How to warm up - to play best from the start?

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Hello everyone.
I was searching for the answer to this question in this forum, but didnt find it.
I already got some good advices from the goon squad, whatever it means ;-)

So I am hoping for another advices now..

My problem is the same as for example Zhang Jike got. And long time it was also problem of Timo Boll.
I somehow need longer to get "on fire" .. It is like I cannot really play my best from the beginning.
This is why my last matches are always best, because it was longer that I played.
The problem is - when you play the league - you have very little time to get prepared (if you are not some good league, there you have to come at least hour before the match and play warm up for 40-60 minutes.
This would be cool.
But in my league we come like 10-20 minutes before the match, have warm up like 5-15 minutes tops.
Then - play!

I am not suited for that.
OR - and this is my hope - I DONT KNOW HOW TO DO IT!

So - how to warm up quickly so I can play my best ASAP?
 
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This is a tough one. For me it's not just getting my body warmed up. It is getting my eyes following the ball and my timing settled down and reminding myself of whatever technical issue is emerging on that day. I don't have a solution.
 
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I first do a bit of Shadow training. Brian Pace's DVD is great for this but there are probably other tutorials online. Then I do some ball feeling exercises (catching the ball on the racket, moving it from one face of the racket to the other, spinning the ball etc.) This keeps my feeling good from the get go.

Some service training before starting so that I feel confident with my serves and then some warm up with a practice partner.

I do this for important matches or tournaments. For less important ones, I'll probably just do 5 minutes of shadow training. Then 5 minutes of ball feeling and I'm good to go.
 
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i have a routine now. I run a little bit, i do some squats, i always have a jump rope as well.

and Air- table tennis is perhaps the best. I don't forget the tchoooos while doing the Air-table tennis. Its good for aggressivity !!

NB: in Japan its usually not allowed to train with a partner before a match. Theres only a 30mns slot before the tournament starts and we're like 12 people on 1 table, playing in one diagonal. Its very tough to get a proper warm-up at the table. Especially if the first match is 2 hours or more AFTER the 30mns warmup slot...
 
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Hello everyone.
I was searching for the answer to this question in this forum, but didnt find it.
I already got some good advices from the goon squad, whatever it means ;-)

So I am hoping for another advices now..

My problem is the same as for example Zhang Jike got. And long time it was also problem of Timo Boll.
I somehow need longer to get "on fire" .. It is like I cannot really play my best from the beginning.
This is why my last matches are always best, because it was longer that I played.
The problem is - when you play the league - you have very little time to get prepared (if you are not some good league, there you have to come at least hour before the match and play warm up for 40-60 minutes.
This would be cool.
But in my league we come like 10-20 minutes before the match, have warm up like 5-15 minutes tops.
Then - play!

I am not suited for that.
OR - and this is my hope - I DONT KNOW HOW TO DO IT!

So - how to warm up quickly so I can play my best ASAP?

Half an hour 40 minutes is optimum but since you get only 10-20 minutes its kinda difficult.

I used to get 1 hour before and drill everything but it was not ok, So you definitely need 5-10 minutes tops (i used to do more) to warm up your body with FH FH BH BH topspin vs block and then the rest of the time you definitely need to practice match points immediately, service/receive and get into the rally . I found that's the best way for amateurs like us because you understand immediately if something is wrong with the lighting, the feel of the table and stuff like that, you must simulate the match situation so you can feel comfortable after
 
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Half an hour 40 minutes is optimum but since you get only 10-20 minutes its kinda difficult.

the rest of the time you definitely need to practice match points immediately, service/receive and get into the rally . I found that's the best way for amateurs like us because you understand immediately if something is wrong with the lighting, the feel of the table and stuff like that, you must simulate the match situation so you can feel comfortable after

yep exactly
thats why when warming up (see above post) I always choose the BH/BH diagonal because thats from this position that I serve most and i can practise my combos. Also I am more stable on the BH side, but i need some confidence to attack (notably 3rd balls) on the BH side, and thats exactly what i need as a warmup. Its also always possible to pivot, and i like to do that in match as well to some extent.
Definitely trying to have a good feeling for serve and receive is the most important during the warmup
 
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match point simulation or some scenarios to help you feel better about your strokes is definitely essential, we are not pros so many of us adapt during the game and all league matches in most countries I know are BO3 so being down 2-0 is pretty easy to happen if you are not feeling in the zone or at a good mood.

