Serious question - about training and improving ones game

[azlan]

Had a match Thursday night - I think the match play practise on the Wednesday really helped.

Concentrated on focusing on each point during the matches. Managed to win my 3 not dropping a game in the process.

I've asked in another thread about drills for short game practise - so will be focusing on that and serve practise again.

Glad to hear that buddy. Some players have the enthusiasm, but don't listen to instructions. Some have natural gift but no enthusiasm. In your case, maybe you have all the above. If I am your coach, you're probably god sent...made my job a whole lot easier.. hehehe

 

[homer_123]

Glad to hear that buddy. Some players have the enthusiasm, but don't listen to instructions. Some have natural gift but no enthusiasm. In your case, maybe you have all the above. If I am your coach, you're probably god sent...made my job a whole lot easier.. hehehe

The key is an open mind, surely? More than happy to listen to advice and try it out!

 

[Rhydian]

Hey, I want the same thing as you

One year before, I quitted table tennis to think more about it and to get more physical strength and so.
When I came back, this season, I've only improved, my coach says that I'm better than before.
I have the enthusiasm to get better and to practice and so on!
During the exercises, be really focused, like it's a game that you want to win! Also think tactically, I do many of my points just by returning good (short, long, spinny, fast, ...) depending on how the opponent stands. As you're a third ball attacker, one advice, do some exercises where you have to attack 5-10 times before you make a point, it means you need a good blocker ^^ Because as you improve, the balls will come back more often, so you're prepared. Another advice is try to play with players of the same level and maybe better (if possiblie) and challenge the better players during practice sessions. This helps me a lot.
Of course, if you can go to tournaments, then go! You'll get some different player styles and so you can see how you are!
And of course, have fun and be focused

That was my opinion ^^

 

[homer_123]

Hey, I want the same thing as you

One year before, I quitted table tennis to think more about it and to get more physical strength and so.
When I came back, this season, I've only improved, my coach says that I'm better than before.
I have the enthusiasm to get better and to practice and so on!
During the exercises, be really focused, like it's a game that you want to win! Also think tactically, I do many of my points just by returning good (short, long, spinny, fast, ...) depending on how the opponent stands. As you're a third ball attacker, one advice, do some exercises where you have to attack 5-10 times before you make a point, it means you need a good blocker ^^ Because as you improve, the balls will come back more often, so you're prepared. Another advice is try to play with players of the same level and maybe better (if possiblie) and challenge the better players during practice sessions. This helps me a lot.
Of course, if you can go to tournaments, then go! You'll get some different player styles and so you can see how you are!
And of course, have fun and be focused

That was my opinion ^^

Hi Rhydian,

Thanks for the post - I really like the approach of focusing a training session on attacking for 5 - 10 shots before taking the point - it seems logical to play out longer points, as you are not always going to win the point on a 3rd ball.

Always looking for players to practice with above my standard - good advice again.

Sadly, one of my matches has been cancelled this week (Friday) so I'll try and get some training in instead.

 

[homer_123]

Well got about 2 and a half hours in last night.

All really good quality.

Focused on forehand and backhand topspin from a short serve and playing out the point
Practiced the short game with my opponent and I keeping the ball as short and low as possible (where the ball was high or mid/long) we had to attack
Variation on this where you couldn't attack until the opponent pushed deep to either wing, then you had to attack (took that in turns)
Match tonight, so practiced serves and 3rd ball attack
Serve practice as well (see post in the Worlds Fastest Serve thread) that worked really well

Felt the short game practice worked really well - managed to get nice and low to the table for the returns (which is tough when you are 6ft 1 tall!) and my touch really improved over the 30 min spell of those to drills.

Tough match tonight - fingers crossed my form continues.

 

[Mr. RicharD]

That's really awesome homer. I read your edited section and I'd like to help you out by analyzing your footwork and shots. If you could I don't know if you're a righty or lefty, but I'll assume righty for statistics sake and ask you to record your matches and practice sessions from the right corner when facing the table. You can watch many of the ETTC videos for reference, but switch it if you're a lefty.

Please record about 15-30 mins of each your drills and all of your matches. For the drills have the camera facing you from the right/left side of the table much like the video of Ma Lin in his multiball drill. If you can record in HD that'd be great, but the most important thing is the lighting. Where possible try to get the best lit court. Let me know when you upload these and I can try and help you with your footwork, tactics, or even just technique. I know for me personally that's a huge thing that raised my level of play here in the U.S.

At my local clubs (I direct 1, and attend 2-3 others) I'm around the 2000 skill level. I've beaten players at or above that level, but I have trouble with some of the pips players. I personally have studied the sport for the past 8 years and have been coached by a few 2300-2400 US rated players. If your level is fairly above this level I'd still be able to help with the body mechanics as I'm a black belt and have studied Martial Arts for about 15 years.

