Coach Shahin’s 7 Pillars | Part 5: Don’t Burn Out

By David Yeakle

Anyone who has played a multi-day table tennis tournament knows that it is a test of sheer endurance. Between the humid playing halls, the constant mental focus required for high-speed tracking, and the explosive physical movements, it takes a massive toll on your body and mind.

If anyone understands the grueling demands of the sport, it’s Coach Shahin Akhlaghpasand. Currently serving as the Head Coach at the Austin Table Tennis Club, Coach Shahin possesses an elite, world-class background. As a 9-time World Championship competitor, a 10-time gold medalist in the Iranian Super League, and a former professional player in the German Bundesliga, he has spent decades mastering the art of tournament endurance.

Mistake of Constant Hyper-Focus

According to Coach Shahin, one of the most common mistakes players make—whether they are competing at local events or the USATT Texas State Championships (which Shahin won in 2023)—is sabotaging their tournament runs before the quarterfinals even begin.

Many players waste valuable energy pacing around the venue, over-talking with spectators, or hyper-focusing on future brackets and potential matchups. Having captained the Iranian National Team from 1998 to 2017, Coach Shahin has watched players at every level make this mistake. This constant state of anxiety keeps the nervous system in a "fight or flight" mode, draining the exact adrenaline reserves you need when you're locked in a tight fifth game later in the day.

Manage Your Energy Reserves: The Coach Shahin Playbook

Drawing from his technical background as an ITTF Certified Instructor and his experience coordinating national training camps alongside elite Chinese and North Korean coaches, Coach Shahin recommends a deliberate strategy to protect your energy:

• Find a Quiet Space: Step completely away from the chaotic noise of the main playing floor. Sit down, close your eyes, and actively lower your heart rate.

  
  

• Recharge Efficiently: Having completed the prestigious Olympic Solidarity Course, Coach Shahin understands high-level sports nutrition. Keep hydrated and fuel your body with clean, light snacks between rounds rather than heavy meals that will make you sluggish.

  
  

• Watch Mindfully: If you want to stay engaged, quietly watch and learn from other high-level table tennis matches. Coach Shahin—who once served as a technical advisor to German National Team Head Coach Richard Prause—notes that analyzing professional matches keeps the mind tactically sharp without draining the physical reserves needed for your next round.

Save Your Intensity for the Table

Whether you are chasing a title at the US National Championships (where Coach Shahin took gold in the 2023 Men's Over 30 division) or just trying to win your local club bracket, energy preservation is your ultimate weapon.

By treating your physical and mental stamina like a finite resource, you ensure you have plenty of fuel left in the tank when it matters most. Listen to the expert: protect your peace off the court so you can unleash your best performance on it.

What’s Next?

Effectively managing your energy happen overnight. Next time you step up to the table—whether in a tense club match at the Austin Table Tennis Club or a high-stakes tournament—try putting Coach Shahin’s advice into practice. Take that deep breath, step back, and hit your mental reset button to intentionally manage your physical and nervous energy

This is just one piece of the puzzle. "Don't Burn Out" is Part 5 of our exclusive series breaking down Coach Shahin’s 7 Pillars of athletic excellence.

Stay tuned for Part 6: Control the Controllables, where we will dive into Coach Shahin's elite strategies for eliminating external distractions and protecting your mental focus by controlling only what you can.

We want to hear from you: What part of your mental game do you struggle with the most? Do you find yourself burning out over the course of a tournament? Let us know in the comments below!