Video Footage Safe Thread

Originally Posted by latej

I've posted here because of Ritchie, and his explicit invitation. And I gave Like to Lula, because it was freshly afterwards, and he said what I thought. I have no intention of further posting to this thread. But I'd like to hit with you :-)

I do think it would be fun to hit with you.

I think you have posted footage in the Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat thread which is really not that different but with a wider scope. And if I am wrong I seem to remember you sending me footage in a PM. But I think you could only benefit from posting footage here. And I would be fine with you commenting in the thread if you had done that. But your comment was good and so it was a fine comment. There are a few other people who have commented recently.

I just would say, people will know you better if you do post footage. There is really no downside to posting footage if people behave when commenting.

Originally Posted by Littledragonman7

Attached is my 7/31/SUN RR match (7:37) I lost 0 - 3

Seeking feedback to what worked, what I should try next time & any glaring weaknesses need to work on, thank you

https://youtu.be/-iUJD2pldu8

In my humble opinion, this is a good match by you and a good opponent for you to play against. You can make your forehand better by improving the technique, but the overall approach was sound and I liked the way you kept your rhythm. If you had a good kill shot, this would have been no contest. And you could develop a killshot over time by knowing how to flatten out your shot/smash with the right timing. Or just learn to place the ball better and hit to three points of the table or sometimes learn to loop with sidespin - your topspin oriented stroke just let him place the bat there but with sidespin, people need to read angles sometimes so you get more blocks into the net - bad habits sure, but we aren't going to be Ma Long.

As BRS pointed out, you need a practiced finishing shot of some sort (if you want it to be a topspin, you have to place it better - looping to the middle of the right and left courts on table in practice is okay, but in matches you need to make people move with your loops, either by hitting them in awkward spots to the middle or making them move. That's what's missing from your game, you have the topspin stroke, but you aren't placing it deliberately and consistently.

You need to work on and believe in your backhand topspin even when you think you are off the table. Don't float the ball, play a topspin and lose the the point! At some point it will start going in. The backhand topspin is usually spinnier than the forehand topspin so it causes all kinds of trouble when you land it from off the table.

You had some really good finishing points, but you didn't play like that all the time and you didn't respect his block and make him move - you kept expecting his block to fail but you need to realize that unless you are making people move and vary the quality of the ball, once they read your ball quality, they just need to put the bat there. You need to make the move so that putting the bat there is harder because the angles are hard to maintain when force to move.

But I really like this and hope you can play this way - I don't think this guy will be beating you in a year, but that said, sometimes when you get better, they get better against you. But I still think he is not going to beat you if you continue in the style you continue playing so above all else, work on placement patterns but work on having options when the ball slows down to put the ball to 3 points on the table. The three points on the table strategy allows you to make the opponent commit with a shot to the middle and the fall apart when forced to move wide.

Originally Posted by Littledragonman7

Greetings Brs,

didn't think of playing this guy as you suggested

after viewing my video a few times & all the feedbacks, i recognize tactically i played poorly 😢

I am always so focused on producing high-spin on each shot I forgot about jst counter w/ little or no spin, rather place the ball & contacting the ball earlier

thanks for another drill to train (and play) 🏓

i am looking forward to playing this guy again

happy pinga ponga 💪

You did the right thing, if you can't produce the spin, you don't know how to vary it and place it, so it is step by step! Your play in that video was encouraging and showed a path to serious TT, your future is bright, it is easier to teach someone who plays topspin like you do to move the ball around or to vary their contact point to make the ball go wider with sidespin (really side topspin) than to teach someone who doesn't topspin how to stay consistent in the face of tough opponents. Now you have the base, you can now add some stuff to it, and you have a good opponent to keep you motivated until you get to the next level!

Originally Posted by Littledragonman7

You can make your forehand better by improving the technique, but the overall approach was sound and I liked the way you kept your rhythm
=> NL, thank you for giving my video a watch & be encouraging, I AM HOPEFUL!
=> after the match, i remember sitting on the stage in the back & said to myself ... "man, i can't go through this guy" "what else can i do?"
=> ironically, his nick-name is "the wall"

If you had a good kill shot, this would have been no contest. And you could develop a killshot over time by knowing how to flatten out your shot/smash with the right timing or just learn to place the ball better and hit to three points of the table or sometimes learn to loop with sidespin
=> man NL, there are a lot of golden nuggets here ... flatten out kill-shot, early timing (Brs), 3-point placement, loop side-spin
=> i watched the video of you vs waltrip, he did vary his FH top-spin vs you AND he does have a descent side-spin shot
=> i am going to ask der to show me how to loop side-spin the next time we train


