Match video - Comments welcome

strangeloop · Aug 26, 2013

My recent match. This was the 3rd round of the qualifiers. Lost miserably. Unable to read the spin on the chop and adjust the FH swing.

Dan · Aug 27, 2013

Hey buddy,

Thanks for sharing, you have great technique, I like your style.

Here is some of my feedback from watching. I think you need to practice a lot more match type exercises. Whereby you practice more third ball and serve/ receive of serve practice.

A lot of times your opponent served side-spin/topspin and the balls were half long. You should try to make an attack, either backhand flick, backhand topspin or run around and use your forehand. This will avoid making a push shot that is either flying of the end of the table or allowing your opponent to make the first attack.

Also another point to add against players like your opponent is to play your first ball to the body. Your opponent struggle to make a good receive, then the table is open for you.

When you play your forehand topspin against a backspin ball you must use your legs more. What is happening is not enough energy is coming from the ground. You need to bend your legs and rotate into the ball brushing it with topspin. Try not to jump as you play the stroke, otherwise you lose energy.

One last thing to add, practice a lot more pushing. Pushing is essential. Take your time when pushing. A lot of time you are rushing which is not allowing you set up for your next shot easier.

Other than that, keep working hard

Your game will come together, and you will soon learn how to play these types of players. One other thing to notice in this video is how often did your opponent attack the ball passed you? Not many. Perhaps you could of controlled the game. Pushed a bit more and waited for a better opportunity to attack (preferably to the middle).

strangeloop · Aug 28, 2013

Hi Dan,

Thanks for your time and comments. I could have waited more as you said. My opponent was not so keen/consistent to attack.

Will work on pushes and using the legs more in my topspins. And my return of serve, of course. In general, I think I am slow to read the spin and amount of spin. That's why I end up pushing serves that should be attacked.

Is my stance for service return alright? Should I stand more square on? more open chested?

Tommy16 · Aug 28, 2013

Hi,
You haven´t played too many years yet so you shouldn´t focus too much to your errors. I really like how you play your game.Imho you should just be a bit more braver with your shots. You have nice technigue as Dan said. The thing that I noticed from your tape was that you made a lot´s of mistakes with your fh when you just tried to lift the ball to the table after your opponents chops/chopblock. I think that you should try to lift the underspin with heavy loop (as much spin as possible) with soft contact to the ball. that is the way you´ll learn how to lift underspin to the table as safely as possible. The key point isn´t how slowly you try to loop to make it safe, but how hard (with tender contact) you can loop to make it safe. And in a meanwhile you´ll learn how to read the spin aswell

.

Sorry if I can´t make any sense, it´s just that these things are quite hard to explain without your mother tonque

.

Keep on practising, you´ll become a really good player!

Cheers,
Tommi

Der_Echte · Aug 29, 2013

You will certainly need to explode more on your FH vs his chop. You are not using your whole body not bending knees twisting trunk and shoulders. You need a lot more practice vs choppers and more experience reading spin. You really need to get low twist and explode up through the ball for a safe heavy topspin or open blade and go more forward. Right now you are killing yourself by not exploding and reading spin. Getting down is easy. Reading spin takes time.

You can learn and use some tactics vs him but until you get better at reading spin being decisive on attack and using your whole body you will struggle. That is good. One must first struggle but then learn WHY one is struggling then do effective things to correct it.

That opponent knew how tp attack but had zero need. His defensive shots were safe and won points. He attacked out of boredom for practice.

If you can find a way to make good practice with someone feeding you such balls you will have better performance. Also with more table time and attention to your problems you will improve your ability to read spin types ammounts break of ball depth and timing. Getting better at that usually carries over to imptoved performance.

I like your decisions to attack some of the balls you did but you have to better use of your body. Keep at it and a few years you will compete vs him. Right now he is several levels better but with time practice and experience you can change that a LOT.

