Alex only started playing table tennis at the age of 12 and he admits that he didn’t even take it very seriously at first. Despite that, he managed to become the top-ranked junior in his county of Suffolk. And interestingly, he attributes his success to the quality and deceptiveness of his serves.

Sponsored by… TableTennisUniversity.com

Today’s episode is sponsored by TableTennisUniversity.com who are currently offering 50% off Coach Tao Li’s entire online curriculum!

Simply enter the code LOCKDOWN to join TTU (Premium) for just $148.50, or click the link below with the code already applied…

https://tabletennisuniversity.com/p/premium/?product_id=920168&coupon_code=LOCKDOWN

This is the BIGGEST discount they’ve ever offered and the price will go back to $297 at 23:59 (UK time) on 31st March 2020.

And as I say in the podcast, if you’re reading this in April and the coupon code has expired, drop me an email (ben@experttabletennis.com) and I’ll see if I can create a custom discount code for you.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why Alex is on the podcast today
• How he got started playing table tennis
• Some of the highlights and lowlights of his career, so far
• The strengths and weaknesses of Alex’s game
• The importance of developing “killer” serves
• Alex’s top tips for winning local league matches
• And loads more!

Links from this episode:

• Cambridge Table Tennis League
• RacketPal – Find Same Level Racket Sport Partners
• TableTennisUniversity.com

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to go and check out TableTennisUniversity.com and save yourself $148.50 on their premium membership with the code LOCKDOWN.

And it would be amazing if you could support this podcast by sharing it with your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us an honest iTunes Podcast review.

The post Alex Horscroft: Serving Your Way to County Champion (Bonus Interview) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis.

If you’ve ever worried that you might be untalented and felt on the verge of quitting, this is the episode for you! I hope it’ll also be interesting for anyone who’s pondered the impact that natural talent has on your table tennis potential.

Sponsored by… TableTennisUniversity.com

Today’s episode is sponsored by TableTennisUniversity.com – and in particular their Black Friday promotion.

This year, for Black Friday (and Cyber Monday), they’re giving you their best offer ever…

Buy 1 of Tao’s ‘Mastery’ courses and get the other 3 for FREE!

There will never be a better time to purchase these four courses and discover how to serve, loop and smash like a Chinese professional.

Purchase one of the four courses below, TODAY!

• Service Mastery ($47)
• Forehand Loop Mastery ($47)
• Backhand Loop Mastery ($47)
• Forehand Smash Mastery ($47)

This promotion ends at midnight on Cyber Monday (2nd December). No code/coupon required. Following a successful purchase, you will be manually enrolled into the other three courses. This may take up to 12 hours to process.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why Harrie almost quit table tennis
• If talent is important in table tennis
• How to figure out if you are talented or not
• How you should train as an “untalented” player
• Some of the struggles of an “untalented” player
• How we’ve changed Harrie’s training (once again)
• What’s more important; technique or ‘feeling’
• Why the ability to improvise is key
• And loads more!

Links from this episode:

• Harrie’s Instagram
• Maidstone Table Tennis League
• 3 Tips for Developing ‘Feeling’ in Table Tennis

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to go and TableTennisUniversity.com and especially their Black Friday special.

And it would be amazing if you could support this podcast by sharing it with your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us an honest iTunes Podcast review.

We’ll be back with Episode #9 at the end of December. As always, if you have a good idea for a topic, do send me an email!

The post Talent, Practice, and Why Harrie Almost Quit Table Tennis (S02E08) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis.

Like Harrie, Tom didn’t start playing table tennis until his mid-twenties. Over the past 12 years, he’s worked hard to improve his game, move up the levels, and he now competes (very well, I might add) in the top division of the Cambridge Table Tennis League.

Sponsored by… Palio by ETT

Today’s episode is sponsored by Palio and in particular their new “3.0” range of table tennis bats – made in collaboration with Expert Table Tennis.

There are three different custom-made bats, designed to suit different abilities: “Expert” (for beginners), “Master” (for intermediates) and “Legend” (for the advanced):

• Palio Expert 3.0
• Palio Master 3.0
• Palio Legend 3.0

Harrie has been struggling with his consistency a bit recently so we’ve actually moved him back from using the Eastfield Offensive (the bat I play with) to the new Palio Legend 3.0!

