How do you yourself notice your progression

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I am interested to know how you personally notice your own progression.

Is it through noticing your consistency. Being able to play faster or more spinny shots (or both). Beating the same opponents you couldn't before.
Also at what point do you know or realise you need an upgrade with your equipment. How would you notice if you made a wrong decision and should go back?
 
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There are some obvious ones... like say coach been trainng you some on combo drills, then months later in matches you are able to do crossover step to get to a ball for a strong fh... before you never got to that ball let alone make a strong play.

Maybe you been practicing serves and in a match you are serving less balls past endline.

These are a couple of the type of situations you should notice.

After I left Korea and could footwork to a ball and make a winning shot I would say thanks coach Lee...

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My coach persuades me...

This is a really good question tho. I took a break for a couple of years then started again at the age of 19, just for fun. The more I played the more I understood that I wanted to develope. When I was 21 I started to take things seriously again and practiced for at least 4/5 times a week with my old coach, a lots of multi balls and so on. Patience has never been my thing and I started to critizice my self a lot for not improving like I should. My coach told my again and again that I were on the right path but I didn't agree. If you draw a parallel to working out at the gym, as you see yourself in the mirror so many times maybe you don't see the progress you've made but people around you can see it. Yes, I have a point to make. Talk with your practice-partner/coach and see what him/her has to say. I didn't see my progress even tho I started in division 5 here in Sweden and now Im playing in div 1.

And another thing, start to record yourself. A lot! Save everything, go back and look at yourself, compare.
 
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I practice to hone my skills. I play matches to test myself.

How I notice if I'm improving is through matches. Where it counts. Not just about wins & losses. Are you starting to play someone closer who normally beats you easy is another measure. etc. I point that out because I think it's not only important to play matches, but to play a good number of matches where you'll lose so you're being pushed. Can't be afraid to lose. It'll make you better.

But yeah. I'm a big believer in the importance of matches with some pressure on. Lots of people can look good in practice when they're relaxed looping back and forth with their buddy.
 
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Beating a strong opponent is indeed a good sign of improvement. But usually for it to happen, many technical improvements should take place which happens rarely. Instead, I prefer to track my technical abilities: this way I know better what works, what does not and what to improve.
 
When your are able to react by instinct based on your opponent's movements, when you are able to do follow ups like counterspins or drives, when you are able to react with correct positioning and footwork.
 
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With the way I practice, I notice my progression in a different way.

In matches, I may notice that I am subpar when doing a certain shot or shot combinations.

When I practice, I practice those shot/shot combinations. When I play matches again, if and when I come across the same scenario and I get it, that's how I know I made progress.

***********

Just yesterday, I had my sister just serve lefty sidespin to me for about an hour straight. I practiced attacking/receiving it better where I found certain tricks to help me play optimally (where to place my feet, where to contact the ball, how to hit to both corners with forehand/backhand). Later that night, I played Robert Chen's league where I managed to surprisingly dominate the entire match against Robert (4-0; usually it's a difficult win for me), who used a lot of backhand serves. The practice I had earlier helped out a lot, and so I know I made a lot of progress there.
 
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Beating players who were better than you. That's how you see that your drills have filtered in to your actual play.
 
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With the way I practice, I notice my progression in a different way.

In matches, I may notice that I am subpar when doing a certain shot or shot combinations.

When I practice, I practice those shot/shot combinations. When I play matches again, if and when I come across the same scenario and I get it, that's how I know I made progress.

***********

Just yesterday, I had my sister just serve lefty sidespin to me for about an hour straight. I practiced attacking/receiving it better where I found certain tricks to help me play optimally (where to place my feet, where to contact the ball, how to hit to both corners with forehand/backhand). Later that night, I played Robert Chen's league where I managed to surprisingly dominate the entire match against Robert (4-0; usually it's a difficult win for me), who used a lot of backhand serves. The practice I had earlier helped out a lot, and so I know I made a lot of progress there.

It is not easy to give Robert 4-0. He is quite a tricky player and he can play in many different ways.
 
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When I see my loops shoot up off my opponent's racket and hit the ceiling, causing the goon squad to try and track me down thinking I am using a pro version rubber, I know I am on the right track. :)

I like to hit heavy topspin. :)
 
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When I see my loops shoot up off my opponent's racket and hit the ceiling, causing the goon squad to try and track me down thinking I am using a pro version rubber, I know I am on the right track. :)

I like to hit heavy topspin. :)

And of course what Carl said. This is one of the happiest moments in a TTer's life :)
 
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My coach persuades me...

This is a really good question tho. I took a break for a couple of years then started again at the age of 19, just for fun. The more I played the more I understood that I wanted to develope. When I was 21 I started to take things seriously again and practiced for at least 4/5 times a week with my old coach, a lots of multi balls and so on. Patience has never been my thing and I started to critizice my self a lot for not improving like I should. My coach told my again and again that I were on the right path but I didn't agree. If you draw a parallel to working out at the gym, as you see yourself in the mirror so many times maybe you don't see the progress you've made but people around you can see it. Yes, I have a point to make. Talk with your practice-partner/coach and see what him/her has to say. I didn't see my progress even tho I started in division 5 here in Sweden and now Im playing in div 1.

And another thing, start to record yourself. A lot! Save everything, go back and look at yourself, compare.
I totally agree.
To me your post covered the key points of the improvement path.
I do the same, I film myself as much as I can. And even if I know I'm improving, I'm far far away to like what I see:(.
So those video are the best way to motivate me to keep practicing.

Beating those you weren't able to beat before doesn't mean you are getting better. Could also mean they are getting worse:cool:
 
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A few things. When I play a match and I’m reading reacting properly not giving away easy short points.

When in service I’m keeping the ball short and creating more advantages than opportunities for my opponent.

When I’m in reacting and in proper position, for counters.

when I set up and automatically execute different types of third ball opportunities, in games that I’ve been working on in practicing. I’m not even so worried about winning the point here out right. Basically not wasting opportunities but executing the times when you’ve created and advantage.

Of course beating players that you have not or rarely beat. But I think more than that. When I’m in a close or Duce game and I’m able to impose or creat advantages and execute to finish. I’ve played so many player that are ( I have an idea but since I can not reliably claim a rating) or would be rated much higher than me, to Duce in the 5th. But there experience seems to show in those tight games. Especially against better players finishing those opportunities seems to be the biggest tell for me.


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