Do Pro's also struggle with "getting warmed up"?

[TensorBackhand]

I notice that I really don't play my best in the beginning of a session. It takes me about 3 matches of game play, particularly receiving serve, before I really start to get a read on the ball and play my best. I often start flowing and feeling confident after 3 matches. I feel the issue is not one of physical warmth, but has more to do with the touch and feeling of contacting the specific spin/bounce of your opponent's ball.

Obviously a Pro cannot play 3 matches against their opponent. Do Pro's also struggle with getting in the zone before their actual matches? Or do they just practice so much everyday that they are already in the right place?

Is there any way to get warmed up faster?

 

[riemsesy]

Good question. I notice this too.

 

[dingyibvs]

I notice that I really don't play my best in the beginning of a session. It takes me about 3 matches of game play, particularly receiving serve, before I really start to get a read on the ball and play my best. I often start flowing and feeling confident after 3 matches. I feel the issue is not one of physical warmth, but has more to do with the touch and feeling of contacting the specific spin/bounce of your opponent's ball.

Obviously a Pro cannot play 3 matches against their opponent. Do Pro's also struggle with getting in the zone before their actual matches? Or do they just practice so much everyday that they are already in the right place?

Is there any way to get warmed up faster?

They get a lot of training time in the training hall before matches, they can work on whatever they want for at least an hour.

 

[ben1229]

You don't warm up before you play? So weird. I tho it's common sense in any sports.

 

[TensorBackhand]

You don't warm up before you play? So weird. I tho it's common sense in any sports.

I warm up with some FH/BH drives and loops. But I don't warm up with serve/receive.

I find the hardest part to actually get warmed up is the receive. The way the ball bounce and spins is just quirky, and it takes a while to get the feel for the ball.

 

[ben1229]

I warm up with some FH/BH drives and loops. But I don't warm up with serve/receive.

I find the hardest part to actually get warmed up is the receive. The way the ball bounce and spins is just quirky, and it takes a while to get the feel for the ball.

New place? I always go to one club and the same table with same ball.

 

[ben1229]

If new place with different table and balls , always need time to get used to it.

 

[PaddyPolar]

Is there any way to get warmed up faster?

Table tennis is half physical half mental.

When you warm up make sure to warm up your table tennis mind as well to make your body ready to move correctly and perform the shots correctly. This was you should perform better earlier.

 

[Dr Evil]

Do Pro's also struggle with getting in the zone before their actual matches? Or do they just practice so much everyday that they are already in the right place?

Is there any way to get warmed up faster?

Pros sometimes have warm up issues, but it's more typically about not getting enough practice time in the playing hall or on the show tables. Most major tournaments have complaints about certain teams getting better practice tables, schedules, etc.

Try to play a few practice games before your first match. If you don't have time for that, at least warm up serve, receive and touch play.

 

[blahness]

There's a lot of pros who start slow - Zhang Jike and Wang Liqin being probably the worst offenders in the past. Sometimes they play trash for the first few games and then when they got warmed up it is just game over for their opponents. They were lucky that they had their careers before the nonsense 5 game WTT format, where they wouldn't even get a chance to warm up lol.

 

[TensorBackhand]

I also notice that when Pros warm up, they are usually doing FH loops as warm up, or topspin-topspin rallies. I find that this is the easiest part.

The hard part is receive and judging the spin, bounce, distance, etc.

 

[ben1229]

I also notice that when Pros warm up, they are usually doing FH loops as warm up, or topspin-topspin rallies. I find that this is the easiest part.

The hard part is receive and judging the spin, bounce, distance, etc.

About spin, that's not the warm up part bro, that's from your experience.

 

[Gozo Aruna]

In my club; if you are at the table and not counting points after two minutes, other patron will come to you and say politely, please start the game, finish it and let others in queue play. You have no chance to practice.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I also notice that when Pros warm up, they are usually doing FH loops as warm up, or topspin-topspin rallies. I find that this is the easiest part.

The hard part is receive and judging the spin, bounce, distance, etc.

you obviously haven't seen enough pros warm up.