Whatever your level, you should be able to find a Palio 3.0 racket that works for you.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Tom went from adult beginner to adult expert
• That it’s normal to have ups and downs
• How to bounce back from setbacks
• That talent comes in many different forms
• Why consistency is the real key to success
• The importance of thinking tactically in matches
• How to move from the bottom division to a middle division
• How to move from a middle division to the top division
• Tom’s top tips from adult beginners
• And loads more!

Links from this episode:

• Tom Lodziak’s Website
• Tom Lodziak’s YouTube
• Cambridge Table Tennis League
• PalioETT.com

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to go and check out PalioETT.com and particularly their new “3.0” range of table tennis bats.

And it would be amazing if you could support this podcast by sharing it with your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us an honest iTunes Podcast review.

Harrie will be back with me for Episode #8 at the very end of November. We’re going to be chatting about the subject of talent in table tennis. As always, if you have a good idea for a topic, do send me an email!

The post Tom Lodziak: How to Crush It as an Adult Beginner (Bonus Interview) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis.

This season, Harrie’s made some changes to his weekly training schedule. Instead of playing as much table tennis as possible, he’s going to focus on just three high-quality sessions per week. To find out why you’ll have to listen to this episode.

Sponsored by… Power Pong

Today’s episode is sponsored by PowerPong.org and in particular their new Power Pong 5000 table tennis robot.

The Power Pong 5000 is basically exactly the same as the Butterfly Amicus Prime… but cheaper. That makes the Power Pong 5000 the best table tennis robot in the world!

And you can get it even cheaper by using one of my exclusive promo codes at PowerPong.org…

• BL5000 – Save $100 on the Power Pong 5000
• BL3001 – Save $100 on the Power Pong 3001
• BL2001 – Save $50 on the Power Pong 2001

You won’t find a Power Pong robot sold at a cheaper price than that. And also, if you buy direct from Attila at PowerPong.org you’ll benefit from his extremely generous 3-year warranty. If you have any issues at all with your robot, he promises to fix or replace your Power Pong with a turnaround of just one day!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Harrie got on in his first league match of the season
• Why Harrie has started playing less table tennis each week
• How much you should train as an adult beginner
• Why working with a coach is so important
• What happens if you only ever play against “weird” players
• Why you shouldn’t listen to every coaching tip you’re given
• What Harrie’s typical week of table tennis now looks like
• How to figure out how to beat unorthodox players
• How to convince better players to train with you
• Why training with others improves the quality of your session
• And loads more!

Links from this episode:

• Harrie’s Instagram (with some new videos)
• Maidstone Table Tennis League
• PowerPong.org

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to go and check out PowerPong.org and particularly their new Power Pong 5000 robot.

And it would be amazing if you could support this podcast by sharing it with your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us an honest iTunes Podcast review.

We’ll be back with Episode #8 at the very end of October. As always, if you have a good idea for a topic, do send me an email!

The post Quality vs Quantity: Table Tennis Training (S02E07) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis.

Is physical training even important for table tennis? If so, what kinds of stuff should we be doing? Harrie has a background in physical power sports like rugby, sprinting and bodybuilding, so I wanted to pick his brain!

Sponsored by… TableTennisUniversity.com

Today’s episode is sponsored by TableTennisUniversity.com – a revolutionary online training program created by former Chinese pro, Tao Li.

For the next 8 days, they’re giving you $100 off their ‘Premium’ bundle!

If you’d like to purchase the entire TTU curriculum at this bargain price, all you need to do is click the link below and you’ll be taken to their site with the ‘SEPTEMBER’ discount code already applied…

www.experttabletennis.com/september

This is the lowest price you’ll ever find for TTU and on top of that, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. So you can join today for $197, start watching all of their videos right now, and then if you aren’t 100% satisfied just drop them an email and they’ll give you a full refund!

This offer expires at midnight on Sunday 8th September 2019.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• That Harrie can’t click his fingers (lol)
• That you can reach a pretty high level without being particularly fit
• But you do need some basic cardio fitness to play “proper” table tennis
• How to be realistic about your physical limit/potential
• Why some styles of play require different levels of fitness
• The best types of physical training for table tennis players
• What on earth are “plyometrics”?
• Why you should probably buy yourself an agility ladder and a skipping rope
• How to add “overload” to your table tennis training
• Why you should keep your bat/racket in hand during your physical training
• Harrie’s thoughts on his upcoming 2019/20 season
• And loads more!

