The Travelling Coach

I have put up here the 10 most common pitfalls made by players. As a coach and player myself you would easily notice these errors to be very common to most beginners and even to some intermediate players. 1. Grip Getting the correct grip is one of the most common mistakes made by players especially beginners. An incorrect grip impairs your chances of playing the right stroke and use of wrist and bat arm. Master the basic and stick with the conventional Table Tennis Grip. Sir Philip Uy using his deadly penhold grip 2. Don’t Just Push It – Stroke It Do you still remember your first competition? This common mistakes tends to happen to new players that just beginning to compete. They try to steer the ball and control it instead of stroking it and hitting opportunity shots. Trying to get the ball over the net instead of winning the point with the stroke he practiced for many hours. This seems to be the default move when a player becomes too nervous to even move. Just rel...

Are you preparing for a competition? Here are some of basic tips when preparing for a competition:  1. Maximize you Training. You will have to plan each session divided into goals on which skill or technique you want to improve on. This includes planning your drill sequence too. 2. Improve your training efficiency by utilizing resources. It means a lot to have a coach guide you all the way but you can also check instructional videos, videos of Elite players or you can “youtube” your way to your opponents’ previous matches. 3. Vary your training in to several Phases . This is also known as the Cycle Training. If you are a varsity player your coach has already taken care of this but, if you are not, it would be very important to schedule aerobic exercise, footwork, stroking drills and strengthening workouts. This will prepare you both physically and mentally as you go from 80% physical training to a more less physical/technical to highly strat...

Good news guys! The Travelling coach is now also accesible on Facebook. You can now see more candid pictures of your favorite clubs on your favorite social website. I have been travelling North and Central Luzon for more than 3 years now and a few months back I thought of connecting players by sharing their stories to other clubs. Table Tennis as a sport is just a small world and yet some don't know that there is an existing club just a few blocks away from their home. This site is created to bridge clubs and all those who love the sport. To those who share the passion and love for table tennis. And for all who wants to know the secret behind successful clubs and players and how they made it to the top.   Follow the stories here and see all the pics on FB. I can tag your pics and you can easily email me if you have any queries. The family is growing and this is getting to be bigger than I expected. I will be visiting more clubs and featuring great players b...

Coach Greg Guasch. Real talent shines in the dark. I've been visiting Winzone even before I started blogging Table Tennis clubs. I just haven't had the chance to take photos of our dedicated friends here in Tarlac. Winzone is located just in front of SM Tarlac in Tarlac City. Originally this place like smash is a badminton arena but when you place a Butterfly table tennis table definetely pro players will come rushing in to play. I had a chance to talk to Coach Greg and reminisce the humble beginnings of the group. 3TC as they call the group, short for Tarlac Table Tennis Club started way back in 2004 by Mr. John David a professor in TSU. Coach Boyang Ebuen as I was told played and taught here in the City and produced top players before he settled in Manila. BATATEC - Bamban Table Tennis Club has also been a major influence in Tarlac's table tennis realm. I would really have to visit the place and have to find out my self the secret behind Tarla...

For more than 30 years this club may have changed names but the passion to train the youth and the fruits of its creator has definitely made its mark in table tennis society. I can't be happier to see these young kids training and enjoying at the same time.  I left home to visit Coach German Tuazon to drop by some stuff in San Juaquin Pasig. It never stops to amaze me to see that after almost a decade when I had my training sessions with Coach German that the same intensity and enthusiasm with the sport still burns in this place.  These new breed of young athletes will find their way to the top guided by the new generation of Trainers and Coaches - Gerald Tuazon, Michael Gan and Doc Jerome. It's now our time to return the favor and teach these children to reach their dream.  The wall design is Gabel Tuazon's artwork. I have always admired the Tuazon families inclination to sports, art and Music. I mentioned music because th...

If you like eating that much there is no other place in the country that is best to visit than Pampanga. Kapampangans are well known for their culinary skills. That is why it is the "Center for Culinary Arts." Yes, Sisig was born here! Anyway, I'm not here to make you hungry but to make you want to get your table tennis racket and swing it away. I happen to visit one of the largest fitness center in San Fernando Pampanga - SMASH POWER. And yes it is a haven for Badminton players because it is primarily a badminton house not until last year that they invested on Tables Tennis Equipments. And not just tables - Butterfly Table Tennis Tables! 4 Tables protected by plactic to prevent dust. These 25k peso babies are really well taken care of. Refreshments and some snacks Well, I only saw a few butterfly balls on sale but Badminton enthusiasts would be happy to see the displays And these too! Or Table Tennis might not be ...

The 10 hour drive from Manila was all worth it! A relief from the complicated life in the Metro City. As their web site would describe,” a lush plain at the northern gateway to Isabela announces the entry to Region 2's most vibrant, most talked-about, and most exciting premier city. At its southern entrance, a picturesque view of rice fields expanding against a burgeoning metropolitan backdrop of buildings and housing subdivisions greets the eye with a rousing welcome that sings again and again here at its eastern and western passages the rhapsodies of a booming economy: spouting commercial clusters, huge and imposing grain stations, and people happily going about the path to fulfillment.” What is more fulfilling is to meet the city’s table tennis pride. It was Jun Ducusin Santiago City Table Tennis Club coach who patiently guided me on my way to SCTTC venue.   Atty. Artemio Villaluz owns the place. He told me that after work he just wanted to play table tennis...