Footwork..

[Wrighty67]

Hi all

I have worked for the last 24 months on the technical side of my game over all else - made decent headway on both wings. This is evident in practice drills and also to a lesser extent in my doubles play. Where it is in less evidence is in my singles play, and in particular vs better players in matches.

My realisation when watching videos back, is that this is almost all due to poor footwork - my tendency when under pressure is to become rooted to the spot right at the base of the table - both after serving or receiving but also after hitting an open up. This results in me being out of position for the follow up balls which leads me to either being passed or more likely being unable hit a quality shot with consistency (which I have the ability to do) Additionally, and to make matters worse, I tend to stand up and not stay low.

Despite knowing this, I seem unable to address it in match situations - it is just not embedded and so does not happen without 100% focus, which is just not possible in a tense match situation.

Has anybody experienced similar, and if so how did you rebuild those neural pathways to change the behaviour - are off table drills, multi ball etc good options or are there better ways to drill it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[K.K]

hard to say without some footage of you.

1. maybe you are a player that doesn't move much in general and you never notice, because you mostly train regular drills
or
2. you are a player that moves a lot even in practice but doesn't have the confidence in your strokes yet, so you watch the ball if it lands on the table instead of recovering
or
3....
many more issues, because footwork is a really broad term in tabletennis

 

[WingTT]

Play practice matches (with a coach or a willing opponent you don't mind losing to) where you concentrate on developing the habit of automatically repositioning to the right distance and side after every stroke instead of trying to win a point outright. You may find the match becoming easier and more "profesionnal" once you get it.

 

[AutomaticBackhand]

You learn by trying it out, realizing and correcting your mistakes repeatedly, sleeping and doing it again.

Apply that for footwork, and week after week you will see it becoming easier and better.

It starts with stance and mindset pre-serve/receive.
For each point in training, make it your goal to have good footwork.

Take time inbetween points to reflect, realize and correct your mistakes.
Don't rush - repetition alone won't make you learn.
Make your "wrong"/bad attempts conscious, just like your good ones.

If possible, let others also give you feedback.

I assume you know what good/bad footwork looks like for you and you don't actually need to learn how to move your feet.

 

[dingyibvs]

Hi all

I have worked for the last 24 months on the technical side of my game over all else - made decent headway on both wings. This is evident in practice drills and also to a lesser extent in my doubles play. Where it is in less evidence is in my singles play, and in particular vs better players in matches.

My realisation when watching videos back, is that this is almost all due to poor footwork - my tendency when under pressure is to become rooted to the spot right at the base of the table - both after serving or receiving but also after hitting an open up. This results in me being out of position for the follow up balls which leads me to either being passed or more likely being unable hit a quality shot with consistency (which I have the ability to do) Additionally, and to make matters worse, I tend to stand up and not stay low.

Despite knowing this, I seem unable to address it in match situations - it is just not embedded and so does not happen without 100% focus, which is just not possible in a tense match situation.

Has anybody experienced similar, and if so how did you rebuild those neural pathways to change the behaviour - are off table drills, multi ball etc good options or are there better ways to drill it?

Thanks in advance.

Don't try to correct it in matches, TT is too fast and there are too many elements involved with each shot that it's useless to work on any technique in matches. The best you can do in matches is remind yourself before each point to move, but it won't happen unless you've already trained extensively on it. So first you need to correct it in drills, work positioning into every drill you do.

I've had the same issue as you. You've probably seen some of my previous videos showing practice shots and how different it was to games. For many months more thereafter I continued to improve in practice with little to show for in games. What gave me a breakthrough is really working on footwork, and by extension, body positioning.

You have a robot, so you can do one very simple drill that helped me tremendously. Just have the robot serve to the same spot, but you alternate between hitting FHs and BHs. You don't even need to pay attention to exactly how your feet or body are moving, just focus on trying to strike the ball exactly as you would when you're hitting FH only or BH only. Your feet, your hips, your shoulder, your elbow, everything should be as close as possible. You'll feel it if something is different. Turn up the frequency of the feeds gradually until you're at the limit of your mobility, and your feet will automatically be moving as efficiently as you can.

After that, train with a slightly different spin. If possible, mix in slightly different speed, height, depth, etc. as well, but make sure to do it well with one type of shot first.

