My name is Michelle Quach. I’m 19 years old and play table tennis in the national team. I have played table tennis for 8 years. I’m in my last year of school in a sports school, in Köping. This summer, I spent most of my time playing table tennis.
I have been at two national camps (one for seven days and the other ten days) for 6 weeks in China. I want to talk about my visit to China because I have learned a lot since I came here. It is a different practice if you compare it to the training in Sweden.
I was in a table tennis center in Zhengding, 4 hours from Beijing. It is a center for both girls and boys of all ages. It is a big center and the Paralympic Games were held here.
The center has 3 halls. One fits 50 tables the other 2 fit maybe 30 tables each. The coaches were quite strict. They screamed or hit players if they were unhappy with them.
My time in China was good and I had good practice. In China I always played with players who were better than me.
In the mornings, we practiced normally with a single ball and in the afternoon, we played multiball. Every day the Chinese practice 2-3 times. One session is 3 hours. They even practice Sundays. But I rest on Sundays.
My experience in China?
It was an amazing experience. I practiced twice a day every day. Some days I only practiced once because I had some problems with my body.
The practice was hard but worthwhile. I used 2 shirts for every practice because it was so hot there. I also played team matches against other countries which was a good experience.
In multiball training: If you want to get something out of the multiball practice you should play exercises until you get tired. Hard exercises help to build leg muscle and improve mental strength.
If you want to be a good tennis player you should visit China at least once in your lifetime. It might be expensive to visit China but, it is worth it. China is a different culture with different food and a different environment. Once you will understand why Chinese players dominate the world of table tennis. They practice every day.
When you visit China you will also get a different perspective of training. The practice is more effective and harder. You should always be aware of what you are doing during practice and make sure you don’t miss a ball.
The practice is much harder in China than in your home country. You should be physically fit before you go there. If you are physically fit and strong you will be able to practice more often and learn to concentrate more, without getting injured.
However, If your body is tired or you’re in pain, avoid any practice. It is because if you practice when you are hurt, you will only injure yourself further. REST is my advice to you!
When I was in China for 6 weeks it was more important for me to rest my body. If I practiced when I was hurt I knew that I might not be able to practice for the next few weeks.
I don’t regret my time in China. My game has improved. You must sacrifice to be a good player, both money and time. But always remember that hard work will be repaid.
There are some more pieces that matter in your development. Such as preparation is very important, as well as food, sleep and rest.
This was my experience and thoughts about China. It has been an unforgettable experience. I have made some new friends from Mongolia, Canada, USA, Slovenia, Japan, and China. I would like to back to China because I love the country. But mostly I like to practice here!
/ Michelle Quach, Sweden
Warren Davies
