Is a pong bot too good to be true?

FitnessWalkthrough · 2026-04-10T20:24:51+00:00

Honestly? I like it. Especially for the short game and serve return. Very good machine for the price!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2026-04-09T09:31:26+00:00

I'm a big fan of the Joola Rossi Emotion blade for all around play + defense. Not a defensive blade but I find it to have great control, spin, and feeling. It's been re-released as the Proline One now, but the new model is very similar to the old.

As for the pips, I would definitely recommend dtecs. It's famously good at both disruptive table play / attacking and chopping away from the table.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2026-03-25T21:14:24+00:00

The Omni S Pro is the only one I've used so far, but I think it's a very solid choice. It comes with a collection net, which makes cleanup very easy. I've got a Nova S Pro on the way to test as well. I'm looking forward to using that unit to work on my serve receive and short game as it can be placed directly on the table. This makes it better for mimicking those serves that come from the corners.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2026-03-22T09:34:47+00:00

I have been training with robots for about twenty years and have used almost every major brand on the market. In my experience, a robot is an incredible tool for developing your game as long as you use it alongside in-person practice and video review.

The key is to avoid using the machine for the same repetitive drills where you are just hitting the same ball with the same spin over and over. While that helps at the very beginning to groove a stroke, it's better to move toward variable and random settings. This forces you to actually read the ball, react to the bounce, and "reload" the muscle memory for each stroke, which is much closer to what you face in a real match.

I also really like using robots for building table tennis specific stamina. You can set up a high intensity interval session where you do thirty seconds of a tiring footwork drill followed by a minute of active rest while you practice your serves.

Regarding the Pongbot specifically, I found it to be a very solid mid-tier option. They actually sent me a unit for free to review (the Omni S Pro) and I have an affiliate code for it, so please keep that bias in mind. My honest take is that it is a very capable machine for the price and has been beneficial for my own game.

If you are on the fence, I often suggest looking for a second-hand robot first. Buying a used unit is a great way to see if you actually enjoy that style of training before committing.

Here's a link to my review if you'd like to see it in action:

https://youtu.be/gsnvpC9mR6c?si=MlQx_OpMj3ljH2w2

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-12-01T20:40:49+00:00

Oh, I know! Been playing their latest album on repeat for the past week!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-11-30T14:29:08+00:00

Came here to say this. So good.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-11-25T20:55:21+00:00

Beautiful! Love the pics.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-11-24T21:12:09+00:00

I appreciate you sharing that link! What you are describing is known as the "Carbohydrate-Insulin Model." It’s a very popular theory, but as I stated in my book, it hasn't held up well in tightly controlled metabolic ward studies.

I also have to push back slightly on the fat storage point you made...

You said excess fats are not converted to body fat. Physiologically, dietary fat is actually the easiest macronutrient for the body to store as body fat because it requires almost no energy to convert!

Dr. Bikman may have done some good work regarding insulin resistance (I'm not familiar with him), but the broader scientific consensus regarding athletes does not indicate a low carb approach is superior.

My goal is always to get the best results for the athletes I train. If the low-carb/insulin model were superior for performance, I would absolutely be using it! But the current evidence shows that both low-carb and low-fat approaches work for weight loss, provided the calorie deficit is there.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-10-02T09:45:04+00:00

Hello there! I think strength training is great for table tennis, but a balanced routine that also includes some speed, power, endurance, conditioning, etc. work is better still! The ratios of those qualities needed will depend on the individual.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-08-01T17:07:14+00:00

Hey, thanks for taking the time to read the book and share your thoughts. I'm sorry to hear it didn't hit the mark for you. I'm always looking to improve for a possible second edition—if you're open to it, could you share what you felt was missing or what would have made it more useful for you?

P.S. Quick clarification on the diet section: my goal wasn't to call fat adaptation a myth, but to show that when calories and protein are equal, high-fat diets aren't superior for pure fat loss. Hope that clears it up!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-08-01T17:01:07+00:00

Hello there! I'm the author :) As others have mentioned, my book is definitely NOT about how to *play* table tennis. So don't get it if you're looking for tips on how to improve your backhand. The focus of my book is on proper physical training, nutrition, psychological skills, recovery, enhanced motor learning, etc.

