I started lessons last Tues with one of the top 3 p_layer_s in North America...Wang Shen(sp?). Wang is a right handed smooth all out attacker....and looks to be about 18 yrs old. Our 'deal' prior to starting lessons was that I would pay $400.00 up front for 10, one hour and ten minute lessons, every Tues from 7:30pm to 8:40pm...the extra 10 minutes after the hour being for match play. Although Shen's English is much better than I had originally anticipated it was suggested by the clubs owner, that the hour and ten minutes of instruction should *also include English instruction for Wang. No problem.

What Wang talked about:

Wang noted that my fh stroke, although technically correct was too slow and lacked the speed needed to overpower higher rated opponents.

I then taught him the English phrase "head speed" and we agreed that one focus for me should be on generating more head speed for contact. Moving more forward during the stroke was also suggested as a way for me to increase ball speed.

We then hit some bh's and I was doing some real nice punches...with no arc line...he noted that I should have just a little more arc and that punches were good for individual shots but not for prolonged rallies. I backed up a bit and started looping..breaking my wrist a lot...and he told me to not break the wrist too much but to punch more..



We started to do a fh to fh drill, both back 8-10 ft from the table..and he noted that I didnt get back into position fast enough after my stroke. I taught him the word "recovery" as it pertains to table tennis and asked him to use it in a sentence. After about 5 minutes I was clear as to what I had to do after my shots and he was clear on what the word "recovery" meant.

During match play Wang did some of the best side winding harlem globbe trotting strokes I have ever seen....shots that came in from so far around the net assembly it was scary. I interrupted a match to teach him the words "side winder"...which he seemed particularly pleased about...I presume because it appears to be one of his best shots...

I told him it was a lot of fun practicing with him because he likes to laugh. He thought it was a little odd that a student would be enjoying himself so much.
"A little different than in China when you were growing up" I said. "Very different" Wang remarked..."In China, I dont say anything...just practice"

We talked about Grubba and his two handed abilities...Kreanga, and his poor recovery time...and Jiang Jiliang and the time he lost his voice for 30 hrs when he was 14 yrs old presumably because of having pee'd on a tombstone in a graveyard after training. I knew this due to one of JJ's team-mates at the time having worked for my company on occassion.

The session was filmed...as will the next 9 be. We finished by shaking hands and me commenting that the last 70 minutes were "outstanding"..."outstanding?" he asked inquisitively....."yes, you're outstanding..thanks a lot...see you next week"

Rick