Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

Defintiely, I will be in Tokyo from middle of July to September, after that I will start normal work (in IT, not as atable tennis coach), but I am not sure if it will be in Tokyo yet.

Wow! What a beautiful day you had.
I really would like to have a day like yours... Having a club to drill my skills...
Where I live, we don't have any good club. My dream is to play in a club like those Ma Long, Zhang Jike, Xu xin play.
I try to drill my skills with the lowesssttt level players in my school, at the sports education classes (50 minutes per week)... Haha, ridiculous...
However, I try to optimise the time when I play. I watch a lot of videos before playing and try out what I have watched in YouTube videos about TT.
In the sports education, we don't do any exercises to improve footwork, forehand strokes, backhand strokes, etc. Maybe because, even my teacher don't know any of these. I am very sad because of the lack of possibilities I have to train my table tennis.
My dream is to have a very good club to play and a good coach to help me to improve fast...

Vrael said:

Defintiely, I will be in Tokyo from middle of July to September, after that I will start normal work (in IT, not as atable tennis coach), but I am not sure if it will be in Tokyo yet.

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Do you know how to get into an Olympic Game?

Vrael said:

Defintiely, I will be in Tokyo from middle of July to September, after that I will start normal work (in IT, not as atable tennis coach), but I am not sure if it will be in Tokyo yet.

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ok this year i don't think i'll go back to Europe this summer, so probably a lot of time in Tokyo. hope to see you to play a bit !

a great day of TT for me...
went to the TT dojo as usual on Tuesdays.
I played with my 2 teammates. Normally i'm #3, the 2 other players are French also, and their best rankings was far above my best ranking (one 5 levels, the other one 3 levels), although their current level is probably around 2-3 levels below their best due to age and lack of of training/tournament. They both used to beat me consistently over and over with very very few wins for me, and #1 still is normally.

But today, i beat them both ! Granted, the #1 hadn't played for 3 weeks, so it was the good day to beat him. (3-1). even i lost the 3rd 11-0 (!!) i was the dominant player in the 3 other games. I need to have a few others convincing wins when he's back in form. For the #2, I feel I'm coming ahead of him as i'm ahead now in our most recent encounters including 2 wins in a row. Well today was a bit harder, i came back from 1-2 to win 3-2, all sets were a big fight save the 5th which i won easily. so a 3rd in a row now.

I won also another player against whom i've been struggling recently and had not won for a while.

I still think my mates are the better players because they are more consistent overall and fare well against other players. But I'm now able to beat #2 consistently [because i know his tricks and how to play him] and feel against #1 its gonna be the same soon.

main reason for progress ? getting more consistent overall, but mainly moving better and getting back in positions between shots quicker, notably after service or (short) receive, and also during rallies. All those 1:1 coaching lessons are finally showing some effect. the mindset is on keeping being always agressive and keeping moving, but i acknowledge when its not possible and accept to play more "neutral" shots to keep the ball on the table and wait for a better opportunity to attack.

Logically, given my performances, despite my age, i am probably at my best ever level, and still improving ! feels great !

I am getting worried about my performance during our match . Since I came back from Tokyo in March I didn't have a single training because of studies. Just hitting with the very old robot sometimes in my room. Need to get back to table, so I don't have any excuses when I lose

Had 2nd interview with company in Shibuya, so maybe I will be able to spend some more time in Tokyo than I thought.
We even spoke about table tennis at the end of the interview, so I guess it went pretty okay

Very cool Sir! CONGRATULATIONS!

Takkyu_wa_inochi said:

a great day of TT for me...
went to the TT dojo as usual on Tuesdays.
I played with my 2 teammates. Normally i'm #3, the 2 other players are French also, and their best rankings was far above my best ranking (one 5 levels, the other one 3 levels), although their current level is probably around 2-3 levels below their best due to age and lack of of training/tournament. They both used to beat me consistently over and over with very very few wins for me, and #1 still is normally.