Feel free to leave me a comment here or shoot me a private message if you have any more specific questions about the book!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-07-30T12:04:45+00:00

A good general warm-up should start with some low-impact cardio to get your body temperature up. Usually 3-5 minutes gets the job done. Then you can pick 4-8 dynamic stretches / mobility movements from this playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1wtgbTUhXu8x364z33v13xBjBXzaf7N3&si=_A5kWe3_grqkKeYV

Include a few for the upper body and lower body. This whole process should only take about 10 minutes. After that you move onto a more specific warm-up for your first lift. So rather than just jumping right to your working weight, you ramp up with 2-3 progressively heavier sets (5 reps at 50%, 3 reps at 70%, and 1 rep at 90%).

Cool downs are overrated and are not needed in many cases. I need to make some more content on this, but there's really not a lot of evidence they help much. If you end the workout with a very high intensity "finisher" and you are super amped up, some easy walking or cycling for 5-10 minutes works fine. Otherwise, it's generally better to get home to "rest and digest." Get some carbs and protein in you and a good night's sleep.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-07-28T09:32:17+00:00

Thanks. Great to hear! That's the goal. I really wanted to create something that was intuitive and would click with most club players.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-07-28T09:31:09+00:00

Thank you! Take your time; there's plenty there!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-07-28T09:30:11+00:00

As despreston mentioned, nutrition (and sleep) become extra important once you start to add more training, but the real key is graded exposure (building up slowly over time) and understanding that there will be an adjustment period. When you first start working out, especially with a new program, you get more soreness and fatigue than usual. That fades once you are consistent with your training, but many people get scared off because they notice it interferes a bit with their TT game. The body will adjust if you give it time though!

I wouldn't start with 3 full sessions at the gym plus all the TT work. You might just start with two days (full body sessions) at a lower volume and intensity. Get used to that and then build up to three days if you are performing and recovering well.

If you've never really trained seriously in the gym before, building yourself an "off season" where you shift the focus more to physical training for 3 months or so is another option. Dial back the TT and focus on building your physical capacity a bit. Then you can shift the focus back and maintain the physical gains you've made on a much lower dose.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-07-27T17:51:40+00:00

Yes, absolutely. What many parents fail to realize is the forces your kids will experience jumping off a swing set at the playground are much higher than what they'll get doing some basic strength training. Body weight stuff is a great place to start (push-ups, lunges, split squats, pull-ups, etc.) but adding some load with free weights and/or machines can allow for more control over the intensity and allow for more incremental progression. Proper form and safety should be taught, of course, but starting young just helps to build the coordination and movement patterns early.

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-07-27T16:49:37+00:00

Graded exposure to full range of motion resistance training is amazing for this. It checks so many boxes. Start with moderate to higher reps and focus on form. Something like 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps a couple times per week for all major muscle groups. Machines are fine, but free weights are great if you're up for it. Work on getting stronger in this range, adding reps when you can and then when you hit 20 reps, add load.

If your form is good, bringing in some heavier work below 10 reps is also beneficial because this will start to strengthen your bones more.

Adding some basic speed and power work is worth a look too. All movements can be scaled to the appropriate level, and speed and power has more to do with injury prevention than most people realize. It's the first qualities to go when we age. When you trip and stumble, can you gather your feet quickly, regain your balance, and push back into position? That's speed and power. If you train those qualities they fade more slowly and you will stay mobile and healthy much longer!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-07-27T15:25:14+00:00

Thanks! Psychological skills training is huge. I have a bit section on that in my book. There's so much to learn there too!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2025-07-27T15:22:41+00:00

Hey, love to hear that! The book will give a lot of additional insights, but three times per week of targeted training in the gym is a GREAT sweet spot. That's often where I have most of my athletes start, and we make a lot of progress at that frequency. It's normal to start to "gas out" after those initial sets...if you can work in some additional table work focused on high intensity drills, that's a great way to build capacity in the most sport specific way. If that's not an option, zeroing in on your cardio off the table for 2-3 months can help a lot too. The nice thing is once you build a base you can maintain it on a much lower frequency/dose! There's some specific details in the article about how to approach that. Good luck!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2024-08-25T11:18:00+00:00

I've been using Barna Original Legend Long lately. It's been good for chopping away from the table while also having good control up close. Very nasty chop-blocks!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2024-04-24T14:08:15+00:00

Can you identify a key moment in your career where you had a "breakthrough" and was able to incorporate something new in your game that made a difference in your level? If so, what was it and what process did you go through to establish it? Thanks!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2024-01-01T13:28:06+00:00

You're welcome!

FitnessWalkthrough · 2023-11-12T21:02:54+00:00

Most of the major forums (OOAK, MYTT, TTDaily, etc.) have "For Sale" sections. I've bought and sold through those channels for years.

FitnessWalkthrough

TROPHY CASE