How much training and how to train to become a professional?

[SilverCup77]

How much training does a young player who is already at a good level (ages 11-12) need if he wants to become a professional?

I know that it varies how much someone can train. And how much someone has to train. And the quality also has to be right.

But what would be the minimum for a talented player to make it? Is it 2-3 hours a day? Training twice a day? How much fitness training at this age?

And what do you think training should be like? A training group with good players and table tennis exercises?

Or would you rather prefer private training and lots of multiball?

 

[mcfly]

How much training does a young player who is already at a good level (ages 11-12) need if he wants to become a professional?

I know that it varies how much someone can train. And how much someone has to train. And the quality also has to be right.

But what would be the minimum for a talented player to make it? Is it 2-3 hours a day? Training twice a day? How much fitness training at this age?

And what do you think training should be like? A training group with good players and table tennis exercises?

Or would you rather prefer private training and lots of multiball?

speaking from my observation at my club where the kids are training with a coach who is a former Provincial player in China:

- The kids (11-12 years old) train 3 times a week (1 hour/ session) and 1 group session (1 hour)
- They play the league weekly (5-6 matches)
- At young age, the coach focuses on fundamental skills and footwork (lots of multiball, single ball, 3 point drills, FH BH transition)
- Around 14 - 16 they focus more on power, tactics and SPEED
- After that it is SPIN, gameplay and a lot of TOURNAMENTS with the coach traveling with them
When they get past 2400 they will move on to better coaches, training partners and if possible, play at professional clubs/ leagues

Hope that helps.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

In Asia
At 11-12, it requires min 30 hours a week

Sessions of 2 or 2.5 or 3 hours x 2 per day
6 days a week

Group training is the norm in asia and difficult to get in the rest of the world - simply because you don’t have 15-20 same age / same level players to train with

At younger age, 1 on 1 is ok
But as the player gets older, group training is more important, since the kid can get used to a bit variety of styles

 

[JOOHATVJIYU]

In Korea, I exercise at school, not at a club. I exercise from 2 to 7 after class, and I exercise for about 3 hours and an hour. When there is a match, I practice on weekends. I run every day to improve my physical strength.

 

[turbozed]

100 pushups, 100 situps, 100 squats, and 10km run every day.

100 hours of TT practice every month.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

100 pushups, 100 situps, 100 squats, and 10km run every day.

100 hours of TT practice every month.

10km every day is a lot
the previous generation will run that everyday.
I haven't heard anyone running that in recent years/decade

 

[Doralikesmath]

100 pushups, 100 situps, 100 squats, and 10km run every day.

100 hours of TT practice every month.

Hahaha, will we get a bald world champion in the future? Or is this how Liu Guoliang trained?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

Hahaha, will we get a bald world champion in the future? Or is this how Liu Guoliang trained?

Masters world champion is still world champion

 

[SilverCup77]

I don't think any player can become a professional in the group. Almost all you need is private training and multiball

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I don't think any player can become a professional in the group. Almost all you need is private training and multiball

group training is what China uses,
and also Japan, Taiwan, Korea

These are pretty much top countries in table tennis.

multiball in groups is also very normal (you don't need a coach to feed, since everyone can feed)

 

[SilverCup77]

group training is what China uses,
and also Japan, Taiwan, Korea

These are pretty much top countries in table tennis.

multiball in groups is also very normal (you don't need a coach to feed, since everyone can feed)

I'm talking about professionals. This is not possible with training in a group. I think you need very good trainers for private training and multiball. more than a group

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I'm talking about professionals. This is not possible with training in a group. I think you need very good trainers for private training and multiball. more than a group

how do they get from 6 years old to professionals? give that some thought

 

[NextLevel]

I'm talking about professionals. This is not possible with training in a group. I think you need very good trainers for private training and multiball. more than a group

Think of it more developmentally. The correct answer to the original question is that there is no training that by itself makes you a professional, it is more a matter of combining exposure/practice with how well the student distinguishes himself in those settings to warrant being given more training or being promoted to the next level. And that between extreme interest from the student and lots of practice sometimes more and sometimes less than the norms and displays of athletic/mental ability, also the ability to not get injured, a lot of things are possible.