When you get the feel of the table the bounce and the environment in general, you can plan out how to play your match if you have played simulation match points because you can see quickly in what condition you are

Pre game routines/talking cheering up your mates , to help you and your team boost your psychology sometimes is even much better than a good 1 hour warmup, your technique is not gonna go anywhere its there already all you need is 10-20 minutes of quality play to keep the blood flowing.

Psychology fluctuates much more than body condition, I noticed that when all my team was in good mood and talked to each other to express ourselves and motivate each other we played our best with minimized unforced errors on easy balls.

I always wondered why some "better skilled" (in terms of technique and experience) teams in my amateur league struggled against inferior opponents although they did a very good warmup and other times we/they were 15 days with only 1 practice session and won 4-0 against the same "inferior" team, its mostly about psychology.

So to wrap it up, before a game psychology boost is the most essential for us amateurs. Just enjoy the game and take it point by point
 
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i have a routine now. I run a little bit, i do some squats, i always have a jump rope as well.

and Air- table tennis is perhaps the best. I don't forget the tchoooos while doing the Air-table tennis. Its good for aggressivity !!

NB: in Japan its usually not allowed to train with a partner before a match. Theres only a 30mns slot before the tournament starts and we're like 12 people on 1 table, playing in one diagonal. Its very tough to get a proper warm-up at the table. Especially if the first match is 2 hours or more AFTER the 30mns warmup slot...

What is Air-table tennis?
 

Dan

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Great points guys. Before a league match I try to get mentally prepared. In my mind I think about activating my adrenline. So I run around for 10 mins, do some fast footwork stuff and then really think about moving quick. Early on in the practice ill do match orientated exercises and even friendly matches with friends to get straight into the competitive mindset. For me I find if i am moving well I play well. Therefore you need to find what works for you. Some players find working on their touch and feel gets them prepared. In the training hall at the recent WTTC players from all different nationalities had different ways of warming up. For example Harimoto did footwork drills off the table with his coach before his quarter final match against Xu Xin. He then did 30 mins table stuff then started the match. Xu Xin on the other hand did a light run and then did table stuff for 40 mins.

Although this is a tricky one because if you don't practice much it's difficult to play well or find form early on. Lets say you havent played for a week and you go straight into a league game it's going to be difficult to find your form. If you played the day before you will find your form a lot quicker generally I think.

As they say, "by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."
 
That would have been my question Dan. When are your league games and when do you have your training sessions? Maybe you can have a training session the day before your competition. If I haven't played for 4-5 days before a competition I have to warm up at the table for at least an hour to get on fire
 
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If you have only a small time, then start the at-the-table warm up from serve. Start driving from one or two short push and flick. Start looping from long push.
If you don't play, wear something what covers your body, legs most importantly. Do squats and/or fast small steps (like Harimoto).
 
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I agree with most of what has been said ahead of time , but I was in situations like yours or Takkyu's and I tried the reverse psychology technique for emergency situations ... and it worked ... basically I completely stopped warming up the days I wanted to play practice matches and pushed myself to figure out how to warm up during the match from the mandatory 2 minutes and then during the 1st set ... this is a handy option to keep in mind , it will help you from overthinking that you did not get a chance to warm up.

Of course, given the time you should warm up what you need to but not to the point of exhaustion .. for me I warm up till I break sweat for the first time . I will do my topspin diagonals and parallels , depending how good at blocking my partner is and then do some serves and finally some receives .... then take a break , change my shirt and come back to play matches ... that is the ideal situation for me... but I refuse to put my money on it because you can't entirely avoid situations as amateurs where you don't get a chance to properly warm up ...
 
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I agree with most of what has been said ahead of time , but I was in situations like yours or Takkyu's and I tried the reverse psychology technique for emergency situations ... and it worked ... basically I completely stopped warming up the days I wanted to play practice matches and pushed myself to figure out how to warm up during the match from the mandatory 2 minutes and then during the 1st set ... this is a handy option to keep in mind , it will help you from overthinking that you did not get a chance to warm up.

Of course, given the time you should warm up what you need to but not to the point of exhaustion .. for me I warm up till I break sweat for the first time . I will do my topspin diagonals and parallels , depending how good at blocking my partner is and then do some serves and finally some receives .... then take a break , change my shirt and come back to play matches ... that is the ideal situation for me... but I refuse to put my money on it because you can't entirely avoid situations as amateurs where you don't get a chance to properly warm up ...

This is a great post.

It is worth trying to get used to the scenario of having to just start ASAP. It will come up that it happens that you have to play when you are not warm. The more you put yourself into that position, the better you get at handling it.

SmashFan said that to me years ago.


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