How much training time per week is too much?

[LucasHoang2013]

I have just played table tennis for 9 months but coaches said that I'm very talented. I train with people doing excersises and drills every day to a number of around 25 hours ish a week on average. I'm also always way way too ambitious on improving, so i get mad a lot during games. I almost got banned at my stadium for my behavior after losing. Even tho i play at the top tier of my country's u13, im still never satisfied with my achievements and my games. Do you guys think that i should train less and focus on other things? Or should i keep going with the number of hours that i am training and learn how to calm myslef down during games?

 

[RPB Enthusiast]

The best thing for you is to prioritize on controlling your emotions when playing matches, especially when you make mistakes and get mad. Since you're still a kid, your emotions can be due to puberty and people will understand it more than if an adult would to lash out. With that said, this can be a good opportunity for you to hone in on your emotions so you don't get banned, or get yellow/red cards pulled on you for your behavior.

In terms of hours, no need to change unless your grades start to get bad, then that's just a discussion you need to have with your parents.

I hope this helps you in some way and it's work since I was a hothead when I was in my teens, but now I'm pretty content and don't show really show emotions in my matches (which could actually throw off some opponents since they can feed off your negative energy).

 

[LucasHoang2013]

The best thing for you is to prioritize on controlling your emotions when playing matches, especially when you make mistakes and get mad. Since you're still a kid, your emotions can be due to puberty and people will understand it more than if an adult would to lash out. With that said, this can be a good opportunity for you to hone in on your emotions so you don't get banned, or get yellow/red cards pulled on you for your behavior.

In terms of hours, no need to change unless your grades start to get bad, then that's just a discussion you need to have with your parents.

I hope this helps you in some way and it's work since I was a hothead when I was in my teens, but now I'm pretty content and don't show really show emotions in my matches (which could actually throw off some opponents since they can feed off your negative energy).

thank you for ur reply, it helps a lot👍 My gardes are actually very good, so i think i just need to think about the impact i can create if i start lashing out infront of the spectators and focusing on the game instead of the result

 

[RPB Enthusiast]

thank you for ur reply, it helps a lot👍 My gardes are actually very good, so i think i just need to think about the impact i can create if i start lashing out infront of the spectators and focusing on the game instead of the result

1) If you feel your emotions are getting really bad, you can consider using your timeout so you can talk to your coach about strategy and help with your emotions
2) Take a deep breath before serving
3) Put up your hand so your opponent gives you that extra second or two so you can get a quick little break for yourself
4) Watch your favorite 🏓 player before/after matches so you can be happy and inspired

These are just some easy things that can help you out. Maybe some adults on this forum that have a similar struggle as you could benefit from this as well 🙂

Anyways, wish you the best on your 🏓 journey!

 

[LucasHoang2013]

1) If you feel your emotions are getting really bad, you can consider using your timeout so you can talk to your coach about strategy and help with your emotions
2) Take a deep breath before serving
3) Put up your hand so your opponent gives you that extra second or two so you can get a quick little break for yourself
4) Watch your favorite 🏓 player before/after matches so you can be happy and inspired

These are just some easy things that can help you out. Maybe some adults on this forum that have a similar struggle as you could benefit from this as well 🙂

Anyways, wish you the best on your 🏓 journey!

much preciate it👍

 

[ZSQ]

Approach every match with your reason and logic. That way, even if you lose, you can still gain experience, and you can rationally think about what weaknesses you need to work on next. If you face matches with emotion, then whether you win or lose, all you’ll remember afterward are your emotions.

You should spend your valuable time thinking about what your opponent’s weaknesses are and what tactics to use to win the next point, rather than regretting how you lost the last one.

 

[LucasHoang2013]

Approach every match with your reason and logic. That way, even if you lose, you can still gain experience, and you can rationally think about what weaknesses you need to work on next. If you face matches with emotion, then whether you win or lose, all you’ll remember afterward are your emotions.

You should spend your valuable time thinking about what your opponent’s weaknesses are and what tactics to use to win the next point, rather than regretting how you lost the last one.

Thank you for ur reply, ill keep work on my tactics and resourcefullness👍

 

[Archosaurus]

25 hours is a reasonable workload. I would only really pay attention to doing serious warmups and warmdowns and making sure you don't get injured. When you're young and not yet experienced with bad injuries, they can creep up on you, so you need to be extra careful and report everything to your coach and parents.

If you're fit then you can definitely handle it but you need to respect it.

 

[LucasHoang2013]

Thank you for your reply, i have been injured outside table tennis before leading to one of my big losses and that loss is one of the reason why i almost got banned🤣 I will try to keep my self fit like right now since i have always underestimated injuries until that unfortunate loss👍

 

[jonol]

As long as you're not physically or mentally burning out, any amount is fine really.