But today, i beat them both ! Granted, the #1 hadn't played for 3 weeks, so it was the good day to beat him. (3-1). even i lost the 3rd 11-0 (!!) i was the dominant player in the 3 other games. I need to have a few others convincing wins when he's back in form. For the #2, I feel I'm coming ahead of him as i'm ahead now in our most recent encounters including 2 wins in a row. Well today was a bit harder, i came back from 1-2 to win 3-2, all sets were a big fight save the 5th which i won easily. so a 3rd in a row now.

I won also another player against whom i've been struggling recently and had not won for a while.

I still think my mates are the better players because they are more consistent overall and fare well against other players. But I'm now able to beat #2 consistently [because i know his tricks and how to play him] and feel against #1 its gonna be the same soon.

main reason for progress ? getting more consistent overall, but mainly moving better and getting back in positions between shots quicker, notably after service or (short) receive, and also during rallies. All those 1:1 coaching lessons are finally showing some effect. the mindset is on keeping being always agressive and keeping moving, but i acknowledge when its not possible and accept to play more "neutral" shots to keep the ball on the table and wait for a better opportunity to attack.

Logically, given my performances, despite my age, i am probably at my best ever level, and still improving ! feels great !

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Good luck with everything sir!

vrael said:

i am getting worried about my performance during our match :d. Since i came back from tokyo in march i didn't have a single training because of studies. Just hitting with the very old robot sometimes in my room. Need to get back to table, so i don't have any excuses when i lose

had 2nd interview with company in shibuya, so maybe i will be able to spend some more time in tokyo than i thought.
We even spoke about table tennis at the end of the interview, so i guess it went pretty okay :d

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Last Thursday played at club, left-handed long pips OX bh, lost 1 game in 2 hours.

Last Thursday, I intended to wear my glasses as I played. I hit a few shots and it was disorienting. Took it off and didn't play with them on for the rest of the night.

Played 3 lefty SH in 4 matches. Lost all 4. First partner I should beat if i played my regular game, but forcing myself to use almost all RPB and not TPB and my partner knows I've been concentrating on RPB so he hits mostly to my BH. Once in awhile he mixes it up and hits to my FH and I've lost all confidence in my FH loop. Some jedi mind trick i did to myself Lost 3 straight.

Next, played someone I never played before and thought he may be 2 or more levels above me. Ends up he's either 1 level above or my level. He is beatable and as he is a lefty, i reverse He Zhi Wen him with my FH pendulum serves very effectively. Lost 3-1, my win was very convincing at 11-4. But back to my glasses, i played on a table that is by the door where the walls are painted white. Also as there were a lot of members present, an extra table was put next to ours and on one side is a column and a double disadvantage to serve on the side where if i pivot i would hit the chairs and column, as well as it facing the white wall. Regardless, next time if i play him i know what to do.

3rd partner is my old friend Mark ... we have good chats and good fun playing. First match, he beat me 3-1. He played someone else after and beat him. Then I replayed him and lost 3-0. I should've went home but as he comes 1x a month or so, I waited for a chance at a rematch and got it.

Overall, RPB coming along, i'm 50/50 on my RPB loops and happy my RPB punch/block is coming along. My RPB flat hit is my best shot at 75% success.

plan for tonight

1. Tonight no matter what, I'll wear my glasses.
2. Don't rush and take my time on my shots.
3. RPB!!!!!!!
4. Serve shorter and mix in no spin serves.

OldschoolPenholder said:

Last Thursday, I intended to wear my glasses as I played. I hit a few shots and it was disorienting. Took it off and didn't play with them on for the rest of the night.

Played 3 lefty SH in 4 matches. Lost all 4. First partner I should beat if i played my regular game, but forcing myself to use almost all RPB and not TPB and my partner knows I've been concentrating on RPB so he hits mostly to my BH. Once in awhile he mixes it up and hits to my FH and I've lost all confidence in my FH loop. Some jedi mind trick i did to myself Lost 3 straight.

Next, played someone I never played before and thought he may be 2 or more levels above me. Ends up he's either 1 level above or my level. He is beatable and as he is a lefty, i reverse He Zhi Wen him with my FH pendulum serves very effectively. Lost 3-1, my win was very convincing at 11-4. But back to my glasses, i played on a table that is by the door where the walls are painted white. Also as there were a lot of members present, an extra table was put next to ours and on one side is a column and a double disadvantage to serve on the side where if i pivot i would hit the chairs and column, as well as it facing the white wall. Regardless, next time if i play him i know what to do.

