How to Play Table Tennis More Happily? Part 2
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Add a bit of new technique. At each new stage, or every two or three months, let yourself learn some new technique. Watch some teaching videos and you will have insights. Learning a power flick, a side-slice, or a new serve all make playing more interesting. Beyond considering richer technique, a fresh skill itself brings more satisfaction and pleasure. I suddenly recall traveling to Harbin last time, that ice-and-snow world. Many southern friends rushed to experience the cold. Later I asked, and many felt the same as me: the happiest part of the trip was skiing. Many skied for the first time, learned something new, and had a different sense of achievement.
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Comfortable gear, including comfy jerseys, suitable shoes and fresher rubber. Money plays an important role here. For example, I changed my forehand rubber from every four months to every two months. The feel is better, and my win rate rose. A more moist, fresh surface gives better striking error-tolerance and precision, and helps ball quality to some degree. Many players are willing to spend more on higher-end imported jerseys, because the skin-contact feel and sweat-wicking efficiency are higher. Of course, for someone like me who changes a shirt every game in summer, the effect is about the same. Here I just point out that comfy jerseys also make playing happier and more focused. Suitable shoes likewise. They raise your movement efficiency, faster starts, more accurate strikes, and can somewhat ease footwork shortcomings.
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Lower your expectations of yourself. As a table tennis person not on the pro path, fluctuating state is understandable. Slower progress is acceptable too. Health and happiness should be the pursuit. We fight to the death in our careers; if we demand too much of ourselves even playing a game, that really is unnecessary. You can pursue progress, but winning and losing are the norm, and being worse than others is normal too. Lowering expectations a bit makes us play more happily.
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“Slow in the old days.” I often read Mu Xin’s poem “Slow in the Old Days” from time to time. Later I figured out: sometimes happiness is actually simple. Looking out the window and zoning out is enough. Of course, for many of us, zoning out has become a luxury. Too many things, too much information disturb us. I now always try to look at the phone as little as possible while playing, and chat more. And in the daytime morning, I keep the phone on silent until I finish writing. Because focus more easily brings satisfaction and joy. Playing is about the same logic. When you play with so many things to handle in the gaps, it is hard to feel happy. And best to stretch the whole playing process slower. This process includes the way to the venue and after playing. Best to set many things aside first. With ampler, slower time, slowly head to the court — whether driving, cycling or walking. Then, after playing, do not end too late. After playing, you can slowly pack up, or chat with players. Only in a very slow process can you more joyfully feel that happiness.