 

[latej]

You know precisely in your head what to do, which is a good thing. I also try to keep these things in my head, and occasionally (really just occasionally) remind myself about it, during matches. But I think some things should be ingrained even more automatically, and I think that comes with time spent on the table actually doing it. I could recommend exercises, which I do myself:

- the left (BH) / right (FH), and I play always to the BH of my partner (or to FH sometimes); after a while 2BH / 2FH again either to BH or FH; and after a while - the core why we do it - he does random to my BH / FH; so this is about horizontal movement

- I serve, he plays chop to my FH, I open/play topspin, always to same place (e.g. his BH or FH), and we finish till the end; important is to play the opening so that the move backward - to make space and time - is part of the stroke (it doesn't matter if I open with FH or BH); so this is about vertical movement

I know these are kind of rudimentary basics, but I think it helps to ingrain at least some correct behavior. E.g. in the BH/FH random transition, you may have really no time, and make for power in the stroke by some "non-standard" body moves, like going down with gravity centre, and moving your non-playing hand in opposite direction than usual, just to generate some power in "no time" case.

 

[silas6012]

At one time I played on open-air table in the park, and it began to snow and the floor got slippery. I realized that I had to move my legs more often and with narrower strides to prevent falling over. Perhaps that is an idea to make you move.

 

[joshmak10]

I have horrible footwork as a 6’1” player. I’ve found that bouncing slightly on your toes during your squat stance during a match really helps me, my footwork has inproved massively according to other players I played in the past

 

[blahness]

For me personally, there is nothing that quality shadow practice cannot fix. But it has to be high quality - you have to really imagine it. I do a lot of shadow practice even at the table. It works a lot better to have it nailed before even going to the table. And you just have to try the new stroke against easy balls first, then when you get the hang of it you can easily extend it to harder balls.

I rarely shadow arm strokes these days, it is all about footwork and body usage first, so that I focus on these when I get to the table.

 

[NextLevel]

It took me a long time to appreciate the obsession with footwork. I am still of the opinion that most players can play decently well without it, and that it is at the advanced levels that footwork issues truly show up. I know someone who believes the reason I can get away with this is that I am tall and have reach. In reality, it is because I feel for the most part that if you play a quality ball that limits the options of your opponent, you can reasonably anticipate where the ball is going with training and practice. Since you said your footwork has improved in doubles, where this anticipation is dependent on the opponent and your partner and is borderline impossible, I suspect your real problems are not with footwork but with anticipation and understanding the angle of play.

This video is very useful for understanding what the angle of play practically means, even if it is long. I could get you a more theoretical video, but that video would lack the real applications this one does:

Angle of play and anticipation shows up in every stroke, especially on serve and serve return. but the main thing that restricts angle of play is ball quality. When a ball is slow and high, very rarely will anticipation or footwork save you because the ball has placed no limits on the opponent's options. When the ball is low and heavy with spin, you are usually limiting the ability of the opponent to hit the ball past you without taking some risks, especially if the ball is short. When the incoming ball is fast, most players send the ball back where it came from, so being able to play high quality balls into the corners along the diagonals is easiest way to keep the angle of play limited largely to where the ball came from so that your anticipation demands are low except against much better players. In general with few exceptions - if you put a quality ball (low to the net) into the opponents right handed forehand short, almost all the quality returns will be to your forehand and slower but possible returns will be to your backhand. So you can sit on the forehand ball and just be ready to for the backhand ball which you will have time to adjust to since there is less table and your opponent will have to take risks to get the short ball over the net and past you if your ball was low with quality.

So without having seen your actual video, I would encourage you to beat yourself up less over footwork and to think about what the requirements for better anticipation are and work much more with those.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

Hi all

I have worked for the last 24 months on the technical side of my game over all else - made decent headway on both wings. This is evident in practice drills and also to a lesser extent in my doubles play. Where it is in less evidence is in my singles play, and in particular vs better players in matches.

My realisation when watching videos back, is that this is almost all due to poor footwork - my tendency when under pressure is to become rooted to the spot right at the base of the table - both after serving or receiving but also after hitting an open up. This results in me being out of position for the follow up balls which leads me to either being passed or more likely being unable hit a quality shot with consistency (which I have the ability to do) Additionally, and to make matters worse, I tend to stand up and not stay low.