3rd partner is my old friend Mark ... we have good chats and good fun playing. First match, he beat me 3-1. He played someone else after and beat him. Then I replayed him and lost 3-0. I should've went home but as he comes 1x a month or so, I waited for a chance at a rematch and got it.

Overall, RPB coming along, i'm 50/50 on my RPB loops and happy my RPB punch/block is coming along. My RPB flat hit is my best shot at 75% success.

plan for tonight

1. Tonight no matter what, I'll wear my glasses.
2. Don't rush and take my time on my shots.
3. RPB!!!!!!!
4. Serve shorter and mix in no spin serves.

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I think you shouldn't make 4 matches with the same guy in the same session. 2 is the MAX.
you cannot keep both all the necessary influx and motivation to make it useful.

You'd better either do some drills or some theme-based match to improve (limit the type of serves or returns, forbid pushes, bonus points or penalty points in some cases, or some more complicated pattern, do a series of sets starting at 8-8...)

Plan: looks like a good plan. I'd add 5. keep on moving all the time

Takkyu_wa_inochi said:

I think you shouldn't make 4 matches with the same guy in the same session. 2 is the MAX.
you cannot keep both all the necessary influx and motivation to make it useful.

You'd better either do some drills or some theme-based match to improve (limit the type of serves or returns, forbid pushes, bonus points or penalty points in some cases, or some more complicated pattern, do a series of sets starting at 8-8...)

Plan: looks like a good plan. I'd add 5. keep on moving all the time

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Forgive my poor wording Sir. I played 3 different opponent and against one of them i played 2x only. I have been drilling 6 months-1 yr with very little matchplay. Only about 2 or 3 months ago did i start playing matches again.

I generally drill on Weds nights with my friend who is a coach. Tues and/or Thurs I've been playing matches.

I also have been eating less and been intermittent fasting. Trying to find the right balance of what and how much to eat without eating too much. Sometimes my losses are due to lack of energy from eating less.

Last night waited a long time on a table and was beaten 3-1. However, I wore my glasses (it didn't help lol), tried to play steady and just return the ball and the rallies have been getting to 5 to 7 balls now instead of 2-4 only. So playing steady to return the ball instead of trying to win the point outright with speed and/or power has helped in extending the rally/point. Despite the loss, I felt good about it.

Waited on another table for a bit to play my arch-nemesis. He beat me 3-0, is very steady and lobs with sidespin and intermittently attacks. Instead of muscling my shots and trying to win point immediatedly, i just returned to ball doing my best to place it where he is not. Again the rallies went longer and I didn't lose it on the 3rd or 4th ball. Only one point i knew for sure (maybe it was the glasses?) that the lob coming at me had no sidespin and i was able to HULK SMASH THE BALL INTO THE NEGATIVE ZONE! (sorry for comics geeking out

Lastly played my friend who has always been advising me to just return the ball ... make sure i don't lose the point because i didn't return the ball. if partner kills my return, at least i did my part to return the ball. I also was able to extend the points vs him. Also only 1 forced lob from him and i couldn't resist and HULK SMASHED a winner.

Overall, losing most of my points on missed RPB loops. Had 2 good smashes, many good steady RPB flat hit returns. I may have to push a return instead of forcing a RPB loop on 2nd ball. Regardless of the losses, trying to install into muscle memory RPB. Iresorted to 4 TPB shots ... still trying to get it out of my system for now. Had 1 FH loop and a few RPB loops.

Again, despite the losses, which i wasn't really trying to win, was just playing and we happened to be keeping score, i was happy overall that i extended the points and rallying deeper... RPB was tested as well as FH when i flat hit/stroke the balls from both sides during the rally.

Added no spin serves too. Didn't seem to work as well on the 3 opponents last night.

Off to hit at my new club where my friend the coach is.

GN all!

OSP I think you’re doing the good thing trying to play more steady and extending rallies. You are developing more you footwork, your stamina, you abilities to think or anticipate during rallies etc

It will surely payoff if not very soon in a few months for sure !! Keep on the good job !

