Off-Season: June – Aug 2024 (11Wks)
Plan
- Fitness / footwork (General fitness)
- Consistency / control (Table Time)
- Tech improvement (Coaching / Robot)
- B/H Flick service return (NEW technique – Game Changer !?!)
- B/H Loop & Loop Drive (Weakness to Strength)
- Short / ‘ghost’ serves (NEW technique – Game Changer !?!)
Reflections:
This has been my best off-season ever BY FAR. Constant table time and summer league attendance.
I’m playing better than I ever have, have developed my B/H from a weakness to a consistent shot. Have beat players (after a good run of training) that I’ve rarely beaten before (Dawn, Steve, Nai). Was on fire 🔥 last time out. People are noticing.
And very comfortable with the combination of Glazer 09c rubbers both sides on a Butterfly Timo Boll CAF blade.
Having said all this: Major slice of reality – I’m 56 (not 16), have a partner & family (young & old) and work full time. Ping 🏓 is my winter sport and will always compete with (loose out to) the sun ☀️ / beach 🏝️ / sailing ⛵️ in the summer (tough life 🤪). So some table time has been lost to the summer 😎
Have I achieved everything I wanted to – NO. Have I achieved plenty in reality – YES. Maybe not perfect but … damn good effort.
Conclusion:
I have proven that I can become the player I envisage I can be. Consistent training with a partner or robot (including practising serves) makes a massive difference.
What I have planned is achievable … However, it might take a while longer than originally planned !?!
My planned targets are maybe a season (12mths) ahead of myself. They reflex how I want to play BY THE END OF the season – and not as an average FOR the season.
I should focus this season on continued performance development balanced with a match performance approach (it is why we play and keep score after all).
Way forward:
So a double-development cycle is the way forward:
1) a short-term ‘Here & Now’ competitive approach to the season (play the best I can / try my very best to beat the player in front of me) and
2) a longer-term performance development approach to my overall play
Peaking at the end of the season (April) for the Island Championships would be a good endeavour to bring both cycles together.
Action:
Still need to …
1) loose weight (general health & wellbeing)
2) increase consistency (table time) and
3) develop B/H techniques (coaching)
Plus …
4) sharpen weapons (robot) and
5) become more match-savvy (tactical analysis)
Bring on the Season 😎
