In this training camp you will practice a variety of skills needed to win table tennis matches. You will work on your rallying skills, placement skills, pushing skills, looping skills, service skills, receiving skills, defensive skills and attacking skills. There will be a mixture of in-depth demonstrations and lots of drills for you to do. You will also get the opportunity to set your own drills. By the end of the training camp you will have improved technique and a list of drills you can do when returning to your table tennis club.
- Date: Tuesday 23 September 2025 to Friday 26 September 2025
- Venue: Cambridge University Sports Centre, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS
- Start / finish time: 10am-4pm each day
- Coaches: Tom Lodziak + two guest coaches (TBC)
- Participants: Maximum of 16 players per day
- Cost: £70 per day
- Flexible booking: Join for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days
- BOOKING FORM – Sign up to this training camp
Programme
Here’s what to expect from the training camp…
Tuesday 23 September
- 10am-10.15am – Warm-up
- 10.15am-12.30pm – Rallying skills … Learn how to switch efficiently between backhand and forehand strokes and play with higher consistency than your opponent.
- 12.30pm-1.15pm – Lunch
- 1.15pm-3.45pm – Placement skills … Learn how to improve the placement of your shots, control the table and outmanoeuvre your opponent.
- 3.45pm-4pm – Debrief / stretches
Wednesday 24 September
- 10am-10.15am – Warm-up
- 10.15am-12.30pm – Pushing skills … Learn how to use a variety of pushes – heavy backspin, short touches, long + fast – to force errors from your opponent or set up easy attacking opportunities.
- 12.30pm-1.15pm – Lunch
- 1.15pm-3.45pm – Looping skills … Learn how to attack pushes and chops with fast, spinny and consistent topspin shots.
- 3.45pm-4pm – Debrief / stretches
Thursday 25 September
- 10am-10.15am – Warm-up
- 10.15am-12.30pm – Service skills … Learn how to serve with more spin, more accuracy and higher consistency.
- 12.30pm-1.15pm – Lunch
- 1.15pm-3.45pm – Receiving skills … Learn how to return backspin serves, topspin serves, sidespin serves and read the service spin.
- 3.45pm-4pm – Debrief / stretches
Friday 26 September
- 10am-10.15am – Warm-up
- 10.15am-12.30pm – Defensive skills … Learn how to use chops and lobs to return topspin attacks and force your opponent to make attacking errors.
- 12.30pm-1.15pm – Lunch
- 1.15pm-3.45pm – Attacking skills … Learn how to add more spin and speed to your topspin strokes. You’ll also learn how to play counter-topspins both close to the table and away from the table.
- 3.45pm-4pm – Debrief / stretches
Coaching team
The coaching team for this training camp will be:
Lead coach – Tom Lodziak
Tom is a full-time table tennis coach, based in Cambridge. As well as face to face coaching Tom has a popular coaching YouTube channel and is the author of Spin: Tips and Tactics to Win at table Tennis. Tom competes in the top division of the Cambridge league and veteran tournaments around the country.
Support coach 1 – TBC
Support coach 2 – TBC
Who is this training camp suitable for?
This training camp is suitable for players who are already competing at a local league level or in amateur tournaments. At a minimum you should be able to serve confidently and be competent playing a forehand push, backhand push, forehand drive and backhand drive.
This training camp is not suitable for complete beginners. Instead, I recommend 1-to-1 coaching. If you are unsure whether this training camp is suitable for you, please email me with more information about your playing standard and I will advise.
You can also read testimonials of players who have previously attended my training camps.
Training camp format
There will be a maximum of 16 players per day on this training camp. The big benefit of attending a smaller sized training camp is that you get lots of feedback from the coaching team.
There will be a mixture of demonstrations, drills and match-play exercises. There will also be opportunities for you to set your own exercises and work on the skills which are really important to you. The coaching team will observe you play and give technical and tactical feedback.
You will get the opportunity to play with different people throughout the training camp – usually a mixture of players from around the UK and also players from other countries. You will experience a positive coaching environment, joined by like-minded table tennis enthusiasts.
In the evenings, there might be opportunities to play table tennis at nearby clubs. There may also be opportunities for 1-to-1 sessions. More details will be given nearer the time. Alternatively other players may wish to meet up together for food and drink. You will be invited to join a WhatsApp group where you can communicate easily with other players.
Venue + accommodation
This training camp will take place at Cambridge University Sports Centre, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge, CB3 0AS.
There will be eight good quality tables and high quality training balls.
The sports centre has a small car park (free of charge) and modern changing facilities. The sports centre sells basic refreshments and also has free water dispensers to fill up water bottles.
If you require accommodation, please take a look at this accommodation guide, which gives lots of affordable options.
Visit Cambridge
If you live in another part of the UK (or another country), you could combine this training camp with some sightseeing of Cambridge in the evenings. There is always plenty to do in the picturesque university city. Find out what’s on in Cambridge on the Visit Cambridge website.
How to book
If you would like to join this training camp, please complete this online booking form.
Flexible booking – Many players like to attend for all days of the training camp. But it is possible to attend for one or two days only. Just select the days you would like to attend on the booking form.
The cost is £70 per day. Please note that lunch is not provided. You will need to bring food and drink with you.
When I receive your booking form, I will then confirm your place by email and give you information on how to pay.
In the event that you register and then need to cancel, my cancellation and refund policy will apply.
If you want any more information before you book, then please email me – tom@tabletenniscoach.me.uk
Can’t make this date?
If you can’t make this particular training camp, there are other training camps available. Take a look at the full list here.
If you would like to be notified of future training camps, then please complete this very short expression of interest form.