advices + opinion for the modern chinese penhold block game

Playing a few games and observing my training without a ball, a famous game with the shadow, I realized that my style is close to the table and also in the middle distance, I use the active tpb blocks and in the middle I sometimes switch to the penhold reverse backhand block. most of the time, tpb. on the forehand I like the hit and top spin, counterattack the loop and do the forehand loop. any tips for this style? I'm starting to understand myself in it, and what do you think?
grateful for understanding.


some people saw my technique video, I'm training a lot! I'm already much better, mainly due to shadow play.
 
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Are you looking for specific feedback or just general tips?

If you are just starting out, I recommend learning on single sided first. This way you can use much heavier blades and rubbers while still being overall very light. This will be a long term decision though, because incorporating rpb in the future will require philosophical changes. I went from single sided to RPB (for 2-3 years) before going back to single sided. TPB and RPB have fundamental conflicts, eventually you will have to decide which is more important.

The problem I see with most modern RPB'ers is that they grip too deep and hard to compensate for the "finger slip" issue. This locks the wrist, which IMO is the single biggest advantage to penhold forehands. Might as well play shakehand otherwise.

BTW, if you stick with 2 sides, don't ever block with RPB. You have much better angular control and faster transition with traditional.
 
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Modern Chinese penhold block game? I'm not sure that's even a thing, certainly not if you look at top Chinese players.

It's not particularly modern but it can still be effective. Are there any Chinese coaches where you live?
 
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Modern penhold block is not really a style. It might help to the link the video you are talking about. You mentioned in another thread that you are trying to become the highest level player you can be. If it's not too late, you should probably just start playing shakehand instead of penhold.
 
Modern penhold block is not really a style. It might help to the link the video you are talking about. You mentioned in another thread that you are trying to become the highest level player you can be. If it's not too late, you should probably just start playing shakehand instead of penhold.

No Man, i have tried shakehand for 2 months, and don't liked It. The shakehand is a bad use of the wrist and elbow for me, and is Very stiff, for video, im sorry for the camera quality, and, i never trained before this video, only YouTube videos and read on blogs, never a multi ball and shadow play, im now training shadow play. im training and changed to cpen after this video.
https://youtu.be/I2GquEkdiWk
 
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No Man, i have tried shakehand for 2 months, and don't liked It. The shakehand is a bad use of the wrist and elbow for me, and is Very stiff, for video, im sorry for the camera quality, and, i never trained before this video, only YouTube videos and read on blogs, never a multi ball and shadow play, im now training shadow play. im training and changed to cpen after this video.
https://youtu.be/I2GquEkdiWk

There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to use the wrist and elbow when playing shakehand. Judging by the video you are still a beginner so it isn't too late to change. It would be better if you can get video of you playing against a real person or at least a robot.

Dropping the ball onto the table and then smashing it is not very effective practice. Another suggestion is that you are just trying to smash the hell out of the ball, and your technique is suffering for it. Your arm movement is inconsistent and you are almost losing your balance because you are trying to smash a stationary ball so hard. I do not recommend continuing this exercise.

Overall, based on your description of which grips you have tried, and describing yourself as a penhold blocker, it sounds like you have not really fully determined your style of play yet. I would still consider learning shakehand.
 
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Zyu has a point. Once you get to a certain level, "modern" penhold (as in double inverted) has inherent disadvantages, not the least of which is a larger cross over range than shakehands and finger slip/grip inconsistencies. It will probably be years in the future, but do keep that in mind.

That being said, if you like playing penhold, then keep playing penhold. Don't let anyone else's opinion get in your head. TT is a passion, not a meal ticket.

IMO, smashing practice is fine, and it does build consistency and proper strokes. Back in the lockdown, I used to tape post-it notes on a curtain lined up with imaginary points on a table. Pick a tab and try to hit it repeatedly. Change your stance to find which lets you transfer the most power. And if you want to up the wager, try out of position shots and see if you can still be accurate. But be humble, everyone thinks they have a killer smash, but I could probably count with my fingers the number of times I got in a truly clean technically perfect all-out smash in all my competitive matches.

Another tip: Don't be so quick to hard code yourself into a "modern penholder". TT is not a popularity contest. When I mention to women I play, that discussion rarely last more than 2 minutes. Go back to basics. Focus on footwork and stroke mechanics, these don't discriminate against any chosen grip.
 
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Thank you all, Zyu, really, I like so much the penhold, its very confortable, with SH i played so nervous and hard, i don't like it, I fell very "scary" playing SH, with the penhold, i can be happy in game, and for me, the happiness + mental game + technique, is the key. I'm don't train before this in video, I so pick the camera and recorded my technique without train, only YT Videos. on this moment i have practicing every day the shadow play for have a better footwork, I not using more the arm for hit, i'm using the legs and the hip. Well, i see the advice ok PingSunday... For the ball training i call my uncle or my nephew and we train multi ball for me. No, i don't kwow my game stile in this moment, but, i fell very confortable in the block game. lasta, i'm preparing for Record my games and train with ball for watch and see the errors on my technique, for the post its technique, thank you. I tried this. I'm Focus in shadow play in this moment. My footwork are improving.
 
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From what you are saying you want to play like Dang Qiu who is one of the best young German players. Apparently his dad wanted him to play shakehand but he ended up playing penhold. I really like Dang Qiu's style, it is very aggressive, at the table, and at the end successful. E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zs6bX2CorA

What helped me was to select one role model (Mima Ito in my case so - due to my age - I am playing shakehand close to the table with short pips backhand :) ) and then copy her every move. This is a lot of fun.

For the training, you need to get a partner. It is very important to read the opponent's ball which starts from his/her body movement, racket movement, etc. The other exercises are just supporting, at the end you play against a person. Like one of the other posters, during the Covid-19 sheltering in place (i.e. staying home) I put a bucket under a curtain on a big window (to collect the balls) and played balls against the curtain to a certain spot in various ways. I definitely improved my feeling for the ball but when we restarted table tennis the entire reaction piece was much worse than 3 months ago.

Ideally you need to play against several partners, and you need to get a coach to eliminate the biggest mistakes in your technique right away otherwise you automate them.
 
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