Counterloop practice

[TensorBackhand]

Here is my first attempt at counterloop practice. Im terrible. No consistency and a ton of whiffs. I constantly overestimate the height of the ball and i swing above the ball.

Advice appreciated!

 

[FZD999]

What exactly is a "counterloop"?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

If Harimoto is 1800
You are 400 and your mate is 399

(Add 1200 for real level from my observation)

That isn’t really a good counter top spin exercise. Your guys level not high enough to do this drill.

Get your mate to topspin the ball from a feed, with the ball at the hand when the bush comes (no toss of ball during feed).
If he is good enough, he can do arc, speed and spin variation

Or don’t be cheap, just hire a coach to feed for you. You guys lack quality training.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

A topspin ball will kick up and jump. You are too near the table.

 

[Ultravisitor]

Your stance is high, you lack rotation of your hip, you mostly use your arms/shoulders to loop. If you straight miss the ball you need to keep your eyes on it, as dumb as it sounds.

 

[ThePongCommenter]

So pretty much everything is wrong here but here are a few of the most noticeable:

1) You start your backswing when the ball is already crossing the net back to your side
2) You drop your arm/the racket
3) Late on the ball/letting it drop
4) You aren't overcoming any of the spin on the ball

 

[Aizen]

- you don’t have enough space (esp your friend)
- too close to table
- immediately trying at %100 power (it needs starting at distance)
- timing seems early, ball still ascending (difficult)

there are also some technique issues as well, however
If I were you, I would try first counter drive, until become stable like 50-100 balls in decent pace & speed. Then maybe mini counter loops, or 1 loop - 1 block/drive. Then counter loop at a distance.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

So pretty much everything is wrong here but here are a few of the most noticeable:

1) You start your backswing when the ball is already crossing the net back to your side
2) You drop your arm/the racket
3) Late on the ball/letting it drop
4) You aren't overcoming any of the spin on the ball

5) Use Golden Viscaria

 

[TensorBackhand]

A topspin ball will kick up and jump. You are too near the table.

Yes, I noticed it was much easier for me to counterloop if I stood farther back. But I felt like this was cheating, because I know the ball is coming. In a real game, I wouldn't know. So I tried to stay close to table.

 

[TensorBackhand]

Your stance is high, you lack rotation of your hip, you mostly use your arms/shoulders to loop. If you straight miss the ball you need to keep your eyes on it, as dumb as it sounds.

Our balls are really cheap training balls, so I don't know if that affected the bounce as well. A lot of times, the ball came WAY lower than I thought it would come.

Also, I looked at the hit marks on my rubber, and they were all on the lower half of my rubber. Clearly I'm swinging too "high" towards the ball.

Although, after this practice we played a match, and I successfully hit a few counter-loops in match.

 

[TensorBackhand]

So pretty much everything is wrong here but here are a few of the most noticeable:

1) You start your backswing when the ball is already crossing the net back to your side
2) You drop your arm/the racket
3) Late on the ball/letting it drop
4) You aren't overcoming any of the spin on the ball

You think I should hit the ball earlier?

I was thinking the opposite. I felt like I was swinging too early, and I should wait for the ball to reveal its path a bit more.

 

[TensorBackhand]

- you don’t have enough space (esp your friend)
- too close to table
- immediately trying at %100 power (it needs starting at distance)
- timing seems early, ball still ascending (difficult)

there are also some technique issues as well, howere
If I were you, I would try first counter drive, until become stable like 50-100 balls in decent pace & speed. Then maybe mini counter loops, or 1 loop - 1 block/drive. Then counter loop at a distance.

In a real match during a push exchange, we would be close to the table, right?

I feel like if I stand back to anticipate the loop, I am cheating to make the situation easier.

 

[Doralikesmath]

In a real match during a push exchange, we would be close to the table, right?

I feel like if I stand back to anticipate the loop, I am cheating to make the situation easier.

You either stay close to the table and do short and quick counterloops, like Ma Lin or Lin Gaoyuan; or anticipate and move back quickly to do full stroke shots. It's near impossible to do full swing counterloops close to the table, given that you will have very little time to react. It takes time to develop those skills, especially the anticipation and footwork parts. Better start slow and basic, like people here say

 

[John_]

You're not at the level where you should concern yourself with counters. Learn the basics, get consistent with both wings, serve, receive, pushes, touches, open ups, topspins, topspin to topspin from mid distance and then counters. Counters are by far the hardest aspect of the game.

 

[Aizen]

In a real match during a push exchange, we would be close to the table, right?

I feel like if I stand back to anticipate the loop, I am cheating to make the situation easier.

Yes, but the next ball comes long you need step back.

Every ball has own distance, speed, technique adjustment.

Also there is a misunderstanding, I guess your drill is kill/counter top spin opening of your friend, instead of counter loop exchange at distance with full swings.

So for close table counter looping, you don’t need full swing, you need to use body mostly because ball has already speed.
Otherwise, it needs more precision, timing, reaction speed etc (which you look like not ready yet)

Of course ball may fall short and slow, then you can do full swing counter loop at close, but you drill seems different.

There are lot to talk, I might be mistaken as well.
I would repeat it seems better to start practice from basics.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

Yes, I noticed it was much easier for me to counterloop if I stood farther back. But I felt like this was cheating, because I know the ball is coming. In a real game, I wouldn't know. So I tried to stay close to table.

To make it noob friendly;

1. Stay close to table = counter-drive. Less spin, more about placement and speed.
2. Mid to far distance = couter-drive. Spinny & loopy. Use spin to make life a hell for your opponent.
3. Footwork moving in and out is the key.
4. There is no cheating, only footwork.

 

[TensorBackhand]

You either stay close to the table and do short and quick counterloops, like Ma Lin or Lin Gaoyuan; or anticipate and move back quickly to do full stroke shots. It's near impossible to do full swing counterloops close to the table, given that you will have very little time to react. It takes time to develop those skills, especially the anticipation and footwork parts. Better start slow and basic, like people here say

What is short counterloop, like a more active punch block?

 

[TensorBackhand]

You're not at the level where you should concern yourself with counters. Learn the basics, get consistent with both wings, serve, receive, pushes, touches, open ups, topspins, topspin to topspin from mid distance and then counters. Counters are by far the hardest aspect of the game.

I think you're right. When I was practicing I was thinking there must be lower hanging fruit to go after.

I feel somewhat balanced across the other shots you mentioned. So I dont know what other shot to really work on.

Previously i posted video of me working on receive...

 

[longle]

In a real match during a push exchange, we would be close to the table, right?

I feel like if I stand back to anticipate the loop, I am cheating to make the situation easier.

it always start with push exchanges, then someone open loop and force the opponent to take a step back, if he decides to loop back my loop, ta-dah you got ittt

 

[Doralikesmath]

What is short counterloop, like a more active punch block?

If you look at how LGY counter close to the table you will see his stokes are much shorter versus when he is further away, both on forehand and backhand. Especially, look at the position of his paddle at the start of each loop.