How to deal with the "freezing"

[TT_Rogue]

I dont know if everybody felt it once but I think most player had it already. When you have an important game, or you are playing against somebody who you consider much weaker than yourself and it is defenetly not allowed to lose. Or you are generally afraid of losing because it is for you like a social comedown. This feeling during games is freezing your movements they are not so fluid anymore, you are not playing enough aggressive anymore and so on. I had to deal extremely with this problem when i was younger, it vanished over the years but when it is a game that seems very important for me or as i mentioned i consider an opponent not nearly as strong as me for what reason ever it comes back to me and causes a lot of trouble. Has anyone also experienced that problem and learned perhaps a "professional" way how to deal with it ?

 

[aerial]

I am by no means a professional or even a good amateur.

I am good enough to know I am not good at all.

But with that being said when I started to play more seriously and bought actual rubbers with sponge and an ALL+ bat, I played with a player that I thought I would have no problem beating whatsoever and on top of that he was using a hardbat.

Unfortunately for me I was unable to play to my level and also underestimated my opponent as well as his equipment. He was a pretty good tennis player and some skills transferred over to his table tennis game.

If I could go back in time I would have told myself to loosen up and to play smarter and to realize that I was the only one that was controlling the spin so the errors from spin are because of myself not because of him.

To this day when I see a newbie that is playing with a hardbat--but playing a very consistent type of game--the game I lost to I can feel myself freeze up a bit--even if I do not play that person.

I think if I ever have the chance to play a player like this again I would tell myself to have confidence in my fundamentals and to play smart.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Hardbat can be tricky to play against. I have ended up playing enough hardbat players to know that you have to give them heavy topspin and to try not to give them backspin. It is hard for a hardbat to keep heavy loop spin on the table because if your spin is heavy enough, whatever they do with their racket, it comes back to you backspin so it floats up and usually long.

It is also okay to know that hardbat has pips on it and the pips function differently than long pips but not always that differently. Theoretically they are short pips but they don't always feel like short pips either. Fast, long heavy topspin serves and shots will make most hardbat players unless they are really good, mess up.

But I have also frozen against those types of players.

And I have frozen against many players I thought I should beat and many I really should have had no problem with.

Funny, I have frozen against players way worse than me and still won but it didn't change that I froze and played really bad. Even though I still pulled the game or match out in the end. And it wasn't always that I opened up and started playing well. Sometimes it was because the other player couldn't handle the level of spin even if I was taking bad shots that were too safe or pushing when I should have opened.

Man I hate that feeling when you get nervous and freeze. But it is a good reason to purposely put yourself into that situation where you have to deal with that. The more you put yourself on the front line, the better able to handle those situations you will become.

And what feels worse than losing to someone you think you should beat just because of how nervous you were.


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[Der_Echte]

When you shake opponent's hand softly before the match, you are visualizing that you are TERMINATOR sent there on a mission to TERMINATE the opponent and if you THINK and BELIEVE this, often enough it happens.

Carl took the words right out of my mouth, or out of my arse depending on people's opinion of me and what anatomy is placed where on me. When Carl says HEAVY spin, he means overpowering HEAVY with a capital H heavy. You try playing a fast off the bounce game even with decent heavy spin, you will see the hardbatter keep up and be consistent, then you miss, and want to choke someone out. You push the ball and you play right into them, especially if it isn't deep. A skilled or consistent hardbat payer can wreck havoc on you with consistency and placement, and OFTEN with quickness off bounce or change of timing with their counterhitting. It is NOT intuitive to open your bat vs then on these rallies and you net more of these balls, OR the ball doesn't kick as high and deep, so you are reaching and spraying it everywhere.

 

[KM1976]

I have this freezing moments too. Additionally, I some how freeze during crucial points where I am very much inclined to just keep the ball back or I have a freezing moment sometimes when I try to execute backhand topspin using my wrist and forearm.

Basically, I have realized a few important things, firstly, I should not think too much about the outcome but rather focus and play the point well. Results do depend on playing each point well. Further, using or telling oneself to use the wrist especially on backhand is a myth. If you look at the videos by Brett Clarke you will notice that the movement of wrist comes by loosening of the forearm. Also each shot starts with your legs and not with your arms so try and scout the ball as much as you can. If you try moving before hitting the ball on each return it helps in bringing the focus and confidence back.

Also, if you are freezing and your mind is whitewashed then always stick to basics at which you are good at. Match your basics skills against your opponents ability to execute basic shots. If you loose, you will get to know what you need to work on.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

And because of how dead those rackets are if you give them backspin, a good hardbat player can simply rip the ball because your backspin automatically becomes their topspin. So you don't want to give them light to medium backspin. If it isn't 5 ton heavy backspin, you will usually pay for the mistake against a good hardbat player.


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[mahomedy13]

Freezing for me occurs when I know I can play better and beat the opponent,but I'm losing.

 

[mahomedy13]

But to combat this,I start thinking positively,and self motivating myself.
For me,I believe it is a mental condition more than a physical condition.

 

[TT_Rogue]

Excuse me sirs but what is a hardbat? Pips without sponge under it? Fortunately my coach is this type of player and im always happy to meet them ^.^. My biggest problem is when somebody doesnt have a clear technique but a lot of feeling for the ball, it makes me totally stupid, when the movements of that person are seeming so wrong that in my head it should be impossible for him to even hit the ball. My question is if somebody knows something like a professional mind strategic that the sports psychologists are using if professionals have this kind of problem

 

[mahomedy13]

Excuse me sirs but what is a hardbat? Pips without sponge under it? Fortunately my coach is this type of player and im always happy to meet them ^.^. My biggest problem is when somebody doesnt have a clear technique but a lot of feeling for the ball, it makes me totally stupid, when the movements of that person are seeming so wrong that in my head it should be impossible for him to even hit the ball. My question is if somebody knows something like a professional mind strategic that the sports psychologists are using if professionals have this kind of problem

you are correct about a hard bat-its short pips without sponge

 

[aerial]

When Samsonov had match points I felt like he also froze a bit. Should have played riskier and went for some aggressive shots. "Freezing" is 100% mental and you just have to shake the nerves in my opinion. I don't consider this an expert or professional strategy--but for me just hopping up and down on my toes like a boxer makes me re-enforce the good habits of staying on my toes and shaking off my nerves at the same time.

edit: actually, skimming through the vid samsonov did not have any match points... but he was ahead 3-0 in games.

edit#2: okay I knew I was not losing my mind... I swore when I watched this live I saw match point for Samsonov. http://www.ittf.com/competitions/te...asp?competition_ID=2518&rnd=8&s_Event_Type=MS game 6 ZJK wins in deuce, and skimming through the vid, game 6 seems to be missing... ... ... but I digress.

edit#3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5Zp04UQ3hE&feature=player_detailpage#t=3281

Vladi took a timeout when leading 9-8, ZJK got an edge ball and then at 9-9 he manages to get a good attack in for the winner, but at 10-9 he played defensively and wasn't able to get another match point from thereon. It looks like he "froze" a bit there and I'm sure he would have tried to get an attack in instead if he could go back in time.