I play 2-4 times per week depending on how busy I am. More than that and it starts feeling more like a second job for me.

 

[Archosaurus]

Thank you for your reply, i have been injured outside table tennis before leading to one of my big losses and that loss is one of the reason why i almost got banned🤣 I will try to keep my self fit like right now since i have always underestimated injuries until that unfortunate loss👍

I still have an injury from about 9 years ago because I didn't warm up one day. I really suggest you just don't get injured to begin with.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

as long as your body and mind can take it, the more you practice the better for your TT, but don't forget school.

However as you practice already a lot, you could think about other ways to practice than just being at the table.

like physical exercise working both on your general condition but also specific work for explosivity, leg strength, core etc...
or more serve and receive practice, watch videos, film yourself and analyze etc....

Mental training is also important there are resources on internet on that too, you can find it if you're willing to work on that too

 

[lightspin]

25 hours a week is fine. Just make sure that you still do reasonably well in school. If you are in "go pro or die trying" mode then you probably need to increase that number to 36 hours a week with some additional physical training. You could probably make the national team doing what you are doing with 25 hours though.

Now, getting mad when losing is a BIG problem. Ma Long has lost more matches than the total number of matches you have ever played in your entire life. So get used to losing. When you lose, you gain data on what you need to work on. Losing is annoying but it also tells you what to practice. Furthermore if you are a professional player you will need to play team matches. If you lose the first match, you have 2 more matches to play to help your team win. That means you have to figure out how to take the loss, mentally recover and then play the rest of the matches at a high level. So the next time you lose, try to remain calm as this is practice in being mentally strong. Also try to play as much as possible. If you win, great. If you lose, so what. Which shots did you miss when you lost? Practice those sequences and see if you can get better.

Always try as hard as you can to win, but if you lose don't worry about it at all.

 

[jonol]

I second that physical fitness goes a long way. Being able to train more effectively and recover faster make a huge difference.

 

[Haito]

Do you guys think that i should train less and focus on other things? Or should i keep going with the number of hours that i am training and learn how to calm myslef down during games?

What is your body telling you? Do you keep a ledger of what caused you to loose your games? Do you record your games and analyse them?

Do you feel sore in your legs after training? Do you feel your legs are glued to the ground near the end of the practice? Do you know how to cope with it? Need more physical leg training.

Do you shoulders feel stiff after playing a fair bit of top spin play? Is your forearm sore? Need more arm training.

Is your back sore after top spin heavy drills session? Well it should be XD. More core training for u if that is the case. Core training everybody should do actually..

The best player I played against in my life, had a giant sign in his practice room. It spelled out "Practice with intent". I think its really important to not just blindly practice, but instead focus on your strongest and weakest points.

BTW how much time do you spend on serve training?

 

[Haito]

Any sort of training and practice should not be an open loop system with no feedback. If you do not check if what you are doing is giving you effects you are only hurting yourself.

 

[LucasHoang2013]

What is your body telling you? Do you keep a ledger of what caused you to loose your games? Do you record your games and analyse them?

Do you feel sore in your legs after training? Do you feel your legs are glued to the ground near the end of the practice? Do you know how to cope with it? Need more physical leg training.

Do you shoulders feel stiff after playing a fair bit of top spin play? Is your forearm sore? Need more arm training.

Is your back sore after top spin heavy drills session? Well it should be XD. More core training for u if that is the case. Core training everybody should do actually..

The best player I played against in my life, had a giant sign in his practice room. It spelled out "Practice with intent". I think its really important to not just blindly practice, but instead focus on your strongest and weakest points.

BTW how much time do you spend on serve training?

i usually spend around 30 minutes-2 hours every week on my services, it is also that 3rd ball attack pivoting is my main weapon, so my serves are usually an advantage in my game, even agaisnt players that are better than me

 

[vossi39]

TT is 50% mind game. If you can't focus on match play and tactics, you will have a hard time competing on higher levels. Let alone, that you will sooner or later find opponents that are good in reading your psychological weaknesses and target them with all legal (and most of the time unfair) actions.
Getting your emotions under control is only a first step. Getting mental strength is a under estimated skill development in TT yet. But professional TT players sometime use mental coaches as well.
But you are still young. But starting habits early, make them second nature later.

 

[Archosaurus]

i usually spend around 30 minutes-2 hours every week on my services, it is also that 3rd ball attack pivoting is my main weapon, so my serves are usually an advantage in my game, even agaisnt players that are better than me

Pros can spend about an hour a day practicing serves. If you have a table at home I'd use the time on it.

I'm a low level player, but for a few years I practised serves 2-3 hours a day 5 days a week and the benefit was immense although of course you run into diminishing gains very quickly. I can serve at a higher level than most of the highest division amateurs here. I imagine you'd need to do something similar to just keep up at the higher levels.