DaveR
01-23-2008, 10:22 PM
Table Tennis Fitness...............is it iportant at every level ?
There are so many areas of this its nearly impossible to add it in one thread ! ..........
Beginners need to be as fit if not fitter in my opinion to even start and carry the basics onwards, with success and improvement only moving forward if they are willing to put the time and effort into the whole package. As a beginner your technique and stroke play are only just developing which means your fitness is only relevant to your movement towards the ball, that said total fitness for the young and the beginner should be a must.
The worst area we see or i see is the intermediate or higher level players who have been playing for a long period of time with the fitness being allowed to drop off dramatically, this is probably an area in the UK table Tennis players and many other sports we fall down in relation to our neighbours such as the French, German and other main powers in the sport.
The fitness of local league players is probably nothing short of average if not lower ...............why is we allow ourselves to let this slip ?
Is it "comfort" ie players find their own happy level and will just go through the motions not challenged so therefore it matters less. Or is it just sheer laziness on behalf of the general players ?
I would opt for both options as most are comfortable aswell as lazy and will generally "get by" with the way they are at the time whilst still gaining results.
How many players admit to running out of steam when its close or even losing the match for a fitness reason ?
There are so many areas of this its nearly impossible to add it in one thread ! ..........
Beginners need to be as fit if not fitter in my opinion to even start and carry the basics onwards, with success and improvement only moving forward if they are willing to put the time and effort into the whole package. As a beginner your technique and stroke play are only just developing which means your fitness is only relevant to your movement towards the ball, that said total fitness for the young and the beginner should be a must.
The worst area we see or i see is the intermediate or higher level players who have been playing for a long period of time with the fitness being allowed to drop off dramatically, this is probably an area in the UK table Tennis players and many other sports we fall down in relation to our neighbours such as the French, German and other main powers in the sport.
The fitness of local league players is probably nothing short of average if not lower ...............why is we allow ourselves to let this slip ?
Is it "comfort" ie players find their own happy level and will just go through the motions not challenged so therefore it matters less. Or is it just sheer laziness on behalf of the general players ?
I would opt for both options as most are comfortable aswell as lazy and will generally "get by" with the way they are at the time whilst still gaining results.
How many players admit to running out of steam when its close or even losing the match for a fitness reason ?