practice hard.  My strokes become more solid and possibly my mind will become sharper from getting more experience.  However, my progress curve will be fairly slow.
 

Perfecting the Short Game

by Samson Dubina on Wed, 2013-02-27 01:53
Learn the Details on How to Control the Game!

Perfecting the Short Game
 
 
     Mastering the strong short game is crucial at the intermediate to advanced level because it allows you to attack first, which gives a huge advantage during the point.  There are three primary ways to receive a short serve – short push, long push, and flip.  Each player has a preference with which they use more often, but it is vitally important to perfect all three so that you have more options.

Understanding Your Mistakes

by Samson Dubina on Thu, 2012-04-05 16:30
table tennis blog
By Coach Carl Hardin

 
 
 
 
 
Coach Carl Hardin is both a table tennis coach and a top-level bowling coach.  This week, we had a brief conversation on the phone.  At the end of the talk, I asked him to summarize what he was explaining in article form so that you could see the difference.  If you have ever come to one of my classes, you will understand that Coach Carl Hardin's approach has had a huge impact on my coaching.
 
 
Understanding Your Mistakes
By Coach Carl Hardin

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