This goes for just about anyone. If you want me to analyze any video footage I'd be happy to as it'll help me with my own coaching principles and also I would like to finally develop a system that can teach TT properly around the world.

 

[homer_123]

That's really awesome homer. I read your edited section and I'd like to help you out by analyzing your footwork and shots. If you could I don't know if you're a righty or lefty, but I'll assume righty for statistics sake and ask you to record your matches and practice sessions from the right corner when facing the table. You can watch many of the ETTC videos for reference, but switch it if you're a lefty.

Please record about 15-30 mins of each your drills and all of your matches. For the drills have the camera facing you from the right/left side of the table much like the video of Ma Lin in his multiball drill. If you can record in HD that'd be great, but the most important thing is the lighting. Where possible try to get the best lit court. Let me know when you upload these and I can try and help you with your footwork, tactics, or even just technique. I know for me personally that's a huge thing that raised my level of play here in the U.S.

At my local clubs (I direct 1, and attend 2-3 others) I'm around the 2000 skill level. I've beaten players at or above that level, but I have trouble with some of the pips players. I personally have studied the sport for the past 8 years and have been coached by a few 2300-2400 US rated players. If your level is fairly above this level I'd still be able to help with the body mechanics as I'm a black belt and have studied Martial Arts for about 15 years.

This goes for just about anyone. If you want me to analyze any video footage I'd be happy to as it'll help me with my own coaching principles and also I would like to finally develop a system that can teach TT properly around the world.

Appreciate the offer! I'll do my best to get vids uploaded but one of the reasons I haven't so far is because of the lighting issue - I've got a couple of vids but frankly they're not great. I'm working on it though and see if I can't upload something.

 

[homer_123]

Match went well last night - won 9-1 and picked up my 3 and won the doubles.

I was extremely sharp last night - very happy with my all-round game.

The short practice drills helped on Wednesday night no end - my touch and return of serve was good. It was one of those nights when the ball was big and the table even bigger. Played 2 out and out loopers (young players) both of whom were extremely aggressive and an all-rounder who has plays a lot of table tennis. Dropped one game all night.

Beat the all-rounder first, I spun the ball up and it was too much for him - simple but effective tactic.

Second game, I started really well, won the first 2 games but lost concentration in the 3 and that's the game I dropped - got focused in the 4th and won game 4.

Final game of the night was against their best player - lefty looper, very aggressive with some pretty un-returnable shots at time. I focused initially on returning the ball short from his serve but attacking anything half table or long. My power, pace and spin proved too much. Opponent had no answer, he ended up not being able to serve in a way that stopped me attacking - I was attacking almost all of his serves and kept the ball short enough to stop him from attacking. Simply varied my serves, I noticed very quickly that a short, chopped serve was winning some very cheap points - which was a surprise as his return of serve against my team mates was pretty good. Won 3 straight and by the third it was a formality.

Still going to focus on the short game - working on touch for short returns but also flicks of the forehand in particular.

 

[Mr. RicharD]

Hey homer, sounds like you're really getting things rolling. As for your short chop serve a lot of players will confuse that with underspin but typically by the time it reaches the other side it's usually dead or has some corkscrew if you have side on it. This produces a really deceptive ball. A lot of players who push this softly to get that short return push right into the net. It's a great serve to have, but I recommend against righty's to serve to their middle and forehands. The lefty player probably had trouble with their forehand returns pushing too softly.

As for lighting for now don't worry about it. Just shoot and see what you get. I might be able to download and clean it up as long as it's HD.

 

[homer_123]

Cheers for the feedback Rich - appreciated.

He definitely was playing the return of serve to softly, he just didn't adjust, quite surprising really!

Against right handers, especially those wanting to return on their forehand - a little chop serve to the forehand really does work as they are usually moving round to take the forehand from the backhand side. Anyways, all good stuff.

Some other good news - I've managed to find a coach - I'll aim to get some video of this as well for you guys to assess - see what you think. Bit of a trek to get to them though - 4 hour round trip!!!!! We'll see how it goes.

Homer.

 

[homer_123]

Match last night - 10 nil win - entire team only dropped two games all night, so all good.

However, I noticed my return of serve against one player wasn't nearly good enough, it cost me a game. I'll be working on service return again tonight.

Focus for tonight's practice will also be service itself - I've got a couple of reverse pendulum serves to get on top off.

Will also be focusing on movement and fitness as well tonight.

 

[homer_123]

Well, that's a very frustrating evening of table tennis.

Team was 5 - 0 and we only won 6 -4. I picked up 2 tonight and lost to a counter hitter with long pips on both sides. Completely did not play my game - if I'd got in and spun the ball up and long I would have been OK - I ended up playing his game and got thrashed 3 - 0.

Back to work on the 3rd ball attack over the weekend and especially service return, which was woeful throughout the night.