Sent from my SHV-E160K using Tapatalk 2

SirSpinsalot · Aug 29, 2013

You could also try changing your rubbers for something slower/less bouncy to improve your touch/looping skills faster. PG7 has enough catapult effect/spring/speed on its own.

strangeloop · Aug 29, 2013

Thank you Tommy, Der_Echte and SirSpinsalot!

Tommy, I agree with you. I am very bad at closing the bat angle on loose balls. I have started working on it now. "You haven´t played too many years yet so you shouldn´t focus too much to your errors". Is it so obvious?

"Keep on practising, you´ll become a really good player!" Boy, do I wish for this!

@Der_Echte, if the idea against pimpled players is to get loose balls and smash 'em, I did the former but like as you pointed out, I don't know how to hit a kill(flat/loop). I end up trying to play safe and still lose the point. This is why I recently asked for recommendations for a pimpled bat to practice against.
"One must first struggle but then learn WHY one is struggling then do effective things to correct it." -- Gold!
How do I learn to 'explode' through the shot? Trying to imitate Ma Long/ZJK doesn't work for me. I learn more from players at my level or just above my level. Can you link me to any such video? I will copy that player's footwork and body position.
Yeah, my opponent was too good for me. I am not so concerned about that. I just want the fundamentals to be solid and not to make basic errors.

@SirSpinsalot, this might be a good idea. I am thinking of a spare setup as the current one has got a few dinks. Maybe I will try on that.

strangeloop · Sep 19, 2013

Adding new video.. practice match. I lost 3-1 but felt I played well.

Obviously there are areas to improve and that is why I want you guys to watch the video

strangeloop · Sep 21, 2013

hello!! b u m p

Der_Echte · Sep 22, 2013

At 1:13, you try a step around loop vs an underspin ball. You hit the shot as the ball fell very low, which means all you can do is lift it heavy, but you swung forward.

You can make a forward swing with an open bat vs underspin for a fast loop, but you have to impact the ball while it is still high like net height. hard to do when you let it fall to table level or below.

The "explosion" thing I describe is using the legs and waist to start the power. You bend knees, twist waist and shoulder, and start it all off with legs. Another thing besides the all important timing is to hit the ball at an appropriate height and at or around your optimal impact zone. Too many players hit it too far away or toofar in front of zone and it robs spin/power/control.

strangeloop · Sep 22, 2013

Der_Echte said:
At 1:13, you try a step around loop vs an underspin ball. You hit the shot as the ball fell very low, which means all you can do is lift it heavy, but you swung forward.

You can make a forward swing with an open bat vs underspin for a fast loop, but you have to impact the ball while it is still high like net height. hard to do when you let it fall to table level or below.

The "explosion" thing I describe is using the legs and waist to start the power. You bend knees, twist waist and shoulder, and start it all off with legs. Another thing besides the all important timing is to hit the ball at an appropriate height and at or around your optimal impact zone. Too many players hit it too far away or toofar in front of zone and it robs spin/power/control.

Yeah.. More backspin that I estimated. The loop didn't even reach the net.

If you look at 2:37 I think I hit it the right way, bend, twist and unleash. But right leg is on the heel. I wish I could get low like this for every FH topspin and lift or drive forward as necessary. Wishful thinking?

Here's one game from today's practice match. Match starts at 30 secs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGBVkp_wt2U#t=30

The way I hit right now, my consistency is not bad. However, I really want more spin and power. I understand it has to come from the legs and body rotation. If I try this in practice, then my timing goes off and consistency drops. Would slow multiball help in this?

