Odd question on movement!

[Mezmer]

Ok this might seem a bit nuts, but when you play a forehand do you move your feet even if the ball's coming right to you and you don't have to?

For example (I'm talking about moving them with the stroke not between strokes)...

Moving feet: http://www.alphatabletennis.com/clips/06-09.html

Not moving feet: http://www.alphatabletennis.com/clips/10-09.html

Basically I'm finding moving my feet is putting a lot less torque on my knee, however also it seem to effect recovery and I'm less stable.

I'm more asking what you do rather than for advice I guess, just out of interest. Might seem like a wierd question if you play a good standard as maybe there's a norm.

Cheers,

Shaun

 

[Mezmer]

LoL, actually on watching it back WL is moving his too, just not as pronounced!

 

[jkc]

I don't move mine even when I do have to.

 

[peter]

like any other shot, shifting center weight towards sweetspot on forehand, and compensate after the shot, so a firm yes. If you want to make a statement, move your body, otherwise just a none lethal stroke.

 

[RebTT]

I don't move mine even when I do have to.

I'm with JKC. Although I think JKC moves more than I do lol.

Bouncing around and re-positioning (making small adjustments) with the feet is always good if you can work it into your natural game and body movement. Being stable, well rhythmed, and fluid in your strokes tends to produce the best shots. Good footwork will generally assist this, but not if it is at the expense of coordination of the rest of the body. Greatest footwork in the world won't help you if you can't time your strokes to hit the ball back on the table. Average footwork can be overcome with improvisation of shot if you have natural instincts to adjust stroke and racket angle in a way which lands the ball, especially if you can do it fiercely so the opponent doesn't get an easy return.

 

[Mezmer]

Just to clarify guys I'm don't mean getting to the ball, I mean moving them through your stroke like in the Maze video. This one might deomstrate it more fully...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hK4ifyMFvU

I'm sure you know what I mean anyway. Like do you plant and swing or do you kick step through your stroke.

@ Replies: Yeah I think there are advantages to both, especially at a non-pro type level. I find my shots are more stable, but I'm shearing my knee in half

 

[Dan]

Just to clarify guys I'm don't mean getting to the ball, I mean moving them through your stroke like in the Maze video. This one might deomstrate it more fully...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hK4ifyMFvU

I'm sure you know what I mean anyway. Like do you plant and swing or do you kick step through your stroke.

@ Replies: Yeah I think there are advantages to both, especially at a non-pro type level. I find my shots are more stable, but I'm shearing my knee in half

Yeah i know what your saying Shawn, if you see Andrei Filimon in your video in slow motion towards the end, he ends his shot with the movement like his legs turn a lil during the shot.... Its just where he is very light and on his toes during the shot. I think its good to do, you can try this.. ever player is different,, if im correct when timo boll warms up he does a lot of adusting and shifting during each shot...

Click this thread to see, http://www.tabletennisdaily.co.uk/f...ocumentacion-of-Timo-Boll&highlight=timo+boll

 

[azlan]

I certainly don't move my feet at all. I just take the best alternative and the easiest way to receive the ball coming straight at me. Maybe a little adjustments on my footing, but that's about it.

BUMP!!

 

[Matt Hetherington]

Yes usually I do, it's pretty small odds that the ball is going to come right into the spot where I hit my forehand, especially when I am recovering after each shot, so I am always moving, it's just good practice to keep on your toes all the time

 

[azlan]

. _
. ( ((
. \ =\
. __\_ `-\
.(____)) ( \----
.(____)) _
. (____))
. (___))____/---

Matt is quite right. Don't do like I do. I'm old, unfit and too lazy

 

[Matt Hetherington]

haha Azlan! what's with the BUMPing?

 

[olvarox]

You MUST keep on your toes! If you do that, it'll be pretty hard not to move

 

[azlan]

haha Azlan! what's with the BUMPing?

If you noticed Matt, all the threads that I bumped are from 2 years ago, when there were only a few members around. So I thought I would just bring back those threads back and share them. A lot of them are really good honestly.

 

[Matt Hetherington]

Oh I get ya, yea Yosua used to 'bump' a lot as well haha

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

This is a good thread. I am going to let this guy do the talking. This video covers this detail.

So the feet shifting during the stroke is part of the hip rotation and the weight transfer. Perhaps you don't "need" to do it, but it is good to do.

That is a good video series.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

If you watch this video with Xu Xin doing Multi-Ball, you can see that Xu Xin moves his feet to each new spot, and his feet turn with the stroke once he is at the spot. The footwork drill is 3-2-1-3-2-1, so he goes from deep forehand to mid-table, to deep backhand, back the deep forehand taking the ball with his forehand the whole time. The movement from deep backhand all the back to deep forehand is a big one and it is pretty amazing how he covers all that ground so fast and effortlessly.

 

[azlan]

Great video Carl. I can never get bored watching those footwork. Out of this world.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Great video Carl. I can never get bored watching those footwork. Out of this world.

Yeah, I agree. I can watch these footwork videos over and over. The way Xu Xin's feet seem to just glide is very cool.