Winning Table Tennis: Skills, Drills, and Strategies

by Dan Seemiller and Mark Holowchak

Book Overview

Five-time U.S. singles and 11-time doubles champion Dan Seemiller, possibly the best American table tennis player ever, shares his secrets for top-level play in Winning Table Tennis: Skills, Drills, and Strategies. Readers will learn the best table tennis techniques, strategies, and conditioning methods for success. The authors provide beginning through advanced players with practical tips that make a difference. The book features 29 drills for developing better shot-making skills. Seemiller's creative shot and grip innovations will give players an edge. The 124 photos and illustrations make it easy for players to learn the proper techniques and sharpen skills. Plus, the book offers drill variations designed to hone the skills of advanced players and professionals. Winning Table Tennis shows players how to - choose the right equipment, - serve and return serves, - use proper footwork and get into position, - practice more efficiently, - prepare for competitions, - make effective strategy decisions in singles and doubles play, and - condition the body for optimal performance. Also provided is a conditioning program to help prevent injuries and prepare players for optimal performance.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0880115203
• ISBN13: 9780880115209
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Helpful for Intermediate even Advanced Players

If you're looking for a "Teach yourself Table Tennis 101" type of book, this is not the one. In fact, this book is targetting to most intermediate and advanced table tennis players, although it covers some basic materials and standard strokes in a couple of chapters. Most players focus on improving their looping and attacking skills. However, the author kept emphasizing the effectiviness of enhancing the match results by practicing serves and improving footwork. He did a good job on the chapter about the serves. He explained all the key important placements of the serves for various siturations and effects. For the footwork techniques, the lateral two-step, the up-and-back two-step, the backhand-corner two-step, and the lateral crossover are all covered in pictorial step-by-step details. Readers can easily follow and practice. The author also gave out some tips on tournament tactics, like ball placement, the short game, and varying the spin. Overall the book is good except the chapters on conditioning drills are a bit basic and weak. (Reviewed by Otto Yuen, 14-Jan-2006)

Indispensable for TT players who really want to win.

This book is for players who already know how to play TT. It doesn't include the TT rules. Ideal for intermediate-level players who want to progress up to "professional" level. This book describes all the major strokes and footwork. It's the only book that describes the various services both forehand and backhand. (Table Tennis from A to Z by Messinis contains only a cursory and theoritical examination of the services.). But the best part about this book is the one about how to shape up yourself for the tournament. The warm-up/warm-down exercises are great. The chapter on nutrition is excellent. The chapter on strategy is brilliant. Furthermore, the "tone" of this book is quite reader-friendly: it's like hearing the author speaking by your ears. In short, buy this book and I guarantee you'll never regret it.

Great book to improve skills

As a new player this is the book to get. It does a great job describing the various skills of table tennis. It also tells you how to improve. Great book I am sure you will like if your serious about the game.

A must have for any new players.

This is a good book which goes through the basic and advenced strokes of the game including how to be a world champion. The only bad thing is having to read and understand all those confusing directions about where to move your paddle and your hand.

A " MUST READ" for all Table Tennis enthusiasts.

I am a Singaporean. You do not find many books on Table Tennis on sale here. So when I went to London, I bought 3 different books. Of the 3,I found the book by Dan Seemiller the most comprhensive and informative. Before, I had a lot of problems initiating an attack against opponents who utilise heavy underspin pushes and chops. Dan's book helped me master the skill of looping against underspin and thereby allowing me to initiate the attack. I found that a lot of players are not able to counter the spinny arch loop. As a result, I am more confident of my strokes and have moved a couple of rungs above my opponents. I would like to recommend this book to all who wish to improve and perfect their game of Table Tennis.