I guess last night I went past a couple of milestones as a beginner, losing to both an elderly Chinese traditional penholder and a older long pips player.

I visited a different club in my region just to see how it would go. Certainly a different, much older crowd to my normal club (which is full of energetic students from the university next door!)

The first game was with the penholder, I was surprised at how much the change of environment affected me. I guess I should have expected it, different lighting, tables, balls, playing space, and people....but I was really embarrassed. Heaps of serve faults and garbage play. He pretty much blew me off the table. Really impressive how hard he could hit a traditional penhold backhand actually.

Based on this they over-handicapped me I think, and once I warmed up, I was playing very gently with some of the other older players out of respect.

Now, the long pips player. I was hitting the net a lot warming up and was like "Huh, that's a bit funny" and then they actually stopped and came over and said "Excuse me, I don't think you noticed I'm playing with long pips, please look at my bat!". Once we started playing it wasn't so bad. However, not to add to any stereotypes about long pips players, but they did "forget" the score in their favour a couple of times, and also claimed lets for some losing points we'd already completely played out, due to another ball they saw landing "near" the table. Haha. As a visitor I let it slide.

Anyway good experience playing some different styles.

I've only been able to afford to play table tennis mostly once a week in the weekend. Although I may have a half day once a week, I am usually too tired to play. How I wish I am still a student, but I also enjoy having some income.

Recently I have 2 recordings of myself playing games.

The first one I played against a shakehander who has not played for a few months. I struggle a bit, especially with getting a good return from his serves.


The second one I played my friend, and surprisingly had a good outcome.


Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers guys!

Takkyu_wa_inochi said:

OSP I think you’re doing the good thing trying to play more steady and extending rallies. You are developing more you footwork, your stamina, you abilities to think or anticipate during rallies etc

It will surely payoff if not very soon in a few months for sure !! Keep on the good job !

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Thank you Sir, I am not worried about wins/losses... it's the Journey towards Self-perfection for me!

JeffM said:

I've only been able to afford to play table tennis mostly once a week in the weekend. Although I may have a half day once a week, I am usually too tired to play. How I wish I am still a student, but I also enjoy having some income.

Recently I have 2 recordings of myself playing games.

The first one I played against a shakehander who has not played for a few months. I struggle a bit, especially with getting a good return from his serves.

The second one I played my friend, and surprisingly had a good outcome.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers guys!

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Looking forward to watching your videos later when I'm free si-hing!

last night i went to my new club. wasn't able to hit with my friend who is a coach there. he did watch me hit from time-to-time and gave me advice.

my friend 'mommy' fed me 2 boxes of multiballs. i alternated between RPB flat hit and RPB loop drive. still inconsistent with the loop, but on the ones i made it felt good. mommy was able to block back a few and i was able to RPB loop the 4th ball or RPB block/punch. wish i have video of this session.

kind of tired after that, but i hit with a friend that i've not hit with in some time. probably last time was at least 3 months ago. back then i served rockets to her and TPB punched down the line efffectively. we practiced serve and volley and i tried my RPB on 2nd balls and again with varying success. was about 50% on my RPB punch down the line after a rocket serve. started pushing/floating more afterwards. some to the center and some side-to-side.

past 3 months or so i've been actively trying to play RPB and have started playing matches again instead of only practicing. i have tried Wang Hao's punch/hook serves along the way to varying success. last night, standing on the right side of the table, i was able to serve super short to the left side of the table using Wang Hao's punch/hook serve! hmmm.... will have to try this in my matchplay at my regular club.

i was tired and it was getting late but she was tired also and asked a kid to hit with me. i've seen him take lessons before and estimated he should be 2 or more levels above me. i was tired, but thought we just hit for a few minutes and i would thank him for his time and leave. after 1 min, he asked for a match and surprised me. i wasn't expecting a match but i played anyway.

he smoked many a FH loop past me! wasn't used to his serves. lost 3-0 mostly at 6-8 pts. however, that is misleading, he missed many shots giving me points. i was looking to get my RPB in play and override my TPB instincts as well as looking to be steady and return the ball safely instead of going for the attack/finish immediately. overall i had no game. he is better than me given his regular lessons and frequent play. only had one good RPB punch down the line, 1 FH smash and 1 corkscrew serve. good experience for me.

