Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[NextLevel]

I like the timing on your forehand loop for your style, catching it earlier would sacrifice a lot of the spin that you've achieved.

He is usually speaking about the counterloop since I try to stay close to the table. Eventually, I will figure something out. I just don't have the right training partners for the work involved.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

I hope NL's contest tonight is the TTDer that has asked for the most handicap points! By ttmonster's count, i have 1 million already

 

[NextLevel]

He is usually speaking about the counterloop since I try to stay close to the table. Eventually, I will figure something out. I just don't have the right training partners for the work involved.

And I mean seriously, I don't play a lot of 2000+ players for long periods of time and it is not by choice. My original sparring partner was out for a while and when he came back, he had injuries in his elbow and wrist and while he didn't take them too seriously, I felt his playing level had dropped as he went from blocking my loops easily to missing them outright too often. His play at the Butterfly teams revealed that what I noticed wasn't just in my mind.

The good thing is that one of the kids who goes to school in Pittsburgh will be back for the break. I will try to play him a lot and accept the losses. Because playing and drilling with better players right now is what I really need. When I play them often enough, I close the gap. I have been coaching myself for too long now and while I am beating the players I used to beat worse and worse, I need to also get faster playing better players.

 

[Shuki]

Sorry, I fell slightly ill and missed my timeline. So what I will announce first are the prizes.

1st Prize is a blade - it will likely be either a Vega Euro shakehand blade or a Timo Boll T5000 or a reasonable penhold blade if the winner wants something penhold. But if the winner wants something else that I can accomodate, I will consider that as well.

2nd Prize is a sheet of T80.

3rd Prize is a sheet of Nexy Karis in M or M+.

Consider them Christmas gifts more than anything else. Now I Will announce the actual competition and rules at midnight ET tonight (22 hrs from now) to give everyone a fair start.

Great prizes. Vega euro has awesome feeling with a huge sweetspot. T5000 is just a fun rocket launcher. Tenergy speaks for itself. And the nexy rubber, well that's something I've been trying to avoid so I don't fall back into my equipment junkie faze.

I have some extra stuff I've been needing to get rid of, I may do a competition after yours >=] Or, Depending on what his competition is, I'll see if I can throw in some more prizes.

 

[SchemeSC]

I think BigM is right about your close to the table counterloop. From what I remember, you do tend to let the ball bounce up pretty high before making contact, so an earlier contact might help you. But that discussion is 2-3 levels above me.

My post was more about waiting for the ball when blocking and not reaching out for it, as well as waiting to start the backswing when dealing with slow, easy balls.

 

[NextLevel]

I think BigM is right about your close to the table counterloop. From what I remember, you do tend to let the ball bounce up pretty high before making contact, so an earlier contact might help you. But that discussion is 2-3 levels above me.

My post was more about waiting for the ball when blocking and not reaching out for it, as well as waiting to start the backswing when dealing with slow, easy balls.

Yes, but what I will say is that blocking with your forehand has a ceiling. Start countering as soon as possible.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

He is usually speaking about the counterloop since I try to stay close to the table. Eventually, I will figure something out. I just don't have the right training partners for the work involved.

your problem is wide FH due to your knees. Given the state of your knees and the quality of your BH, i think it would make sense to position yourself a little bit more to the center of the table to cover better your FH side. sometimes you would have to make a little step to take those deep BH balls, but i think thats ok PLUS given its your strong side, you would be able to compensate/adjust easily if you can't move.

On the other hand, being in a better position on the FH side means this side won't be such a weakness anymore. actually could be much better, you already have FH power. you will be able to take those wide balls earlier, make better blocks etc...

----

as for me, i was directed to do that as well for opposite reasons. I was a FH player and relying too much on my FH. It meant pivoting a lot, but i was getting slower at it with age, PLUS exposing my wide FH when pivoting. By changing my position a bit, it forces me to play MORE BH. and my FH side is even stronger. I pivot much less than before. My BH has gotten much better during rallies but 3rd ball attack / attacking vs backspin with BH I'm not consistent yet. My percentage can change too much on a different day or different player.

Of course, in a match, if i feel I'm not in a good day with my BH, i'll go back to playing more FH and anyway during the match i will always try to pivot at least a few times just to confuse / scare the opponent, even if i miss. but its not the main tactic anymore.

 

[ttmonster]

I think NL would have already thought about this , but if you are backhand oriented player and want to attack the wide backhand of your opponent , its not always easy to do if you stand in the middle of the table. As long as you are able to setup your points from the backhand corner in a way such that the opponent can't move you around its okay, pivoting is not always required and if your backhand is good enough you really only need it if the ball is too high to attack with BH, at least when somebody is taking one step at a time and not thinking of breaking 2300 in one shot

your problem is wide FH due to your knees. Given the state of your knees and the quality of your BH, i think it would make sense to position yourself a little bit more to the center of the table to cover better your FH side. sometimes you would have to make a little step to take those deep BH balls, but i think thats ok PLUS given its your strong side, you would be able to compensate/adjust easily if you can't move.

On the other hand, being in a better position on the FH side means this side won't be such a weakness anymore. actually could be much better, you already have FH power. you will be able to take those wide balls earlier, make better blocks etc...

