June 1, 2016
Yin and Yang – Forehand and Backhand?
I was contemplating how many players favor the backhand on short balls, but the forehand on long ones, and realized it was just Yin and Yang. In Chinese philosophy, "this describes how opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another."
Now look at the symbol for Yin and Yang, which is from the page linked above. (Ignore the two dots – perhaps they represent holes in your game?) Imagine the white is your backhand, the black the forehand. Then when the ball lands short (the top of the picture), you only cover a little of the table with the forehand, while covering most with the backhand – all that white up there. But as you move away, the black area increases while the white decreases, as the forehand coverage goes up while the backhand coverage decreases. Yin and Yang!
I'm sure some of you could write more on the various Yin and Yangs in table tennis. And of course it's not all Yin and Yang – some, like myself, sometimes favor the forehand even on short balls. (I can go both ways – sometimes receiving nearly every short ball with my backhand, other times nearly all with my forehand.)
Strange World Veterans Dream
Here's a strange one. The World Veterans Games has been lots of publicity recently, and now it's entered my dreams! Last night I dreamed I was trying to enter the 2018 World Veterans in Las Vegas. Co-chairs Dan Seemiller and Dave Sakai were sitting on big white horses as I approached, also on a big horse. (Not sure the color.) I tried entering one of the doubles events, and indicated as my partner the person suddenly appearing next to me, also on a big horse, but with face obscured. Dan and Dave pointed at him, and he exploded! Then I tried entering another doubles event with another partner, but again they pointed at him and he exploded. This happened over and over as I tried entering doubles events ranging from over 40 to over 80. At the end I was yelling, "Why won't you let me play???" as I woke up.
Here's the picture of Dave and Dan I linked to yesterday, receiving the World Veterans flag, but they must have left their big white horses behind. Here they are again, this time on horseback!!!
MDTTC Open House Video
The video (4:18, by Ming Li) and article were featured as a USATT news item yesterday!
Our Biggest Mistake: Talent Selection Instead of Talent Identification
Here's the article, which is about all sports, but probably applies to table tennis as well.
What Makes a Great Table Tennis Club?
Here's the new article from Coach Jon.
An Interview with USA Table Tennis CEO Gordon Kaye
Here's the interview from NBC Olympics.
US Olympic Team Set to Face Challenge at Special LYTTC Exhibition Event
Here's the article.
History of U.S. Table Tennis, Volume 17 (1989-1990)
Here's chapter 11! Or order your own print copies at TimBogganTableTennis.com.
Table Tennis in Schools in Czech Republic
Here's the video (2:15) as they do a demo and clinic at a school, part of a nationwide project called, if my online translator is accurate, "one for all and all for table."
Aerobic Table Tennis being in the Northwest Territories
Here's the video (1:47) from Canada.
Vintage English Tape – 1950s? – Training, Six on a Table, etc.
Here's the video (1:49). Note how the kids were chopping back then!
Pong Cupcakes
Here's the picture.
Darth Maul Changes Weapons
Which is more deadly?
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