Sometimes, just like your bank balance, your table tennis balance might not be as positive as you thought. There have been numerous articles written about this by Larry Hodges and others. In Larry’s Balance Is a Habit, he relates the epiphany he had about balance, and it’s importance. Eight years later, I’m having the same epiphany. Maybe every coach at some point realizes that the common denominator among advanced players is balance. Balanced players maintain a wide base, with their feet apart. They look relaxed, and are rarely out of position.They recover quickly from their attacks, and are able to return balls that unbalanced players would have no chance of getting to . Balanced players can see the ball better. They don’t throw themselves out of position. They see the position of their opponent, and the ball. Unfortunately, many players don’t realize how badly out of balance they are. They fall into a worsening balance deficit with every shot. Players keep expecting improvement, not realizing they have a negative balance. Getting a positive balance is going to take some work and sacrifice. Multi-ball and footwork drills can pay dividends. Moving to the ball, and expecting that even your best shots can be returned are good habits to promote better balance. Just like with a bank account, you have to pretty much always have a positive balance. If you are having trouble with balance, a good coach should be able to help you get out of the red. If you feel like you’re not improving and don’t know why, it’s probably time to check your balance.