----

as for me, i was directed to do that as well for opposite reasons. I was a FH player and relying too much on my FH. It meant pivoting a lot, but i was getting slower at it with age, PLUS exposing my wide FH when pivoting. By changing my position a bit, it forces me to play MORE BH. and my FH side is even stronger. I pivot much less than before. My BH has gotten much better during rallies but 3rd ball attack / attacking vs backspin with BH I'm not consistent yet. My percentage can change too much on a different day or different player.

Of course, in a match, if i feel I'm not in a good day with my BH, i'll go back to playing more FH and anyway during the match i will always try to pivot at least a few times just to confuse / scare the opponent, even if i miss. but its not the main tactic anymore.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

I think NL would have already thought about this , but if you are backhand oriented player and want to attack the wide backhand of your opponent , its not always easy to do if you stand in the middle of the table. As long as you are able to setup your points from the backhand corner in a way such that the opponent can't move you around its okay, pivoting is not always required and if your backhand is good enough you really only need it if the ball is too high to attack with BH, at least when somebody is taking one step at a time and not thinking of breaking 2300 in one shot

well its a question of balance. I personally think the merits of being a little bit more in the center outweighs the negatives when you cannot move a lot and/or when your FH is weaker than your BH. [or said otherwise when the BH is better than the FH]

an advanced player will not let NL use his strong shots so easily and use some tactics against that: serve more to FH side ,both short and long, BH serve with sidespin to the BH/middle to get a ball on the FH (if a pivot then block or get into FH rally) not play twice in a row on the BH side... use long pushes heavy backspin on his FH to force him go down more on his knees.

if you position more in the middle, yep you have a little bit less angle to play to the wide BH but easier to play BH down the line. Also if you play too much cross with the BH, the ball should come wider to the FH sooner or later and that ball would be more difficult to get.

 

[Der_Echte]

Go stuff going on Next Level.

Looks like this weekend will NOT happen for Goon Squad gathering, not sure if I will even get a chance to drive up to NYC before I leave to CA either.

 

[Shuki]

Played good today maybe. Lol.

Beat my training partner which rarely happens anymore. But i keep playing so differently on a daily basis. Identity crisis. Coach watched me a bit today and made a comment about how every time she sees me playing I'm playing completely different.

Lost to a guy I should lose to and everyone else I should beat so maybe I just played normal and my training partner played poorly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Go stuff going on Next Level.

Looks like this weekend will NOT happen for Goon Squad gathering, not sure if I will even get a chance to drive up to NYC before I leave to CA either.

Well, there will be times when you come from the left coast to the right coast to see your daughter in Boston. We may need to make a goon squad adventure to Boston whenever that happens.

 

[Der_Echte]

So Carl is saying I am about to become a leftist goonie and he will be far right... what a meeting it is gunna be next time !!

 

[Shuki]

I'll be in NYC for business this spring break. Probably head up to 42&backpains club this time at some point to experience some new friends >=]. I'll give 3-4 weeks heads up of course.

 

[NextLevel]

Alright - here are the two parts of the competition:

1) I played a tournament match recently in which I lost a game 0-11 (It was at either NJTTC or the Butterfly Teams). What I want you to give me are the scores of the match. Not the player I played, but the game scores.

2) You have a choice between doing one of the following:

a) 10 heavy backspin serves that stay short roll back towards the net in a row, no editing. The ball most roll back into the net and not come back to your own side or go off the table.

b) A spin pancake drill where you spin the ball upwards on alternating sides of your rubber for 25 touches. Again, no editing.

The competition will remain open until the 21st of December. Submit the answer to the first part to me by PM. The second part should be posted to the thread. You must nail the first part and the second part, whoever comes closest or succeeds first wins the first prize, and so on. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Shuki]

alternating sides, of rubber. SUCKIT penholders >=]

 

[Shuki]

alternating sides is harder than I expected. can only do 15 max so far. I also start off my doing all forehand until I can build stability. :/

 

[ttmonster]

That is too much homework before the holidays NL , sorry to be a spoilsport but I am probably going to sit on the sidelines and cheer or make an epic fail video

Alright - here are the two parts of the competition:

1) I played a tournament match recently in which I lost a game 0-11 (It was at either NJTTC or the Butterfly Teams). What I want you to give me are the scores of the match. Not the player I played, but the game scores.

2) You have a choice between doing one of the following:

a) 10 heavy backspin serves that stay short roll back towards the net in a row, no editing. The ball most roll back into the net and not come back to your own side or go off the table.

b) A spin pancake drill where you spin the ball upwards on alternating sides of your rubber for 25 touches. Again, no editing.

The competition will remain open until the 21st of December. Submit the answer to the first part to me by PM. The second part should be posted to the thread. You must nail the first part and the second part, whoever comes closest or succeeds first wins the first prize, and so on. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Archosaurus]

@NextLevel

Definitely taking up the serve challenge.

I have just one question:

Does it have to be on the first try?

 

[NextLevel]

That is too much homework before the holidays NL , sorry to be a spoilsport but I am probably going to sit on the sidelines and cheer or make an epic fail video

If you only get two serves and no one else gets any, you still win the prize. Or if you have 10 bounces and only one person ha 15 or more than you, you get second prize.

I will post my video of my attempts tomorrow night.