My EJ journey hasn't gotten me anywhere until I returned home

[Gekko]

I honestly think you've hit on a different issue.
If you've been training and have match play for 1.5 years and made little improvement, I think you either need a new coach, or to get a coach that suits your development.

The techniques should not be so specific that changes in equipment render them non transferable.

 

[Gekko]

I should mention that I'm no saint on the EJ front, I've essentially tried every short pimple on the market and a good 10 blades since mid 2023.

And yes, I too have gone back to stuff I've played a lot with as a junior. The blade though, inner carbon that plays linearly is far far superior to 5 ply stuff I used then.

 

[Tyce]

I honestly think you've hit on a different issue.
If you've been training and have match play for 1.5 years and made little improvement, I think you either need a new coach, or to get a coach that suits your development.

The techniques should not be so specific that changes in equipment render them non transferable.

Someone who could tell me what to focus on, rather than only very slowly discovering it myself, would definitely be a good accelerant. As a low level amateur, there's not really anyone in the club that can fulfil the role of seeing me play matches, and translating it into points for improvement.
I've always seen that as somewhat of an unfair threshold, that makes it hard to get a foothold in the levels above mine. And a pity because it wastes the talent that's there.

So what I've been doing is mainly self analysis from active matches and comparing to the (distant) past to see where I'm at.

I have been focusing on improving what I feel are my weak points, mainly the reliability and confidence in my FH loops. Meanwhile I have also been upping my mental resilience and footwork and I'm making steps in getting better quality on my shots. All stuff I'd say would be a great recipe for getting to a better level.

But perhaps I'm wrong, and all those steps don't really apply to my current level. In that case it's all long term investment but I still need to get up and out. I guess what I need to be then is ultra reliable, like the oldtimers I have the most trouble with. And wielding faster gear really isn't working towards that goal.


To get to the actual point, yes, gear is probably at most 5% of the issue here. And I'm pretty sure I have a very suitable blade in both the innerforce ALC and Senso Carbon. But I'm curious if focusing my gear on even more control will hurt me or make things even better/easier and if that reliability brings me results.

 

[Yuomay]

There’s a few things to consider.

Every match you play every training you do adds up. It’s not wasted time. Also it’s fun!

For me personally equipment doesn’t change much in who I can beat in a match, just changes the amount of effort I put in.
Side note I’m used to changing my rackets and it’s à stimuli for me.

The problem of our sport is that progress goes through steps it’s just not gradual. But the more effort you put in while stuck on a step, the bigger the step can be when you get there.

Most likely the problem is something simple like, where do you look when the opponent touches the ball and when do you start to move.
Or you tell yourself to loop that long serve that’s been bothering you but when it arrives your reflex kicks in and you push or chop it.
Or you play too safe
Or etc..

 

[vanjr]

One statement I did not like is-Your rating doesn't lie. I disagree. You can improve greatly without a significant increase in rating, particularly at middle levels. Rating is based on wins and losses-not how well you play.

 

[Tyce]

One statement I did not like is-Your rating doesn't lie. I disagree. You can improve greatly without a significant increase in rating, particularly at middle levels. Rating is based on wins and losses-not how well you play.

If I can play to make the angels weep in pure joy, yet still not bringing the results with it, then what's the use?
The game has to be effective, not just good.

 

[sebi]

Most people who think about their set up get it wrong. We all want to try the new and best stuff with most control and it should be so fast and spinny even pros can't block it. But that's the wrong way. A wood blade or maybe inner carbon is more then enough and some basic rubber.

I myself had to go trough it. The only good thing is I never bought a viscaria which would have been way to fast for me. When I did my coaching license the coach told me my setup is to fast for me even when I have good basics and technique.
Instead of buying stuff we should all go get some privat lessons and a coach that tells us to stick to the slow stuff.

 

[Gekko]

Someone who could tell me what to focus on, rather than only very slowly discovering it myself, would definitely be a good accelerant. As a low level amateur, there's not really anyone in the club that can fulfil the role of seeing me play matches, and translating it into points for improvement.
I've always seen that as somewhat of an unfair threshold, that makes it hard to get a foothold in the levels above mine. And a pity because it wastes the talent that's there.

So what I've been doing is mainly self analysis from active matches and comparing to the (distant) past to see where I'm at.

I have been focusing on improving what I feel are my weak points, mainly the reliability and confidence in my FH loops. Meanwhile I have also been upping my mental resilience and footwork and I'm making steps in getting better quality on my shots. All stuff I'd say would be a great recipe for getting to a better level.

But perhaps I'm wrong, and all those steps don't really apply to my current level. In that case it's all long term investment but I still need to get up and out. I guess what I need to be then is ultra reliable, like the oldtimers I have the most trouble with. And wielding faster gear really isn't working towards that goal.


To get to the actual point, yes, gear is probably at most 5% of the issue here. And I'm pretty sure I have a very suitable blade in both the innerforce ALC and Senso Carbon. But I'm curious if focusing my gear on even more control will hurt me or make things even better/easier and if that reliability brings me results.

For sure, there were so many things I didn't know I was even doing wrong until my current coach watched my strokes.

