what is my playstyle?

This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Nov 2021
50
3
75
19
just curious, what would you guys class my playstyle as because i have no idea. i tend to unconsciously play mid distance because i’m not confident with my loops and topspin, i like to block and just try to get the ball back on the table and only really go for a swing or counter when it i know i won’t mess it up such as the ball being high enough. other than that my “sequence” of shots are usually a topspin/loop then into a block then a topspin/loop again because usually one shot is not enough to finish a point. judging on the information above does getting a flexy or stiff blade benefit more. and what type of class? off? all? all+?
 
says Rozena! You complete me.
says Rozena! You complete me.
Well-Known Member
Mar 2021
2,337
2,317
5,373
just curious, what would you guys class my playstyle as because i have no idea. i tend to unconsciously play mid distance because i’m not confident with my loops and topspin, i like to block and just try to get the ball back on the table and only really go for a swing or counter when it i know i won’t mess it up such as the ball being high enough. other than that my “sequence” of shots are usually a topspin/loop then into a block then a topspin/loop again because usually one shot is not enough to finish a point. judging on the information above does getting a flexy or stiff blade benefit more. and what type of class? off? all? all+?

Let me rehash your playstyle:

1) Mid-distance
2) Wanna loop / topspin but sucks at it hence just passive block

Your playstyle is typical Noob style.

Its ok, it is transient. All of us will go through this phase in our TT career. You will find your style later. Just practice the basic well first. It is too early to define your style as you will most likely evolve.

Good spinning to you.

 
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
Well-Known Member
Sep 2011
12,821
13,210
30,388
Read 27 reviews
just curious, what would you guys class my playstyle as because i have no idea. i tend to unconsciously play mid distance because i’m not confident with my loops and topspin, i like to block and just try to get the ball back on the table and only really go for a swing or counter when it i know i won’t mess it up such as the ball being high enough. other than that my “sequence” of shots are usually a topspin/loop then into a block then a topspin/loop again because usually one shot is not enough to finish a point. judging on the information above does getting a flexy or stiff blade benefit more. and what type of class? off? all? all+?

From your question, it looks like you do not yet have enough time on the table and seasoning to figure this out yet.

That is not a national crime, we have all been there before.

As for equipment, at this point no real need to excessively obsess over it for right now... but what the heck, we are participants on table tennis forums who will desire to talk about equipment properties to the detail of gnat's azz with lust probably exceeding that of Dracula his-self on adark night in a garlic-free zone.

Eat ur garlic TTD members.
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Oct 2016
1,883
1,583
3,807
Tell us how you win points in a match.

I would go for all wood 5ply blade.
 
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
says 2023 Certified Organ Donor
Well-Known Member
Sep 2011
12,821
13,210
30,388
Read 27 reviews
Jokes aside, OP sounds like play preferences right now are more "Allround" and "Retriever" more than anything.

That is also not a national crime, our city's best player, in our metro area of 3 Million citizens is a very allround playing retriever/lobber. That cat has simply LOVED some of the OFF to OFF+ blades Nate made and some pretty fast rubbers like MX-K... and he still plays thay style effectively... that supports my point not to worry too much about euipment right now... what Lula said is reasonable and can work for you.
 
says Rozena! You complete me.
says Rozena! You complete me.
Well-Known Member
Mar 2021
2,337
2,317
5,373
Jokes aside, OP sounds like play preferences right now are more "Allround" and "Retriever" more than anything.

That is also not a national crime, our city's best player, in our metro area of 3 Million citizens is a very allround playing retriever/lobber. That cat has simply LOVED some of the OFF to OFF+ blades Nate made and some pretty fast rubbers like MX-K... and he still plays thay style effectively... that supports my point not to worry too much about euipment right now... what Lula said is reasonable and can work for you.

what is a retriever?

 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Jul 2018
1,011
554
1,962
Tell us how you most often loose points in a match.

Get a 5 ply, get a Schlager Carbon, see which one you like better. Then get something in between.
 