 

[mcfly]

no one has said it yet, but you kinda need money to get training from professionals

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

lets have a look at USA model
coach 1 on 1, as many hours a day as you can afford, x numbers of days in a week.
Pros - attention from coach
Cons - only get used to the style of coach, very expensive.

same USA player (2450 level that time) comes to Taiwan and fits into group training
Pros - over 10 to 15 players can beat him. Playing against all kinds of styles. So much cheaper than 1 on 1
Cons - I can't think of any

In the big 4 asian countries, kids are in groups and they will grow from there.
yes, parents would buy 1 on 1 with coaches, but majority of time would still be group.
Stronger kids will move over to top TT schools and the level will continue to be high.

Many USA players told me they preferred Taiwan's group training.
China has the same, Japan, Korea too.

I think for ones that don't know what is group training, would not understand what this is.

Europeans don't have group training too, because they don't have the numbers in such high level, but it is still smaller groups per se, and not 1 on 1 model like that of the USA.
USA has become better with incorporation of group training, but the business is still 1 on 1

 

[Metaxa]

Europeans don't have group training too, because they don't have the numbers in such high level, but it is still smaller groups per se, and not 1 on 1 model like that of the USA.
USA has become better with incorporation of group training, but the business is still 1 on 1

Oh, I had group training in my club back in the mid-70s. 6 to 8 tables, 2 x 1 hour, joint training exercises and there was frequent changing. Individual training could be followed afterwards for those who could afford it financially. The club was open 7 days out of 7 for both, training and competition.

 

[SilverCup77]

yes, you need individual training. It may be that the players train in groups, but not all of them become professionals. Professionals become those who train individually. The coach has to support the player and train a lot 1 on 1

 

[banbekas]

I don't know much about private training or group training because I never had any legitimate training to begin with. Most of the time I learn from YouTube and advices from other players around me.

What I truly believe is you need a good variety of training partners/ opponents. There was a time when I was only training with 2 or 3 training partners and never really went out to attend tournament. It was satisfying but then I didn't really improve that much. When I went for a tournament, it took me a long time to get used to different styles and quality of spins.

After that instead of spending my time training, I went out of my way to participate in many tournaments, sparred with different players and I noticed a noticeable improvement in my game. Better and more effective looping mechanics, tougher mentality and better adaptability and strategy. Alas, work forces me to stop participating in tournament and spars.

Disclaimer, I'm just sharing my experience

 

[SleepyMaster]

It’s actually better to have a group of people almost in any sports. Combat sport, team sport, table tennis, etc. If your goal to became a stronger player overall.

Yes, some personal training is good, if you don’t have fundamentals - it’s very good. But when you have those - the more important became such things as quick adaptability, dealing with a lot of different styles, amount of games with totally different peoples

 

[Aizen]

I guess it also depends on what do you mean in professional, a player in national team? or top league in country?
But if we think you want a career on TT, not a side job, then a person should be around top 50 in country.

To do so, I think everything possible should be done,
- 1-1 training with coach,
- multi ball drills with coach,
- practice with different high level partners,
- practice drills, matches with partners under observation of coach(es), (group training)
- joining league matches regularly, going regional, national, even some international tournaments,
- also body training, running etc.

I think these above are must. on top of these, maybe robot training for condition + speed + consistency (of course supervised or after getting solid technique). And lastly video analysis of self or opponents will required after a while.

Being professional in sports is mostly competition with others, so one should do everything possible which can give an edge.

And obviously, training hours should be in humane-maximum amount, like 20-30 hrs/week depends on school etc.

Otherwise, just doing some practice with buddies in club or just getting weekly 3-5 hours training from coach would not be enough to step up in national teams or getting salary to live with it.

But after a young player can prove himself/herself as potential youth national player, probably national coaches will get in that person to their training, then they may handle the rest.