Yeah, if I had to work on the backhand again, this is how I would do it. I would argue that you could probably point the racket more upwards than it looks Liam is doing. so it looks more like a right angle at the wrist. There are other whippy things but would take too long to discuss them - basically, he could get the racket sometimes unconsciously with the tip of the head pointing towards himself (or the butt of the wrist/handle pointing towards us.).
I'm the one in the yellow shirt. I'm sorry.
Firstly - Hi!
Great videos, and perfect for this thread!
But....... Which one are you? 😁
Anyone have anything else that could help Mivan?Hey, everybody,
Please help me with my development.
I've been playing table tennis for about 4 years, for the last two years I've been trying to practice regularly 2 - 3 times a week. I've also been to multiball a few times with a coach, but more just within the "club". I play unregistered competition (weekly match).
Video 1:https://photos.app.goo.gl/yyuAPXEcJuB4Jce87
The first video shows the warm-up and basic strikes
Video 2:https://photos.app.goo.gl/NTtVJE98ZoDK8dG27
On the second video, there is a practice game - the end of the set, the game starts at 9:9
Thank you for your advice. I will add more information if needed.
EDIT: Pretty substantial info
Well, I'm not in the list of allowed commentators, I'm not a coach either, so feel free to delete my comment.
Mivan, The first thing I would start to work with is footwork. It is very important (on my opinion). I didn't watch your video fully, just scrolled into different places, but I didn't notice footwork drills at all. Maybe you have them and I missed it, or you just cut them out of your videos to make them shorter. If you don't have some kind of injury or any other kind of problems with your legs, I suggest you to add two types of drills (if you don't have them already):
1) movement into different positions, i.e.: right-center-right, left-center-left, etc., guess there must be lots of different schemas for this type of drills in the internet, choose anything you like
2) some drills that will force you to switch from right to left and from left to right. It might be some exercise that doesn't make you run from one side to another, but just to make adjustments to your legs position
The rest will come with time and experience.
P.S. and continue training with a coach at least from time to time
I will leave this. I don't disagree with this post. But I don't think this is central to what needs to be worked on. Still, I think it will help and the comment was made in the spirit of trying to help. So I appreciate that.
Hey, everybody,a
Please help me with my development.
I've been playing table tennis for about 4 years, for the last two years I've been trying to practice regularly 2 - 3 times a week. I've also been to multiball a few times with a coach, but more just within the "club". I play unregistered competition (weekly match).
Video 1:https://photos.app.goo.gl/yyuAPXEcJuB4Jce87
The first video shows the warm-up and basic strikes
Video 2:https://photos.app.goo.gl/NTtVJE98ZoDK8dG27
On the second video, there is a practice game - the end of the set, the game starts at 9:9
Thank you for your advice. I will add more information if needed.
EDIT: Pretty substantial info
I just watched some minute of forehand play. I think people could help more if you filmed from a different angle, this one is kind of tricky. I also think you guys should try to play with yellow balls, must be difficult now.
If you watch yourself from the side i think you will se that you are almost falling backwards. This give you a harder time moving since you feet comes planted to the ground, more difficult to play forward and maybe why you seem to push the elbow forward(not sure, difficult angle).
For the arm moment i think it looks like you push the elbow forward instead of swinging with the forearm. Maybe one reason for this is that you stand to much to the right so you get the ball to close to the body and are not able to use the forearm. Maybe anotther reason is that you stand almost leaning backwards or not turning the torso. Try to think that is more the racket that should go forward, and not the elbow.
Today i think you barely learn anyone to stand forehandfeet(with left foot in front of the right) due to faster game. I think you could try to put the left foot little in front to easier get the body in the stroke. If you stand like you do now, pararell, i think you should try to turn the feet more to the right and then forward again to be able to get the body in the stroke. Now when you stand pararell and have feet straight it is difficult to use the body. I think the easiest way to get the body in the stroke is to try to have the arm in front of the body, so to able to do so you need to to turn the torso with the arm back, otherwise the arm will be behind the body. You can try to have the left feet in front a little or turn the feet and see when you feel you are able to have the arm in front of the body.
For the next time, try a yellow ball and film from a different angle. I also think it is easier if you film a shorter clip with say forehand loop. Takes so much time to watch a longer one. Still fun. Keep up the good work
Hey, everybody,
Please help me with my development.
I've been playing table tennis for about 4 years, for the last two years I've been trying to practice regularly 2 - 3 times a week. I've also been to multiball a few times with a coach, but more just within the "club". I play unregistered competition (weekly match).
Video 1:https://photos.app.goo.gl/yyuAPXEcJuB4Jce87
The first video shows the warm-up and basic strikes
Video 2:https://photos.app.goo.gl/NTtVJE98ZoDK8dG27
On the second video, there is a practice game - the end of the set, the game starts at 9:9
Thank you for your advice. I will add more information if needed.
EDIT: Pretty substantial info
Hey Mivan, sorry for not replying sooner!
I'll echo what others have said, but I think it's important you don't try and focus on improving everything at once.
If you do, I think you'll end up overthinking every shot, and lose your natural rhythm.
So, these are just some of the things I would look to improve.
