Tag Archive for 'tennis tavolo'

Table tennis fights the multiple sclerosis

Published on November 29, 2023 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: Antonio Barbera, sclerosi multipla, tennis tavolo.

Antonio Barbera, an Italian doctor living in the United States for over two decades, faced a significant life shift when he experienced two episodes of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), causing severe physical impairments. MS is a neurodegenerative condition affecting the central nervous system, leading to damage to nerve fibers’ protective sheath (myelin) and nerve cells.

After battling the aftermath of MS attacks, BARBERA noticed that playing table tennis (TT) seemed to alleviate one of his “invisible symptoms”—a constant sense of chest tightness. Inspired by this personal revelation, he delved into research to explore the potential benefits of TT for individuals with neurodegenerative conditions like MS, Parkinson’s (PD), and Alzheimer’s (AD).

Antonio founded the non-profit organization Table Tennis Connections, aiming to raise awareness about TT’s multitude of benefits. He initiated the NeuroPongTM Project, a TT program tailored for people with neurodegenerative conditions. Antonio’s objective is not only to promote the physical, emotional, and social advantages of TT but also to scientifically support its efficacy in aiding brain functionality.

Understanding the concept of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new cells and connections through proper training, Antonio aims to utilize TT as a tool to enhance the cognitive abilities of those with neurodegenerative conditions. The NeuroPongTM Project has taken root in various locations in the United States, collaborating with medical institutions and Memory Care centers.

Expanding the project globally, Antonio brought it to Italy in collaboration with the Mondino Foundation and the ASD TT 2009 Association. A research protocol on the benefits of TT for individuals with MS was established, involving local medical professionals and TT enthusiasts. Dr. Barbera’s collaboration with the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Foundation further underscores the scientific backing of his project.

Presenting his findings at the first World Congress TT4 Health Congress in Crete, Greece, organized by the ITTF Foundation, Antonio showed the positive effects of TT on individuals living with PD. Another protocol focusing on participants with AD is set to commence in Colorado.

The NeuroPongTM Project aspires to engage more European locations, fostering collaboration between healthcare providers, TT clubs, and local communities to promote the holistic benefits of this remarkable sport.

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The problems of young athletes

Published on January 17, 2023 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: scherma, tennis tavolo.

These days I have written relatively less than usual because I have been asking myself questions that I have had difficulty answering.

They are these, and they affect boys and girls indistinctly:

In tennis, many people like to shoot strong, which might even be fine if the ball most of the time fell on the court, in reality the opposite happens. Why is it so difficult to get this idea out of their heads?
Toni Nadal said that an important difference between Rafa and today’s young people is that Rafa when he improved maintained that level without going back, while today this does not happen: you improve, you play a few matches well and then you go back. I experience the same situation myself. How come?
Why is it that many athletes having reached an important world ranking become afraid of the effort they have to make to improve it and almost prefer to go backwards in ranking?
What drives an athlete in opposition sports (tennis, table tennis, fencing), in which one has to go through multiple rounds of competition to at least make it to the semifinals or finals to settle for an inferior result and stop playing their best?
Why do some athletes explain a defeat by saying that the opponent was stronger? As if being strong was an absolute category that leaves no chance?
And never mind those who attribute their failures to technical problems; if that were true why do they play or compete instead of quitting and waiting to improve technique?

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Team tennis table world championships

Published on September 28, 2022 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: Giorgia Piccolin, mondiali, tennis tavolo.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italiano.

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How difficult is it to become a top junior athlete?

Published on July 14, 2021 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: badminton, Boxe, scherma, Tennis, tennis tavolo.

How difficult is it to become a junior athlete at the international level?

In opposition sports where you fight directly against another opponent it is very difficult, because beyond the sporting skills and the physical skills, the mental element is what determines success.

By this I do not mean that there is a mental prevalence over the other two components, but that without mental guidance and with a reduced degree of agonism it will not be possible for the athlete to express his sporting and motor skills.