Despite knowing this, I seem unable to address it in match situations - it is just not embedded and so does not happen without 100% focus, which is just not possible in a tense match situation.

Has anybody experienced similar, and if so how did you rebuild those neural pathways to change the behaviour - are off table drills, multi ball etc good options or are there better ways to drill it?

Thanks in advance.

Howdy mate Wrighty,

You specifically asked how to build the neural pathway. I shall share some personal anecdote.

1. First off I would assume you to have performed the usual drill during your usual non match activity such as BH - BH - FH ( two of three point position ) or Falkenberg etc.

2. Now on to my personal observation. Sometimes when the crowd is large in my club and the tables are occupied fully, I would not have the privilege of a good warm-up. I will be rushed to start the game A.S.A.P. out of courtesy and camaraderie. It is in this scenario, I perform the worse. My legs somehow does not want to move, although my mind commands it. It is like it has not awaken from its slumber.

3. Sometimes when it is less crowded in my club and the tables are not occupied fully, I would have the privilege of a good warm-up. I will do something like this for 15 minutes which is not a lot to be honest: FH - BH drive two points. BH - BH then pivot FH drive. Something simple like this. After doing these simple drills, to be honest it does work wonders and my footwork miraculously becomes better.

4. This brings me to the topic of activating the neural pathway between those lazy legs and the brain. It would appear that some simple drills like what is mentioned in point nos. 3 do seems to activate the neural connection between the lower limbs and the brain. At least this is what I personally experience.

 

[Wrighty67]

Thanks all for some great replies - lots to consider. I definitely can benefit from better “movement” targeted warm up and also more solid shadow practice.

@NextLevel I am sure you are correct on the anticipation, but also sure that my shot quality is negatively impacted by lack of space at table to play, due to being too close.

Here’s a brief (painful) clip of one of the matches - lost 3-1 and also shows my struggles with his long side/top serves..

There are multiple times I’m rooted in place after hitting my shot.

 

[K.K]

thanks for your video!
shadowpractice is a really nice way to get a basic understanding of connected movement. if your imagination is big enough you could even do it with closed eyes. then you can get a lot from it. i know some bundesliga players that do that before a match. even without moving, just by their imagination. you should definitly do this to get yourself moving and give your body the response.

in your case i would say it is also one of these 'ballwatching' situations i described in my second thought. you actually have so much time and just move to late, or stretch your arm. so it has more to do with mindset and anticipation. maybe you also overthink a bit.

FIRST: you must always trust your own ball, always expect it on the table and always expect it to come back. you can train that with a regular drill that starts with your serve like: backspin serve to FH, long push to FH, open up with FH to the FH side, block in FH, FH Topspin in Middle, open game...
then start to slowly make it less regular with having the open game one step earlier everytime, till the open game comes after your serve. by that you will transition into a more game like version and you can trust yourself more.
(but you should always train this with the serve you actually use in your match, in this case your pendelum backspin/sidespin serve or your backhandserve)

SECOND: i would to a multibal drill for anticipation where you only have one ball that is regular: 1x Middle, 1x BH side or FH side, 1x Middle, ...
there you will always know that one ball is in the middle and then train yourself of really watching the paddle of the multiball player closely to know if it comes to your BH or your FH.
(here you should really focus on moving to the ball and not stretching out your arm!)
you can also do this with someone blocking, but it is way harder, because you will first have trouble to land the balls with good placement.

there are a lot of other drills you can do for things like that, but i would first start it really simple and then move your way up. simplicity is a key for better understanding the game. like if i have a really good short backspin serve, there is not so much someone can do with it, then push it or flick it. so i can limit the options and don't need to expect every ball.

 

[NextLevel]

Thanks all for some great replies - lots to consider. I definitely can benefit from better “movement” targeted warm up and also more solid shadow practice.

@NextLevel I am sure you are correct on the anticipation, but also sure that my shot quality is negatively impacted by lack of space at table to play, due to being too close.

Here’s a brief (painful) clip of one of the matches - lost 3-1 and also shows my struggles with his long side/top serves..