 

[zeio]

There's a lot of pros who start slow - Zhang Jike and Wang Liqin being probably the worst offenders in the past. Sometimes they play trash for the first few games and then when they got warmed up it is just game over for their opponents. They were lucky that they had their careers before the nonsense 5 game WTT format, where they wouldn't even get a chance to warm up lol.

Well, ML lost a lot in MT.

In that regard, WH is the strongest in MT, having lost only ONCE in singles to Ovtcharov and w/ MLin to Kuzmin/Skachkov at World Team Cup 2011.

ATTC 2009
M3 ML 0-3 Kishikawa
WTTC 2010
M1 ML 2-3 Boll
World Team Cup 2010
M1 ML 0-3 Chan Kazuhiro
London 2012
M3 WH/ML 2-3 Smirnov/Skachkov
WTTC 2024
M3 ML 2-3 LSS

Of note here is that LSS was really close at ATTC 2013 and Tokyo 2020.
ATTC 2013 (held in Busan as well)
M1 ML 0-2 -> 3-2 Seo Hyundeok
M4 ML 0-2 -> 3-2 LSS
Tokyo 2020
M3 ML 2-0 -> 3-2 LSS

 

[pingpongpaddy]

back in the day for league matches our team would aim at arriving early so as to spend 20 + minutes physical warmup. typically in corridor outside match room, doing stretches shadow strokes and footwork intensity should be more than for an actual game. T/hen back in match room for 3 player team alternate partners every 3 shots. work on big strokes first then in and out over table shots, End with a few best of 5 points games to get serve receive going. While doing this check out lighting and floor.
obviously above depends on time available and number of tables and having planned in advance.
In gozo's club. I would try to attend early and help erect tables in the hope of getting time.
8 players need a knock? try 4 players on 4 off every 3 rallies while cross knocking.
These kind of things can be organised if players will make the effort to think out of box

 

[Amayzde]

I have this issue as well that its not necessarily my body that needs longer to warmup, but rather my game that can be a little rusty the first couple of games.

I used to always win 3 out of 3, or 2 out of 3 of my singles matches on a league day. But when I lost one, it was usually the first match. Even if it was an opponent that was 200 points below my rating.

So what I do now is I just do a short forehand and backhand warmup. When my body is warm I do a few openups with both sides, and then I do a quick best of 3 practice match.

I would say a practice match is the best to get your game going before your actual match starts.

 

[TensorBackhand]

I have this issue as well that its not necessarily my body that needs longer to warmup, but rather my game that can be a little rusty the first couple of games.

I used to always win 3 out of 3, or 2 out of 3 of my singles matches on a league day. But when I lost one, it was usually the first match. Even if it was an opponent that was 200 points below my rating.

So what I do now is I just do a short forehand and backhand warmup. When my body is warm I do a few openups with both sides, and then I do a quick best of 3 practice match.

I would say a practice match is the best to get your game going before your actual match starts.

Yes this is basically what I found. Practice match is more helpful to warm up than anything else.

But 1 isnt quite enough for me.

 

[pingpongpaddy]

I think as your level improves a thorough physical warm up becomes more essential.
Because the kind of shots you and your opponents will be capable of, are likely to endanger too cold muscles.
No getting away from planning the time to prepare body and game for the contest.

 

[IB66]

I don’t really think you can compare Pro’s with amateurs!!
The higher the level an amateur player is, their warm up will also advance in what they do compared to what a local league player will do!!
Local league - Some away fixtures mean that there is no warm up on the table AT All. You basically have a quick 2 min ’knock’ with your opponent and then play the match. If your opponent either doesn’t know how to play FH - FH etc and just hits anywhere or just blasts the ball past you, it’s a frickin nightmare!!
Main issue for us amateurs is usually time. Have the facilities been booked to allow an 1hr warm up? Are teammates / club willing to or can afford to pay for an extra hour hall hire time? Can your team mates get to the venue 1hr earlier??
if the opposition turn up early, that reduces your warm up time for home matches. What can you actually fit in for an hour on one table with 3 people in the team warming up, and worst case 6 people if opposition are early!!!