Peak Performance Table Tennis

by Kevin Finn

Overview

What athlete hasn’t become frustrated at losing a game, not because they were outplayed or outmatched, but because they gassed out, had a mental lapse, or just couldn’t get in the zone? Peak Performance Table Tennis comprehensively covers those game aspects needed for peak performance and provides actionable steps for athletes to ensure they are in the best possible position to perform at their peak when it matters most.

This book contains cutting-edge sports science, curated specifically for table tennis athletes. It dives deep into sports nutrition, supplementation, training methodologies, advanced recovery tactics, injury prevention, psychological and emotional skills training, motor learning, and more.

In the book, the reader will find

* science-based methods to prevent choking during critical matches;

* how-to on making the training form “stick” by reorganizing practice in a way that enhances motor learning with no extra time required;

* information on how to fuel performance using advanced sports nutrition;

* the author’s secret “looper” formula which enhances cognitive functioning and bottles that “in the zone” feeling;

* a controversial, but evidence-based supplement recommendation;

* how-to on hacking sleep patterns and using biorhythmic optimization to improve performance, enhance body composition, and more;

* the counterintuitive secret to increasing speed, power, and agility in table tennis;

* how-to on becoming bulletproof—including the author’s novel “spidersilk tendon protocol” methods to boost recovery and avoid getting sick;

* a scientific approach to achieving the “flow state;”

* a secret from the Chinese National Team on how to control the flow of play and find that winning momentum;

* expert interviews with top players and coaches from around the world;

* and much, much more...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782552284
Publisher:	Meyer & Meyer Sport
Publication date:	11/01/2021
Pages:	472
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Kevin Finn is a strength and conditioning specialist, a certified speed and agility coach (CSAC), and the owner and creator of Peak Performance Table Tennis. As a strength training and nutritional consultant with a master’s degree in education, he specializes in breaking down complex information and arming people with the knowledge and tools necessary to transform their physiques and take their performances to the next level. Kevin’s love for table tennis began in high school. As a player, he specializes in playing defensively, losing frequently, and spending inordinate amounts of time researching and tweaking his setup. He can be found frequenting the online table tennis forums under the moniker, Joo Se Kev.

Table of Contents

A New Era 9

The Origins of This Book 11

What is Peak Performance? 13

What You Will Get From This Book 15

What You Won't Get From This Book 15

How to Use This Book 16

Get an Edge Over Your Competition With Personalized Online Performance Coaching 17

Section I Technical and Tactical Skills 18

Tapping Into the Matrix: Improve Your Table Tennis With Rapid Learning 20

What Does the Research Say Regarding Motor Learning? 22

Acclimatization Training 36

Set Challenging Goals 39

Method of Amplification of Error 40

Want to Get Better? Dream on! 41

Robot Training 42

A Note on Note-Taking 44

Beat Failures in Concentration 45

Tactical Skills: Creating Your "Vitruvian Man" and Building a Tactical Playbook 48

Strategy Versus Tactics 49

Creating Your "Vitruvian Man" 49

Getting Started With Tactics 51

Building a Tactical Playbook 54

Section II Psychological and Social/Emotional Skills 60

Mastering the Mental Game 62

The Benefits of Meditation 63

Using Meditation to Enhance Performance and Prevent Choking 66

Creating a Personalized Pre-Perform a nee Routine 70

Social and Emotional Skills 73

Fostering the Remaining Mental States for Peak Performance 75

The Motivation Myth: Achieving Success Through Habits, Coal Setting, Systems, and Structure 90

The Willpower Myth 91

Goal Setting 93

The Four Laws of Behavior Change 97

Creating Structure and Routine: Building Your "Perfect Week" 107

Section III Readiness 116

Sleep: The Dark Horse of Performance Enhancers 118

How to Improve Your Sleep 121

Biorhythmic Optimization 124

What About Naps? 125

Fighting Jet Lag 127

Becoming Bulletproof: Injury Prevention, Advanced Recovery Tactics, and Dealing With Sickness 130

How Much Is Too Much? Overreaching Versus Overtraining 134

Warming Up, Mobility, and Flexibility: How to Prepare for Physical Activity 138

Building Your Armor Through Resistance Training 143

Spidersilk Tendons 144

Novel Methods to Boost Recovery 148

Nutrition Protocol for Recovery When Injured 151

Reducing Illness: Steps for Prevention and "The Cure" 154

Section IV Sports Nutrition 162

Level One: Energy Balance, Caloric Intake, and Rate of Weight Change 166

Finding Your "Fighting Weight": BMI and Body Fat Percentages 169

Energy Balance: The Key to Controlling Your Weight 172

Getting the Scale Moving in the Right Direction: Practical Steps 179

Finding Maintenance Calories 179

Level Two: Macronutrient and Fiber Intake 186

The Athlete's "Clean Eating" Fallacy 187

Balancing the Three Macronutrients 191

Level Three: Micronutrient and Water Intake 207

Nutritional Myths and Fallacies 210

How to Increase Performance With Strategic Vegetable Consumption 220

Water intake 221

Level Four. Nutrient Timing and Meal Frequency 224

Common Misconceptions 225

Peri-Workout Nutrition: What to Eat Before Training 229

Intra-Workout Nutrition 231

Table Tennis Specific Recommendations 231

Peri-Workout Nutrition: What to Eat After Training 234

Determining Optimal Meal Frequency and Timing (When Does It Matter?) 235

Level Five: Supplementation 238

Performance Enhancers 239

General Health/Well-Being 243

The "Looper" Formula: Bottling That "In the Zone" Feeling 246

The "Black Market" Cognitive Enhancer 248

Putting It All Together: Practical Implementation, Dietary Heuristics, Kitchen Gadgets, and Sample Meal Plans 252

Dietary Heuristics: The "Rule of Two" 254

Dietary Heuristics:

Estimating Portions 256

Dietary Heuristics: The Minimalist Tracking Method 257

Useful Kitchen Gadgets 259

Sample Meal Plans 266

Section V Physical Training 276

Physical Training: Myths, Mistakes, and General Guidelines 278

The Anatomy of a Routine: Basic Terms, Principles, and Guidelines 279

How to Train for Key Athletic Attributes 288

Physical Training Myths 303

Holistic Periodization Model for Table Tennis: An Annual Plan 315

Phase I The Off-Season Preparatory Period (10-16 Weeks) 316

Phase II Pre-Season Power and Agility (6-8 Weeks) 344

Phase III The Competition Period (x Weeks) 359

Phase IV Transition Period (2-4 weeks) 363

Section VI Putting It All Together 364

Game Day Protocols: Achieving Peak Performance When It Counts 366

Step One: Come Prepared 366

Step Two: Manipulate Arousal to Achieve Peak Performance 368

Step Three: Control the Flow of Play and Find Your Winning Momentum 372

Interesting and Novel Performance Boosters 373

Expert Roundtable 378

List of Experts 379

Questions 382

Next Steps 409

Take Your Game to the Next Level! 410

Run a Training Camp or Coach a Team? 411

References 412

About the Author 469