In opposition sports speed and precision are two inseparable aspects of performance. It is clear that those who train to combine these two characteristics together run a greater risk of making mistakes, but another option is not possible. If you slow down too much you become predictable and the lack of precision means that you’ll throw shots randomly.

Training on these two aspects, also involves working mentally to maintain a high level of confidence even if at first you will make more mistakes. Maintaining a high level of confidence, however, will allow you to persevere with this type of training and, recover quickly from mistakes and compete with greater conviction.

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Tennis table mind aspects

Published on January 28, 2021 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: Campioni, Fitet, mente, tennis tavolo.

Table tennis interview Alberto Cei about the mental aspects of this sport.

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10 aspects of tennis table

Published on January 25, 2021 in Allenatori, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi and Stress. 0 Comments Tags: coaching, mente, tennis tavolo.

Today I have been interviewed by the Italian tennis table federation.

I propose again the 10 key points to be aware of and know how to accept in table tennis to be a winner.

Table tennis is a sport in which every player makes many mistakes
You can win till the last point
Concentration must be high and consistent at every point and up to the last
You have to react positively immediately after every single mistake
The service is decisive
It is necessary to have a specific pre-race routine
It is necessary to have a routine between the points
Even the champions are in trouble but they know what to do to get out of it.
In defense: play an extra ball!
Chen Bin, coach of Ding Ning, Olympic gold medalist: “Table tennis is not just about hitting the ball on the table, you have to return the ball, you have to feel how the ball comes towards you, and visualize how your ball will end up on the opponent’s table when you hit it again”

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10 good reasons to take a deep breath

Published on December 14, 2020 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: respirare, respiro profondo, tennis tavolo.

10 good reasons to learn to take a deep breath

improves self-control in stress situations
improves the management of physical and mental fatigue
first action to take when you want to relax
precedes the visualization of a technical or competition action
reduces the mental tension and stimulates effective thoughts
promotes muscle stretching during this phase of training
reduces impulsive verbal responses
facilitates immediate recovery after a high intensity exercise
further deepens the focus on the task
reduces pre-race or competitive activation if it’s the case

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10 key points in table tennis

Published on November 6, 2020 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: nazionale, squadra, table tennis, tennis tavolo, winner.

10 key points to be aware of and know how to accept in table tennis to be a winner.

Table tennis is a sport in which every player makes many mistakes
You can win till the last point
Concentration must be high and consistent at every point and up to the last
You have to react positively immediately after every single mistake
The service is decisive
It is necessary to have a specific pre-race routine
It is necessary to have a routine between the points
Even the champions are in trouble but they know what to do to get out of it.
In defense: play an extra ball!
Chen Bin, coach of Ding Ning, Olympic gold medalist: “Table tennis is not just about hitting the ball on the table, you have to return the ball, you have to feel how the ball comes towards you, and visualize how your ball will end up on the opponent’s table when you hit it again”

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The break management could determine the result

Published on June 10, 2020 in Allenatori, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: gioco, pausa, tennis tavolo.

During this time I work a lot with shooting, tennis and table tennis. You may wonder what they have in common: the breaks between shots and points. These athletes share another characteristic, they often do not train this phase of the performance, and this has negative effects on the next phase. They do not train the break because it is usually considered a non-technical phase; so it is not the task of the instructor when you are a child and then the coach to teach you how to manage it.

The break is a break, so there is nothing to teach, maybe you should check your breathing and think positive about the next action. You say it in words but you don’t practice it. Some athletes understand its importance and also for this reason they become champions. Most of them, live it waiting it finishes, better if in a hurry to return to the race. In fact, this idea “return to the race” is another common thought among athletes. Pauses represent a break in performance and are not part of the performance. With this you can’t go far, rifles can’t be broken but racquets can; they are much cheaper.

Many athletes grow up with this mindset towards breaks, they consider them an annoying part of the race and, therefore, when they are in agitation or are losing they accelerate this phase to return immediately to the race and try to recover. The effects are usually disastrous and they convince themselves that they are not able to play, while instead they don’t just know how to manage the breaks.

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