Sun Tzu · Sep 23, 2013

Things I saw:

* Don't be afraid to use your backhand on receiving serves or on opportunitys in rallies, you have the technique, now start using it!
* Finish your swings, your loops mostly went in if you finished the stroke. By finishing the stroke you almost automatically use your body and legs more (which is also something that needs improving)
* When pushing or trying to do a touch shot, the worst thing you can do is hold the bat completely still. This way the effect of the opponent will have maximum effect and you end up missing the shot. For doing this I advise you to change the place where you hit the ball. If the ball is a clock, you are hitting it at 6 right now when doing a forehand push, try hitting it at 4 or 5. This way you will still lift the ball over the net with a push, have less trouble with the opponents spin and you will keep it lower (which makes the next ball harder for your opponent)
* When in play, control your body, it seems you tend to stand up to straight after a few balls. You will be out of position for a proper opening loop that way.

strangeloop · Sep 24, 2013

Sun Tzu said:
Things I saw:

* Don't be afraid to use your backhand on receiving serves or on opportunitys in rallies, you have the technique, now start using it!
* Finish your swings, your loops mostly went in if you finished the stroke. By finishing the stroke you almost automatically use your body and legs more (which is also something that needs improving)
* When pushing or trying to do a touch shot, the worst thing you can do is hold the bat completely still. This way the effect of the opponent will have maximum effect and you end up missing the shot. For doing this I advise you to change the place where you hit the ball. If the ball is a clock, you are hitting it at 6 right now when doing a forehand push, try hitting it at 4 or 5. This way you will still lift the ball over the net with a push, have less trouble with the opponents spin and you will keep it lower (which makes the next ball harder for your opponent)
* When in play, control your body, it seems you tend to stand up to straight after a few balls. You will be out of position for a proper opening loop that way.

Great observation.. Thank you!

Regarding using the backhand, I am hesitant. I still have to find out when I should use backhand topspin and when I should counterhit because I have good control over the counter and place it where I want. With backhand topspin, I am not so sure.
Thanks for the ideas regarding the push. Actually when there is heavy backspin from a chop, I just show my bat with the full face open. Your observation is spot on. I will definitely work on this and the other things you mentioned.

Der_Echte · Sep 24, 2013

If you are losing power/spin/consistency, it is likely you are not impacting the ball in the optimal strike zone, maybe feet are not wide, body not balanced, who knows? You do if you vid yourself and look that same day.

Sun Tzu · Sep 25, 2013

strangeloop said:
Great observation.. Thank you!

Regarding using the backhand, I am hesitant. I still have to find out when I should use backhand topspin and when I should counterhit because I have good control over the counter and place it where I want. With backhand topspin, I am not so sure.
Thanks for the ideas regarding the push. Actually when there is heavy backspin from a chop, I just show my bat with the full face open. Your observation is spot on. I will definitely work on this and the other things you mentioned.

The only way to find out how to do it, is to try alot. Especially on receiving serves just do a little flick or a banana flick.

Look at it this way: The chance of making a bad decision on wether to counter-spin or play topspin and thus losing the point. Is most likely just as big as losing the point when returning with a push when a flick should have been played.

However on most serves I wouldn't just hit, you can only do that if the serve is to high. However you can bananaflick every serve that is above the table and spin any ball that goes behind the table. All you need to do is see where the ball will be and read the amount of spin on it and adjust your stroke to that.

strangeloop · Nov 27, 2013

Sun Tzu said:
The only way to find out how to do it, is to try alot. Especially on receiving serves just do a little flick or a banana flick.

Look at it this way: The chance of making a bad decision on wether to counter-spin or play topspin and thus losing the point. Is most likely just as big as losing the point when returning with a push when a flick should have been played.

However on most serves I wouldn't just hit, you can only do that if the serve is to high. However you can bananaflick every serve that is above the table and spin any ball that goes behind the table. All you need to do is see where the ball will be and read the amount of spin on it and adjust your stroke to that.

Thanks folks for all the comments! Adding latest match video. This is the first time I made it to quarterfinals. And I won!

Only to lose badly in semis. I will link to that video also soon.

For those who haven't seen older videos, I am the one in the red Donic shirt.

I need to work on BH topspin on long sidespin serves. Missed thrice in the first game. Was really nervous through out as this is my first big match. But I pulled it out somehow. whew!

Match video - Comments welcome

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