Backhand flip advice

Der_Echte said:

When I saw the vid, I was gunna say the same thing as Tony.. setup robot to make a short underspin service.

There is still some value in practicing against light topspin... some players serve that in matches and you still gotta see it and cope with it, so not a big waste to do that... but hitting against light underspin and flipping underspin serves are two different animals entirely.

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Did that this afternoon. First a heavy underspin short serve which was very challenging and then heavy side spin which was also very tough!

Tony's Table Tennis said:

If you want to practice top spin feed, also use a serve feed (bounce both sides of the table).
a direct robot feed to near the net is not realistic.
maybe can also set it to be more of a no spin feed (where your under and top spin is around the same setting)

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I did manage to set up the robot to bounce both sides and offer a heavy back, then side spin service - very challenging to flick so maybe need to dial back spin levels.

IB66 said:

Hi Wrighty67,
in the clip, all balls were going straight down the line, are you intentionally aiming there?

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I played balls both down the line and cross table (if I cut out the cross table it was an editing error!)

IB66 said:

Hi,
There were a few cross table!!
When stepping in with right foot for the short balls always make sure you recover FULLY to the ready position, its so easy to not recover fully, something I'M GUILTY of when doing this type of routine!!! I can't see your feet to see properly!!
Against the longer top spin balls, you looked a little open as well, I'm told to be in ready position, right foot slightly back from left so my shoulders, chest, hips etc are facing the opponents BH corner, the long diagonal, this gives you more table to hit, then adjust for down the line surprise shot, which can be done in a number of ways, leave the wrist folded slightly, or pull left foot back slightly so everything lines up down the line, leave feet in ready position and just turn from the waist to face down the line etc etc
Another reason you might be a little open is because you wanted some more power in the stroke?? Ali Hamidi style !!! gotta step forward with that left foot back to ready position though.
Also try and use random placement by the robot, or set parameters for an area into which the robot serves, for example centre line out to your LH edge/side of table, so that you get use to moving sideways as well as in and out for those short back spin robot serves.
I also give it a little more time between the serves, rather than having to recover and move straight away, if you are practicing a flick serve return, then try to make it as realistic as possible,

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Thank you - that's super helpful!

I definitely tend to be open on BH and stepping in with the right foot seems to make it worse. I wish I could slow my robot further but this is the slowest repeat - I would love more time to reset. Likewise - no random on this thing except a pan of the head while firing balls out at me which I think would make matters worse

IB66 said:

Hi Wrighty,
Nice vid again!!

What jumped out at me was that when playing against the slightly longer balls you were taking / hitting the ball almost in your crossover area, in line with the right hand side of your body. when playing against the shorter serves the ball was taken more in front of your tummy. I think the later is the better position to play the stroke, if not someone will correct me!!
There is another school of thought, I think I picked this up from one of Der's Korean coaching vids!!!! Where the coach was asking the player to lean forward and over to the left, so weight is more on the left foot. contact point on the ball is more on the left side of the ball as well, he believed that this angle of attack on the ball assisted in getting the ball over the net more consistently. horses for courses springs to mind as well !!!!!!

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Thanks IB66 - appreciate the feedback and observations.

I hadn't noticed that but can see you are right - I tend towards the right side of my body to try and get more angle on the wrist / blade and therefore more purchase on the ball - maybe it's too far across!