@OSP get some regular lessons from the same coach and he'll give you some tricks to beat this kid !

@JeffM
saw your vids. I think you're much better than the 2 guys in all aspects, and that actually they are quite weak, so its very normal that you beat them.

I have already told you that in previous videos, you have good shots, you know how to loop attack, block, do BH etc... You've got some good serves as well. *But* you are not moving at all !!!! and I mean at ALL !!! If I'm not mistaken you are in your 20s. But i can see some veterans in their 60s or 70s in my club who move more than you do ! TT is a sport, i wonder if you have ever been sweating when playing TT.

Because the opponents are so weak there is not much to say about the matches themselves.
i would just like to highlight 2 moments in your vids

1st vid : around 10'30 you hit a FH drive, and (for once) he makes a good counter. its fast but the ball is really close to you and you're without reaction. you must NOT assume a fast attack is a winner. you have to always get ready for the next ball and be able to play 2 3 4 attacks in a row. Of course in matches, if those opponents are representative of which kind of players you play against, this will not happen often, (play 1 or 2 in a row max), but then you have to do drills and exercises to make it a habit else you will always lose when you play players who are a bit stronger

2nd vid
around 7'50 3rd ball attack you try to kill the ball. You don't adjust your position properly (hmm hmmm footwork) BUT you still try to hit hard the ball (for a winner)... this is really the kind of things you want to avoid doing. maybe you're leading by large i don't know, but this is a free point for the opponent. A few seconds before you made a good slow spinny loop, a bit high but that was safe and enough to score the point. you should do more of those. and get ready to play the next ball !!!
Against this guy its ok, but against stronger players, this is how you lose, giving away free points.

I think you really need to do a lot of basic footwork exercises and try to move and be more consistent to level up.

Went to the club today.

Wasn't expecting a good session. My teammates were not coming, and I felt without energy as I hadn't slept at all on Sunday because of work, and skipped my Monday jog (rain).

Still i went there just to change mood. I started against the PH with LP, whom i've beaten only once in many years (a few weeks ago !). Its very difficult to begin the session with him. He was kind this time of blocking for me for a footwork exercise (2 BH, 2 FH) but after 10 minutes I was already sweating like a pig , and my heart was beating too fast, so i cried UNCLE and we went for a match. My fear was correct. I had a decent start up to 5-5 and played well till that point, but then it was 5-11, and 2-11 in the next one. In the 3rd i recoup my focus, and start at last to move better and play more consistently but its 8-11. so lost 0-3 in a non-match.

For today it was mission impossible and i didn't even believe in my chances.

I'm looking for the next player and there's nobody else than a teenager (17 yo?) who tries to play like FILUS / JSH, I've never beaten him in maybe 15 times, at least 10 of which must have been only 2 3 points difference in the decider... I feel i don't have any energy to beat him, but on the other hand i know I've improved against this style of players so i decide to be more positive and not make a match like the last one which was a waste of time.

I lose a close first game, but I take confidence from that and win the 2nd easily. 3rd I'm 7-5 ahead, but then, tired ? i lost 7-11 !!! At that moment, i thought it was over given my condition and our history, but as I realize i'm limited physically, i try to focus really on serve/receive and at least make 2 good first 2 shots , not to make mistakes and go for consistency instead of ripping the 3rd ball [i couldn't help trying 2 or 3 times, missing on each occasion but at least i was aware and stopped quickly, I've improved in that regards]. In rallies i am patient, i'm the one to attack but i wait for the good ball to kill. The plan worked incredibly well. I won 11-4 and 11-7 the last 2 games for a good win for me ! Its a surprise that this first win happens in a day where I'm far from my top form. Maybe he wasn't in a good day as well ? Its true that all our previous encounters were close one, so if i improved just a bit in serve receive and consistency, and if he made a bit more mistakes than usual, its enough to change dramatically the balance...

I took my profits and went home after that match, much earlier than usual, as i was really tired and didn't want to regret playing a bad match. Thats another player added to the list of players that i finally beat, a list which has been growing a lot lately !!!!