1. Where your weight is.
On the vast majority of shots, your weight is on your heels which makes it impossible to get good power from the torso and legs.
Rather than over explaining this one (which I'm sure I'd do very badly), just take a look at some pros "knocking up" - They are all low, leaning forward with their head towards the ball. It will feel weird at first, but it'll give you more options down the line.
2. Too much "arm" in your shots.
Power comes from the legs and the torso, so this is linked to point 1. The majority of your "powerful" forehands, had little to no power from the legs or torso - It was just a bigger/faster swing of the arm.
You will be able to get much better accuracy, spin, power and efficiency if you can get your legs and torso into it - The arm just comes along for the ride
3. Bat grip is very high.
This is slightly subjective, but one of the things that helped me when I had coaching, was holding the bat slightly looser and not super "choked up" on the blade.
It's especially useful for the Forehand down the line, when you've previously been hitting cross table.
I also think it'll eliminate some of the "lollipop" technique you currently have (where the wrist bends upwards towards your body).
I'm sure everyone has seen players who look like they have a SUPER uncomfortable action, where their wrist is being forcefully straightened/cocked...... Well that's pretty much how all the pro's do it, they just make it look more natural.
4. Serve position.
Unless it's the camera angle, you seem to serve with your body in the middle of the table.
Ultimately, it comes down to what your strategy is here, but when you serve standing in the middle, it's very easy to pin you on your backhand (which, actually seemed very controlled and comfortable during the games).
But it looked like you wanted to get on your forehand, so I'd take a couple of steps back on your serve position.
If I want my 2nd shot to be forehand, I'll be serving with no part of my body within the table (except my hand).
Just don't do a serve that they can smack down the line 😀
Hopefully that gives you some things to think about, and with some small tweaks, I think you'll improve a huge amount!
Great work!
Hey Peter - Great video!
It's always tricky when someone is fortunate enough to have a coach, because my initial instinct is to always trust the coach 100% - Perhaps they haven't pointed things out yet, because they don't want you to overthink etc (fix one issue at a time and so on).
So I'd just be a little wary of that!
That being said, I think there are a couple of things you could change that would instantly make a difference, without being drastic, though provoking changes.
1. Bend those knees 😁
Get lower on all shots if you can, it'll really help.
2. Forehand technique.
You've already highlighted this, and I bet being able to see yourself on camera has already helped a huge amount? Generally people play very differently in their head, to how they actually play in real life!
It looks like you hold the bat quite tight, with a bias towards "coming around" the forehand shot a little bit, which will add side spin to the ball.
You then come right across your body, often ending up near your left shoulder.
The minute someone gives you a heavy backspin shot, that ball is going straight in the net if you do this.
Instead, try and get more of the power from the legs and torso, and when you do the cross court forehand, try and rotate your body (whilst bending your knees) much more, so your technique stays the same.
On those forehands you were doing at the start of the video, you don't really want your bat going too far past your eyeline - That extra power you are trying to put in is currently coming from your arm (causing the extended stroke), and not the legs, torso.
But look, it's amazing you've got a 1-2-1 coach, your drills look solid, and you'll improve huge amounts in a short space of time with how much you are playing.
Looking forward to the progress videos, and subsequent "Rocky Montage" this time next year! 😁
Thanks very much NDH - appreciate the feedback.
You are going to get different answers to that one, so I'll try and cover the various context to this...... (and I've been hounded before for saying this, so strap in!)
The vast majority of people watching the very good players online...... Inevitably focus on the very best (the Chinese).
Now, the Chinese style (which is what I'll call it for ease), is different to the "European" style (also many Japanese, American etc).....
With the Chinese style, the arm tends to be straighter (for Forehand), with a lot of focus on speed, low gravity, footwork and rotation.
I don't care what anyone says..... But this is a high intensity style, that simply isn't suited for the vast majority of players.
The only reason I bring this up, is because I've seen people in the past comment with their "advice" and they expect someone like yourself to play like Ma Long.....
Now, if I were your coach, I'd be telling you to not let your bat drift much past your left eye (big generalisation of course, some shots will be different).
But on that drill you were doing with FH down the line, FH cross court - The cross court shot brought your arm very sideways across your body, which is bad for a few reasons.
1. Good luck trying to get into position if someone blocks it back to you.
2. Too much emphasis on arm power.
3. Against backspin, you'll really struggle to lift the ball.
So what I'd focus on with that one shot in particular, is to try and keep the exact same technique as the down the line shot, but rotate your body more, to allow you to go cross court.
There is always going to be an element of "do as I say, not as I do" with situations like this..... But hopefully the below video will help.
At the end of the day, there are plenty of videos of young, fit, well coached professionals, who all play a very similar style.
Whilst it's obviously good to imitate some of them where possible, it's usually, not that realistic.
The below video is me (red shirt) who I would say plays a fairly traditional Euro style vs a guy who plays a more Chinese style.
I've not re watched the whole thing, but most of my forehand shots end up near eye level (one exception being the inside out forehand cross court).
At the same time, you can then compare my technique with his (his looks prettier and more Chinese-like), but that's not how I've been coached.