Links from this episode:

• Epic Table Tennis (Harrie’s inactive blog)
• Harrie’s Instagram
• Physical Training for Table Tennis
• Table Tennis Players Height, Weight and BMI
• 5 Tips to Improve Your Table Tennis Fitness & Train Like an Athlete!
• 12 Physical Training Tips for Table Tennis Players – by Werner Schlager
• TableTennisUniversity.com

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to go and check out TableTennisUniversity.com (before the $100 off voucher expires on Sunday 8th September).

And it would be amazing if you could support this podcast by sharing it with your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us an honest iTunes Podcast review.

We’ll be back with Episode #7 at the very end of September. As always, if you have a good idea for a topic, do send me an email!

The post Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger Table Tennis (S02E06) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis.

If you struggle to beat your nerves, handle the pressure of a big match or manage your crazy emotions at the table – and let’s be honest, that’s all of us, at one time or another – then this is the episode for you!

Sponsored by… Eastfield Co.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Eastfield (my table tennis equipment brand) and in particular, the Eastfield Offensive Table Tennis Bat.

The Eastfield Offensive is the bat that I’ve been using for the past year or so. Harrie also uses the Eastfield Offensive and so does Sam Priestley – on the rare occasions when he actually plays table tennis.

If you’d like to find out more about the Eastfield Offensive you can read my full review here.

If you’re a beginner (still developing a solid/correct technique), our lovely Eastfield Allround bat is probably a better fit for you right now.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Harrie’s summer training is coming along
• What Harrie does when he gets really angry playing table tennis
• Some of my experiences learning to manage my emotions
• Why you need to understand your own personality/character
• That you should judge your performance on your decision making
• What happened to me at JBL when I let pressure get the best of me
• What to do when you’re really nervous and anxious
• Why deep breathing can be helpful
• How briefly removing yourself from the table is a good idea
• Why you should start aggressively and be prepared to lose the first game/set if you need to
• How to use positive self-talk during your games
• Why you should “be more Paul Paulding” (and what that means)
• And loads more!

Links from this episode:

• Epic Table Tennis (Harrie’s inactive blog)
• Harrie’s Instagram
• Mental Training for Table Tennis
• The Ultimate Guide to Table Tennis Psychology
• 11 Mental Toughness Tips for Table Tennis Players (by Werner Schlager)
• Sometimes to Win the War You’ve Got to Lose a Battle
• TableTennisDaily Academy
• Eastfield Co.

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to go and check out EastfieldCo.com (if you haven’t already). We’ve got a growing range of Eastfield bats, rubbers, blades, bat cases, and t-shirts available.

And it would be amazing if you could support this podcast by sharing it with your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us an honest iTunes Podcast review.

We’ll be back with Episode #6 at the end of August. If you have a good idea for a topic, do send me an email!

The post Beating Nerves, Handling Pressure, and Managing Your Emotions (S02E05) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis.

If you’re looking to add some more table tennis drills into your training, this is the episode for you. We’ll be sharing some regular, irregular, multiball, and service/return drills.

Sponsored by… Eastfield Co.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Eastfield (my table tennis equipment brand) and in particular, the Eastfield Offensive Table Tennis Bat.

The Eastfield Offensive is the bat that I’ve been using for the past year or so. Harrie also uses the Eastfield Offensive and so does Sam Priestley – on the rare occasions when he actually plays table tennis.

If you’d like to find out more about the Eastfield Offensive you can read my full review here.

We had a bit of a rush of sales during the first few months of 2019 and we ended up totally selling out everywhere. I’m pleased to say that we are now back in stock in the UK and Europe and we’ve got a new batch arriving in the US tomorrow.

If you’re a beginner (still developing a solid/correct technique), our lovely Eastfield Allround bat is probably a better fit for you right now.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why everyone should practice table tennis drills
• If table tennis drills will make you “too robotic”
• About some of the different types of drills
• Drill #1: Xs & Hs
• Drill #2: The Switching Drill
• Drill #3: Japanese Box Footwork
• Drill #4: Multiball Open-Ups
• Drill #5: The Falkenberg Drill
• Bonus Drill: Pushing Games
• And loads more!

Links from this episode:

• Epic Table Tennis (Harrie’s inactive blog)
• Harrie’s Instagram
• Are Table Tennis Drills a Waste of Time?
• Rhythm & Timing – Underrated Table Tennis Skills
• Eastfield Co.

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to go and check out EastfieldCo.com (if you haven’t already). We’ve got a growing range of Eastfield bats, rubbers, blades, bat cases, and t-shirts available.

And it would be amazing if you could support this podcast by sharing it with your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us an honest iTunes Podcast review.

