I've trained with 20+ top coaches in the world and I still suck :) - AMA

[lodro]

you can choose to be happy just playing TT and trying to be better and enjoy the process

good advise, it always worked for me 😁
Or, with the words of the late great Frank Zappa : I know when I'm licked - all over !

 

[piligrim]

You should try Zhang Jike and Fang Bo. They will be stars on your list ))

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

i think the wise ones has spoken

need to look at golden viscaria
that adds 200 points easily.

just put in some ugly Dr Neubauer long pips sheet on one side and some unknown Chinese maker short pips on the other side

Plus 500 points easily

 

[blahness]

I had a brief look, OP is quite solid but the serves just ain't nasty enough. I reckon if he trained some nasty af, highly deceptive and well placed serves he will crack 2000 easy.

Playing without good serves in TT is like bringing a knife into a gunfight.

Tbh, it is hard to win in TT just by 'standard' gameplay, one needs to develop nasty weapons. Fundamentals are for pros.

 

[r0b3rt0]

Hey!

I really related to what you wrote. I’ve also been thinking about looking for coaches who can help me in a more personalized way.

I started playing when I was 12, but I didn’t stick with it for more than a year. Then I picked it up again at 15, but always without any proper coaching. Now, at 40, I’ve been back to training for about a year, practicing consistently from Monday to Friday. Still, I don’t really feel like I’m improving.

I think part of it is because I never had a solid foundation or any real consistency since I first started, and at this age, it’s much harder to fix bad habits. It’s just not the same trying to correct things at 40 as it is when you’re a kid. But like you, it’s my passion — and even if it’s hard to improve, I still enjoy every moment at the table.

Really liked your message and the way you’re sharing your journey. Thanks for putting it out there 🙌

 

[ThePongCommenter]

Transition, timing, and moving are more important, but not many coaches will teach you that.

What coaches are you seeing?

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL. I also trained in Taiwan at Lion's Club. I'll reach out when I visit again!!!

Thank you for your support!

you certainly should
see you soon!

 

[mightymouse]

Training is important. But so is playing against many types of players (real play, real games, does not have to be in a tournaments).

My observation:
1. Good players might not be good coaches. I found that lower level coaches can train beginners better.
2. All those techniques learned from vigorous training are always beneficial, but you need consistency.
3. Good technique players often lose to worse players due to lack of experience and tactics.

So while most players improve because of the training given by coaches, nothing replaces countless hours of games against many types of players. Those will build your games, enrich your experiences and sharpen your tactics and strategy.

 

[size12font]

Too many coaches and not enough EJing 😅

No I also went through the EJ phase haha

 

[size12font]

From what I have observed, most coaches do not help adult amateurs that much. A good coach is not a top notched professional player, but one that can observe your problem and know your personalities to help you improve based on your skills and capabilities. Most coaches do not even bother to correct the fundamentals of adult amateurs' strikes.

This accurate, I've hired professionals that are above the top 60 in the world and generally speaking strong players are "bad" coaches for beginners. It's impossible for them to realize how fast the ball is or how fast their are compared to other people. Additionally, their minds are more comfortable against certain balls and pressure points.

The best coaches I've find are guys that are around 2000-2100 / where they are good but hardly professional. They are closer to my level of the game so they can obviously spot the gaps that they used to make NOT that long ago.
I say that but my current two coaches were both korean national players and they are fantastic. BECAUSE their full time job now is teaching elderly and children. They developed a noob friendly way of teaching people.

 

[size12font]

i think the wise ones has spoken

need to look at golden viscaria
that adds 200 points easily.

not a joke I actually have the timo ball special edition grip take one. Basically the same Timo Ball blade......but special hahah

 

[piligrim]

No I also went through the EJ phase haha

Maybe does the problem

 

[kindof99]

Hey!

I really related to what you wrote. I’ve also been thinking about looking for coaches who can help me in a more personalized way.

I started playing when I was 12, but I didn’t stick with it for more than a year. Then I picked it up again at 15, but always without any proper coaching. Now, at 40, I’ve been back to training for about a year, practicing consistently from Monday to Friday. Still, I don’t really feel like I’m improving.

I think part of it is because I never had a solid foundation or any real consistency since I first started, and at this age, it’s much harder to fix bad habits. It’s just not the same trying to correct things at 40 as it is when you’re a kid. But like you, it’s my passion — and even if it’s hard to improve, I still enjoy every moment at the table.

Really liked your message and the way you’re sharing your journey. Thanks for putting it out there 🙌

40+ is not an old age to start learning again. I think the key to learn is to start with a slower pace. If you can find a good coach or club mate to teach you how to use your body properly, then that is the way to go. If not, watch some tutorial videos, learn forehand drive for a couple of months before learning looping.

I think the problem for most amateurs is that they want to start playing like FZD and ML at the first step. And that is impossible. A good coach would ask you to feel the ball with your body/hand first without much power, and gradually increase power/motion.

 

[Bruschk0v]

@size12font
Not sure if you are still reading this, but my question would be: How did you, as some rando low level amateur player (no offense), get to train with all these amazing coaches and / or players?
Did you just write them directly (facebook, instagram, ...) and ask them if they would train you and if so, what their hourly rates are?
Edit: And did you have the feeling they maybe overcharged you or had to pay a slightly higher rate because you were probably not very exciting to them from a pure table tennis standpoint?

 

[pong99]

@size12font
Not sure if you are still reading this, but my question would be: How did you, as some rando low level amateur player (no offense), get to train with all these amazing coaches and / or players?
Did you just write them directly (facebook, instagram, ...) and ask them if they would train you and if so, what their hourly rates are?
Edit: And did you have the feeling they maybe overcharged you or had to pay a slightly higher rate because you were probably not very exciting to them from a pure table tennis standpoint?

Not a problem in the US to hire high level coaches if you can pay. They are all over the country. In fact, most of their students are "rando" hobby players.

Literally anyone can contact coaches like Gao Jun or Tawny Banh and arrange for a lesson. I have taken lessons from Wei Wang, US Nat'l champ/olympian, as well as Stellan, world champion. They will gladly teach anyone and can be contacted by all the usual ways. Prices are listed.

 

[Tyce]

Instead of hiring 20 coaches for a limited amount of time, hiring 1 coach for 20x that amount of time could have given you a lot more. Doing single sessions, or just a few, doesn't really make your progress visible to the coach. And when they don't know how, and how much, you progress, all they can do is work from a snapshot of you and give you generic improvement advice.

To those coaches, it's easy money. But also a little boring probably.