With the recent one ITTF Coaches Conference in London, Danish table tennis legend Michael Maze captivated the audience with his mix of humor, honesty and deep insight into modern table tennis.
A former European champion in both singles and team events, Maze shared how his daily training routines combined structure and spontaneity, from classic backhand/forehand drills to free-play match simulations that tested decision-making under pressure. He highlighted how today’s young players often focus heavily on speed and intensity, sometimes overlooking the art of changing rhythm by using variation to create mistakes rather than simply overwhelm their opponents.
What Maze focused on and really tried to get the audience to resonate with was his message creativity. He encouraged coaches to let young players experiment with “playing with imagination” – including trying out new shots, ideas and game situations without fear of failure, especially in practice.
“It’s not about being a machine, you have to play for fun, develop crazy things, that’s where the magic comes from, he said.” It was a brilliant reminder that technical discipline and creative freedom do not compete with each other, but complement each other.
Practical tip from the conference – “When you return, stay back, stay low and relaxed and have a loose grip, always with an open mind.”
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