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Nov 2021
50
3
75
19
to be honest, i played table tennis out of curiosity because the balls fly so quick and i got hooked at one point then got a coach for abour 3 months, learned the basics, but because of Covid, i stopped training but i play everyday at home either against my brother or my father who aren’t that good but they can sure topspin and serve. i watch a lot of videos too. but because i play at home i don’t think there’s an actual way of improving. i have a wallyboard tho. i win points mostly either by opponents messing up or my occasional attacks. i lose points by either playing too passively then the opponent attack or by my attempts to attack then the ball flies into the net.

a lot of times i find myself frustrated and raging because how i keep making the same mistakes even when i try very hard and also because hiw i feel like even tho i play everyday i’m still not improving. i tell myself i’ll take a break but the next day i excitedly pick up my racket and play again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: latej
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Oct 2016
1,883
1,583
3,807
I think you will benefit greatly from choosing equipment that is not too fast since you have not played so long. I think you suggestion in the other thread is good. Many players use that blade in my club. I do not know about the rubbers. I think too soft rubbers will be for forgiving and too hard the opposite, so someting inbetween would be good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Anton Chua
This user has no status.
This user has no status.
Member
Jul 2021
16
9
25
Style develops and transforms over many years. No need to commit to a single style so early on in your Table Tennis career!

We all also hit plateau's and feel like we're not developing at times. All part of learning to play (and love) a sport.

Focus on your technique, building more consistent before building to the more aggressive, flashier shots. Occasionally stop to reflect on what kind of shots you enjoy and then slowly lean further into developing those kinds of shots.

Racket won't make a huge difference at this stage. Get an all-around blade and pretty much any decent rubbers. Quite a few pre-mades would work for you at this stage as well (albeit I might get hate for that!). Spending hundreds of dollars on a racket won't help you yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Anton Chua

Brs

This user has no status.

Brs

This user has no status.
Well-Known Member
Oct 2015
1,107
1,376
2,608
will i be able to improve just by playing at home and watching videos?

This is a tricky question. If you play a lot you will improve at your way of playing. That's what almost all recreational players do. After a few years we reach a level where the way we play can't take us any further. The average for this seems to be around usatt 1500, but some people get to 1800 and others are stuck around 1200, whatever. If they want to improve further they would have to sort of start over and unlearn some habits that are blocking their progress. Usually this is around footwork, but also serves, ball contact, every technique, plus tactics. Changing habits is much, much, much harder than making them in the first place. So most people would require a coach, lots of time, and a pile of money to do it. And they don't. So you can go into any club and see people who have been playing the same way at the same level for five or ten years or longer. It's still fun to play, good exercise, see your friends and all that. Nothing wrong with it at all.

So about playing at home and watching videos. It could work, but some extra effort would be needed from you. Here's a couple points in no particular order.

You need to separate "training" from "playing". And you need to know which one you are doing at all times. They are two different activities.

Training means doing a drill, a multiball feed, practicing serves, shadow strokes and footwork. Working on one thing over and over and over in a controlled situation.

When you are training you must be working on something specific. Like you know what it is. I am working on serving low, short backspin could be one. Or I am working on my backhand block vs loops. Or I am working on my footwork moving to my left after a push comes long to my wide forehand, I loop, and then the next ball is blocked to my backhand. There are a nearly infinite number of things you could be training. But the basic ones are grip, stance, side-to-side movement, basic straight backspin and no-spin serve, push, hit, block, loop, forward and back movement, receive, smash, lob, and chop. When you have a few of those techniques then you can start assembling them into realistic game scenarios. Training becomes considerably more entertaining at this point.

You don't have a coach at home, you have to be your own coach. So if you watch a video, you have an idea of what it is you want to copy, then you must video yourself doing that, watch yourself, compare it to the model video. The more frequently you can do this, even during training, the better it will work. There are some apps for recording yourself and playing it back right away.

Part of being your own coach is also to have an idea of where you are now as a player, where you are trying to get to (like the play style you asked about in the OP) and what the steps are to get there. Make the steps small. So don't start with Ma Long's forehand. Seriously the two biggest problems that limit amateur players are grip and stance. Followed very closely by movement/footwork. If you only hit on forehand and backhand until you have those three things set then you will have a good foundation to add more skills.

After training, then you play. It's always good to play after every training. And don't think too much about what you worked on, then you are like half-training and not keeping the activities separate. Just play. If you want to coach yourself from your play, record it and watch it later, when you are being the coach. But during games try to remember, players play, coaches coach.

 
  • Like
Reactions: pgpg and latej
Top