Skill acquisition

At the age of 14, I was preparing for the National Table Tennis Championships in England. A working class background meant that finances and equipment for training were scarce. I did not have a table tennis table in the house or the funds to hire a table at the local hall. There was a weekly club practice session on a Sunday night. This was my only opportunity for physical practice. My father, a sports teacher of 20 years suggested that I buy a book and video on stroke play and table tennis in general. The research article I have found highlights some of the benefits of mental practice both in conjunction with or in the absence of physical training.
As my physical training could only by performed on a weekly basis, I needed to make the most of the short time I had. I set up a programme by which I would spend at least one hour per day with my bat in hand and mentally engaging the games I would face in the tournament. I went through the many options within the 3,5 & 7 ball attack ...