There are multiple times I’m rooted in place after hitting my shot.

Yeah, but look at where you hit the shot and look at what it does to the angle of play and how it challenges your anticipation. It is true this is a lefty so that probably made you want to avoid the forehand but in reality, the wide forehand is a weak point for *both* players if hit from the backhand at the right moment as long as one can contain the incoming forehand if the opponent has the footwork to get to it. Going into the backhand continually creates an angle you can't cover.

The other thing to look at is your playing distance to the table if you want to use your footwork. You are possibly too close to the table to react to the ball.

Finally, practicing against random block at slower speeds at first and building it up is the main thing you probably need. Also practice against random return vs your serve. My main point is that you need to improve the feeling in your hands, since that is what most adult learners really adjust with, adjusting with the feet is built up over time but requires really strong anticipation.

You would need to show your ability to use larger movements, no point beating yourself up if you don't have the ability to make large movements.

 

[K.K]

in this video it looked like no one pushed short, so no need to be glued that close to the table. you can start with your receiving position be one step back and then you have more time and quality in your own ball, too

 

[Wrighty67]

Yeah, but look at where you hit the shot and look at what it does to the angle of play and how it challenges your anticipation. It is true this is a lefty so that probably made you want to avoid the forehand but in reality, the wide forehand is a weak point for *both* players if hit from the backhand at the right moment as long as one can contain the incoming forehand if the opponent has the footwork to get to it. Going into the backhand continually creates an angle you can't cover.

The other thing to look at is your playing distance to the table if you want to use your footwork. You are possibly too close to the table to react to the ball.

Finally, practicing against random block at slower speeds at first and building it up is the main thing you probably need. Also practice against random return vs your serve. My main point is that you need to improve the feeling in your hands, since that is what most adult learners really adjust with, adjusting with the feet is built up over time but requires really strong anticipation.

You would need to show your ability to use larger movements, no point beating yourself up if you don't have the ability to make large movements.

Thanks - agreed. Proximity to the table probably easiest to fix first I guess given I’m mid season

 

[Wrighty67]

in this video it looked like no one pushed short, so no need to be glued that close to the table. you can start with your receiving position be one step back and then you have more time and quality in your own ball, too

You’re correct and a good idea to start receiving further back as a decent amount of serves are long in this league -then maybe I’ll stay further back!

 

[NextLevel]

Thanks - agreed. Proximity to the table probably easiest to fix first I guess given I’m mid season

Adjusting playing distance is not a trivial thing since the distance you play from is often tied to the distance you rally from either in practice or in most matches. Your instinctive blocks close to the table (and you have a lot of them) would need to become a bit more active and you might need to play more rally strokes. What that means will be interesting to see.

 

[K.K]

Adjusting playing distance is not a trivial thing since the distance you play from is often tied to the distance you rally from either in practice or in most matches. Your instinctive blocks close to the table (and you have a lot of them) would need to become a bit more active and you might need to play more rally strokes. What that means will be interesting to see.

that is correct, you need to start that habit even during warmup and it will take some time getting used to. i think the second drill i wrote is the easiest to adapt and gives fastest result when you start that drill with serve and receive based on my own experience.

 

[blahness]

Thanks all for some great replies - lots to consider. I definitely can benefit from better “movement” targeted warm up and also more solid shadow practice.

@NextLevel I am sure you are correct on the anticipation, but also sure that my shot quality is negatively impacted by lack of space at table to play, due to being too close.

Here’s a brief (painful) clip of one of the matches - lost 3-1 and also shows my struggles with his long side/top serves..

There are multiple times I’m rooted in place after hitting my shot.

I think it looks like a lack of commitment to loop all of his long serves. It was not really a technique issue but you were getting attacked all the time and under defence which is a bad situation to be in. You were sort of trying to touch or control it back, but this will only provide him with an easy attackable ball. If you learn how to ride his sidespin to loop it with ease, you can loop it to various spots and he will be the one who has to run. Against lefty BH pendulum (same sidespin as righty FH pendulum) you need to contact the back to top or even a bit to the left (ie fade loop), never the right side of the ball when looping it.

Against lefty FH pendulum just FH hook loop it a bit, and you will have great results.