Friday 1st December
OK, lets see how things are progressing so far, now that I've had a week and a bit to start getting things together.Fitness
I finally pulled out the callipers today, and according to the chart I'm at 15.7% bodyfat and 88kg (194 pounds). My first fitness goal is to get to 10% bodyfat, which means about 82.42kg or 181.7 pounds, assuming I can hold on to my muscle at the same time.
To assist in that process, I started back on my weights program on Monday, and did my second session today. I'm aiming for two sessions per week, with each major muscle group done once per week. I haven't lost too much strength since my last workout way back in March or so, which is good. I'm not trying to body-build here, just maintain my muscle as much as possible while I'm dropping bodyfat.
Speaking of dropping bodyfat, I've also started my aerobic sessions as well, with two sessions done this week just before the weights. I'll be hoping to up this a little more in the weeks to come. Add in a training session with my regular partner Frank Kenny on Tuesday, and another session with Becky Sparkes, Michael Gallagher and my partner on Wednesday, and I've made a reasonable start to things.
Mental
I've pulled out my copy of "With Winning in Mind", and will be having another read of this book on the weekend. I've already done much of the prep work in the past for using this book, but I want to have a complete refresh before starting my mental program again.
Equipment
I've pretty much locked down my equipment for the next year. On the advice of Paul Pinkewich (an almost legendary chopper in Australia), I've tried a couple of long pips without sponge on my backhand, and I've settled for Stiga Destroyer. I'm really happy with how this rubber feels and the control I'm getting with it at the moment. On the forehand I'm sticking with my Joola Tango Defensive 1.2mm, on a Butterfly Timo Boll Spirit blade. I've also bought an iPod 2nd Generation Shuffle to make the aerobics and weights more enjoyable without bothering my neighbours. This has proved to be a very good investment - I'm getting plenty of use out of it so far.
Competition
I won't have much in the way of official competition until February or so, when our local summer pennant competition starts. But I do feel that I'm playing all right at the moment, so I have a fairly solid base to build from in the months to come.
OK, that's it for the moment. I've made a fairly gentle start to things since my last blog post, and I'm pretty happy with where I'm at here and now. I'll continue to expand my plan in the months to come, although right now I've got my 36th birthday and Christmas coming up, and my main goal is to avoid splurging on my diet too much in December!
Monday 20th November 2006
I got back from my trip on Wednesday the 15th of November, and have been catching up with everything since then.The trip to New Zealand was a lot of fun and a good holiday. Table Tennis-wise, I had a good time at the Waikato Spring Open, and was able to win the Mens Singles and Mixed Doubles as well. Here are some photos of the center and players.
I also got to check out the main Auckland stadium. Very nice! 20 odd tables, and open all day and night. Hopefully I'll have the chance to come over again and play some competitions there soon.
Now it's time to start taking stock of what I want to do in 2007. Once again, the Australian Open Championships is my main goal. I felt I was a better player in 2006 compared to 2005, but still a fair bit short of achieving that prized Top 10 position in the Order of Merit for the tournament. So I've still got a lot of work to do yet.
First things first then. In terms of fitness, I've let things slip a bit, with the result that I'm now around 87.5 kg, up from 83kg at my best. I need to get down to 77kg or so, so I know what I've got to be doing for the next few months there.
Regarding technique, I've still got a few areas that need some solid work, serve return and counter looping spring to mind. I'm sure that there are others though.
On the mental side, I'm going to have to dig out my copy of 'With Winning in Mind' and get back into it. Now's the time to get the mental side right again, and do it properly this time.
Anyway, that's a rough overview of where I am now. I'll check back soon with my efforts at refining my plan for the upcoming year - there will be a lot to flesh out over the next couple of weeks.
Wednesday 1st November 2006
I'm writing this just before I start packing my bags to go to New Zealand for a couple of weeks. I'll be playing in one of the local tournaments (the Waikato Spring Open, in Hamilton), and then taking a look around the North Island for a while.Naturally enough, I'll also be trying to check out a couple of the New Zealand clubs if I can, such as the Hamilton club and the Auckland club for starters.
So I'm going to go and play a little table tennis, have a good holiday, and then launch back into my training for next years Australian Open. I'll update my blog with how I am finding things in New Zealand if I can find an Internet cafe over there somewhere.
Friday 20th October 2006
Hi all - and welcome to the new incarnation of my personal table tennis/ ping-pong blog! In the months to come, I'll be using this blog to talk about my progress towards the 2007 Australian Open Championships, as well as what is happening in my own local scene.You'll be able to read about exactly what training I am doing to help prepare myself for competition, what tactics and strategies I am using, and the highs and lows of the whole year.
So buckle up, and get ready for another great ride!
For those of you interested in my past personal ping-pong blogs, you can find links to them below.