I'll do my best for some pointers:
-Stay balanced. A well placed slower loop is significantly better than a fast one played at the expense of balance.
-Slow down! You have a surprising amount of time and most often I see lower rated players rush themselves into missing your shot. Just take your time, and rotate your body, then move your feet, and FINALLY move your arm to contact at the end.
-If the old-timers you refer to use long pimple or some sort of no sponge rubber (including anti), you need to be confident to hit DOWN onto the table.

Hopefully these make sense to you, of course it would be better to show in person.
There's a great video Seth put out and honestly from what he says I reckon he's a great coach.

Good luck Tyce!

 

[Tyce]

For sure, there were so many things I didn't know I was even doing wrong until my current coach watched my strokes.

I'll do my best for some pointers:
-Stay balanced. A well placed slower loop is significantly better than a fast one played at the expense of balance.
-Slow down! You have a surprising amount of time and most often I see lower rated players rush themselves into missing your shot. Just take your time, and rotate your body, then move your feet, and FINALLY move your arm to contact at the end.
-If the old-timers you refer to use long pimple or some sort of no sponge rubber (including anti), you need to be confident to hit DOWN onto the table.

Hopefully these make sense to you, of course it would be better to show in person.
There's a great video Seth put out and honestly from what he says I reckon he's a great coach.

Good luck Tyce!

You have successfully touched several points I've been working on recently, as well as linked the most useful video I've seen while fixing up my FH issues

Pips aren't necessarily the problem. I've coached a modern defender kid in the past so I'm not afraid of it, even if it sometimes takes a while to get a grasp on them.
The problem is when those are wielded by former high level players, who know exactly what to do except that they're getting too old to do it swiftly.
But truly, the old guys are just a description of people that I lose to, yet shouldn't.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

• who ask you to be enamoured with this and that brand and get yourself all tangled up with complicated relationship.
• Be like Gozo:
• Stick with Butterfly.
• Stick with Butterfly shakehand only.
• Gozo happy.

be like Gozo

change a be like memo every 3 months

PS, when it becomes 1 to 2 weeks, then Gozo will receive the Gozo Master EJ badge

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

be like Gozo

change a be like memo every 3 months

PS, when it becomes 1 to 2 weeks, then Gozo will receive the Gozo Master EJ badge

psst... my next BTY blade is on the way from Japan....

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

psst... my next BTY blade is on the way from Japan....

perks of living in Asia
out of interest sake - how long does it take to arrive?

I help a forum member with clothing he order from Japan, and it arrives in 2 to 3 days. Almost as far as sending things within Taiwan

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

perks of living in Asia
out of interest sake - how long does it take to arrive?

I help a forum member with clothing he order from Japan, and it arrives in 2 to 3 days. Almost as far as sending things within Taiwan

two weeks on average.

butterfly sk seven at USD fifty'ish.

Joy & Happiness!

Paired with FH T05H.

BH not sure to pair with D eighty or sixty four. Chad, told me to go with sixty four. What sayeth Tony?

 

[PenHoldSandro]

two weeks on average.

butterfly sk seven at USD fifty'ish.

Joy & Happiness!

Paired with FH T05H.

BH not sure to pair with D eighty or sixty four. Chad, told me to go with sixty four. What sayeth Tony?

whatever floats ur boat

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

whatever floats ur boat

which one floats better?

 

[Tyce]

two weeks on average.

butterfly sk seven at USD fifty'ish.

Joy & Happiness!

Paired with FH T05H.

BH not sure to pair with D eighty or sixty four. Chad, told me to go with sixty four. What sayeth Tony?

Two weeks to Malaysia? Wow, I got my stuff from Japan in two weeks, too...

 

[jk1980]

i think the what Tyce said about the advice what to focus on next is what most are lacking. We always want to go for the low hanging fruit that is achievable in the least amount of time. Unfortunately the "least amount of time" in table tennis is not days, but rather weeks or even month.

My coach told me how to drastically improve me backhand and showed me an exercise on how to train it if i want to have a great backhand in 2 to 3 months by simply playing the exercise 5-10 minutes every training. Only issue is that i don't know anybody who could actually serve the ball to me that precisely for me to execute it.

 

[Tyce]

i think the what Tyce said about the advice what to focus on next is what most are lacking. We always want to go for the low hanging fruit that is achievable in the least amount of time. Unfortunately the "least amount of time" in table tennis is not days, but rather weeks or even month.

My coach told me how to drastically improve me backhand and showed me an exercise on how to train it if i want to have a great backhand in 2 to 3 months by simply playing the exercise 5-10 minutes every training. Only issue is that i don't know anybody who could actually serve the ball to me that precisely for me to execute it.

Sounds like you need a robot!

 

[jk1980]

Sounds like you need a robot!

i do have one *bty amicus expert" but it would not be able to be mounted in a way that would replicate what my coach did.
It would need to sit next to the table 10 cm from the net on the right and "shoot" the ball to bounce once on the other side, jump low over the net tangentially to the net and once on my side. then i shall flick the ball back to the other side not over the net but actually around the net, preferable close to where the ball started and not the easy way.

The emphasis here is for me to properly bend my wrist back as much as possible to get more spin.
My issue is that my "backswing" is very minimal on the backhand if i dont actively focus on it.

 

[sebi]

I bet with some time you can set you robot up that way. Seth has a video about robots too and he has them away from the table to simulate choppers. I think with a chair and some determination you can set it up.