I’ll be back with Episode #5 at the end of July. If you have a good idea for a topic, do send me an email!

The post Harrie’s Top 5 Table Tennis Drills (S02E04) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis.

We break the year up into three phases; pre-season (May-August), first-half (September-December), and second-half (January-April). We also speak in terms of process, performance, and outcome goals – I explain what that means in the episode.

Sponsored by… TableTennisUniversity.com

Today’s episode is sponsored by TableTennisUniversity.com (one of the other websites I run).

Table Tennis University is a revolutionary online training program created by former Chinese pro, Tao Li. It was designed to transform you into an elite, well-respected table tennis player in the shortest time possible!

Join TODAY, as a free member, and you’ll gain access to;

• 3 of the 52 video lessons
• 3 of the 148 drill demonstrations
• 3 of the 60 coach’s questions videos

TTU really is a fantastic introduction to mastering the sport of table tennis and I’m convinced that you will be blown away by both the quality of the course platform and Coach Li’s excellent instruction. Join TODAY!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Harrie views his 2018/19 table tennis season
• Whether he played as much as he wanted to
• What his favourite weekly training session is and why
• Which areas of his game improved the most this year
• Which aspects have been letting him down performance-wise
• The styles/players Harrie likes and dislikes playing against
• How he did in the Maidstone and Medway leagues
• What his plans are for pre-season summer training
• And loads more!

Links from this episode:

• Epic Table Tennis (Harrie’s inactive blog)
• Harrie’s Instagram
• The 80/40 Rule – Setting Goals for Next Season
• Are You Doing What You Think You’re Doing?
• 5 Tips to Help You Thrive in the New Table Tennis Season
• Maidstone Table Tennis League
• Medway Table Tennis League
• Table Tennis University (with Coach Tao Li)

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to go and check out TableTennisUniversity.com (if you haven’t already) and sign up as a free member to gain access to those coaching videos.

And it would be amazing if you could support this podcast by sharing it with your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us an honest iTunes Podcast review.

I’ll be back with Episode #4 towards the end of June. If you have a good idea for a topic, do send me an email!

The post Harrie’s 2018/19 End-of-Season Review (S02E03) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis.

Harrie’s been playing table tennis for about two and a half years now so, in effect, I’m asking him… “If you could go back in time to when you first started; What would you tell yourself? What would you do differently? What do you think you did right?

Sponsored by… TableTennisUniversity.com

Today’s episode is sponsored by TableTennisUniversity.com (one of the other websites I run).

Table Tennis University is a revolutionary online training program created by former Chinese pro, Tao Li. It was designed to transform you into an elite, well-respected table tennis player in the shortest time possible!

Join TODAY, as a free member, and you’ll gain access to;

• 3 of the 52 video lessons
• 3 of the 148 drill demonstrations
• 3 of the 60 coach’s questions videos

TTU really is a fantastic introduction to mastering the sport of table tennis and I’m convinced that you will be blown away by both the quality of the course platform and Coach Li’s excellent instruction. Join TODAY!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you need to find yourself a training buddy
• Whether you should buy a table tennis table for your home
• The importance of mastering the basics early on
• Whether it’s a good idea to watch and copy the professionals
• Why you MUST learn about spin and how to deal with it
• Why it’s worth starting competitive table tennis as soon as possible
• What kind of equipment a beginner needs
• What kind of training and drill a beginner should do
• Whether you should enter a difficult league or an easy league
• And loads more!

Links from this episode:

• Epic Table Tennis (Harrie’s inactive blog)
• Harrie’s Instagram
• The Best Table Tennis Bat for Beginners
• Palio Expert 2 Table Tennis Bat (Harrie’s First Bat)
• The Best Table Tennis Tables
• 6 Year Old Chinese Kid Training Table Tennis (YouTube)
• The 80/40 Rule – Setting Goals for Next Season
• Table Tennis University (with Coach Tao Li)

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to go and check out TableTennisUniversity.com (if you haven’t already) and sign up as a free member to gain access to those coaching videos.

And it would be amazing if you could support this podcast by sharing it with your friends, subscribing on iTunes, and leaving us an honest iTunes Podcast review.

I’ll be back with Episode #3 towards the end of May. We’re going to be doing a review of Harrie’s 2018/19 table tennis season – which is something that I think all table tennis players should do.

Do drop me an email if you’ve got questions for Harrie, or any suggestions for topics you’d like us to discuss.

The post The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Table Tennis (S02E02) appeared first on Expert Table Tennis.