As BRS pointed out, you need a practiced finishing shot of some sort (if you want it to be a topspin, you have to place it better - looping to the middle of the right and left courts on table in practice is okay, but in matches you need to make people move with your loops, either by hitting them in awkward spots to the middle or making them move. That's what's missing from your game, you have the topspin stroke, but you aren't placing it deliberately and consistently.
=> 10-4 NL; even my wife (doesn't do any sports) noticed he was just standing there, not moving much & i was doing all the heavy-lifting
=> at times (still), i am so concerned with what i should be doing, i have a hard time paying attention to what the other's doing i.e. in this case, he was just standing there ... I NEED TO MOVE HIS @$$ (3 point placement or aim at his hip)


You need to work on and believe in your backhand topspin even when you think you are off the table. Don't float the ball, play a topspin and lose the the point! At some point it will start going in.
=> you know NL, there are different ways to saying the samething ... you communicate constructively, encouraging & builds me up 👍
=> QUESTION: what do you mean by "float the ball?"

The backhand topspin is usually spinnier than the forehand topspin so it causes all kinds of trouble when you land it from off the table
=> interesting ... from time to time, i do noticed BH top is generally spinnier than FH top


You had some really good finishing points, but you didn't play like that all the time and you didn't respect his block and make him move - you kept expecting his block to fail but you need to realize that unless you are making people move and vary the quality of the ball, once they read your ball quality, they just need to put the bat there. You need to make the move so that putting the bat there is harder because the angles are hard to maintain when force to move
=> loud & clear NL; freaking amazing you saw all that ... i mean i 100% fully understand what you mean, so ...
=> i am going to work on my FH 3-point placement, Kill-shot (bat angle & timing) AND BH loop BIG TIME
=> i am confident in a year, i will take this guy

But I really like this and hope you can play this way - I don't think this guy will be beating you in a year, but that said, sometimes when you get better, they get better against you. But I still think he is not going to beat you if you continue in the style you continue playing so above all else, work on placement patterns but work on having options when the ball slows down to put the ball to 3 points on the table. The three points on the table strategy allows you to make the opponent commit with a shot to the middle and the fall apart when forced to move wide
=> a prime example of you building me up instead of tearing me down, telling me to play tactically smarter (variety) in an encouraging way instead telling me everything negative, what i was doing wrong, thank you NL
=> today was a recovery day - I am ready to do work, back at it tomorrow, I AM EXCITED knowing what i should practice on

You did the right thing, if you can't produce the spin, you don't know how to vary it and place it, so it is step by step!
=> i feel like i have a road-map to adding VARIETY to my game

Your play in that video was encouraging and showed a path to serious TT, your future is bright, it is easier to teach someone who plays topspin like you do to move the ball around or to vary their contact point to make the ball go wider with sidespin (really side topspin) than to teach someone who doesn't topspin how to stay consistent in the face of tough opponents. Now you have the base, you can now add some stuff to it, and you have a good opponent to keep you motivated until you get to the next level!
=> LOL 🤣, pun intended? haha ... l8ter NL

There was a blocker I played a lot at tournaments (and don't get me wrong, he was pretty good at blocking because he hit with a lot of high level players and used really fast rackets). Even when I outrated him by 500 points as a 2000+ playing a 1500 player, I almost always lost the first game in tournament matches against him because I kept trying to pound him like King Kong rather than play smart. I always beat him badly after losing the first game, but I think I may have not lost that first game maybe once out of all the times I played him. After the first game, I always humbled myself because there is no pride in losing. But I always liked to believe that there was a level where it wouldn't matter. I never got to that level.

So trust me, when it comes to trying to outloop a good blocker and struggling (and I gave the example where I won, not one of the numerous high level blockers where I had no chance) - been there, done that!

The good thing is that you made a lot of loops in a row - never underestimate the importance of that. The key thing is that the topspin is supposed to get you the high ball to drive through the table and when you back up a bit too much and don't have power, you are putting yourself in a hole. But even if you have to loop a few times, nothing wrong with that, you just have take a tad bit more risk and loop to make the opponent move.

Anyways, written a lot. You have the spin, you just have to know where to place the ball and set up the opponent a bit better and add a few more skills. More serve variety as well - some backspin vs no spin variation does a lot vs blockers.

As for making him move, you have to understand the angle of play and what the possibilities are for playing the ball wide from where you stand so you understand what makes a player move or makes them slow to react. You can only go to the extreme wide forehand from the forehand side of the table so you often need a hook shot forehand. But since you are just starting, I would encourage you to learn to loop the first ball into the body. It is a difficult skill but it will make life a lot easier for you because it is harder to master the longer you play.