Coaching yourself, part 2 of 5: in practice

1. What weaknesses are you trying to overcome?

2. What average shots are you trying to turn into strengths?

3. What strengths are you trying to turn into overpowering qualities?

1. Players practice the same things they have always practiced, strengthening the strengths these exercises develop while ignoring everything else, including weaknesses.

2. General exercises that do not target the specific area you need to work on. For example, if you have a good counterloop, but have difficulty counterlooping an opponent’s first loop against backspin, incorporate that into your practice. If you just serve topspin and go straight to counterlooping, you won’t address the actual problem. (An opening loop against backspin is different from a loop against topspin: it has more spin and a shorter arc.)

3. It’s not just about improving weaknesses – you have to overpower your strengths too! Perform game-like exercises that allow you to do this. This includes focusing on developing serves, receptions, strikes, and footwork that create the overwhelming forces.

4. Practice shooting at a pace where you are not consistent. If you do that, you’re just practicing grilling. Focus on consistency and good technique, building up the pace as you improve.

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