Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[Yecats Encerwal]

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branka_Batinić

This week I have participated in 2 hours of training each night taken by former World Cup Mixed doubles Bronze Medalist (1981) and Veterans World Champion (2006) Branca Batinic from Croatia. She was also 42 time Croatian champion according to her Wikepedia linked above


This isn't the first time she has visited us so we knew what to expect, tough and demanding drills and lots of technical advice. Its always nice to have an experienced coach who has been through it all, even just for a few hours. I had a few technique issues which she has shown me how to iron out, and so I know where to go from here. She clearly lives and breathes table tennis and I think that is such an important attribute to have as a coach. Her passion for the sport really comes across and is motivating to hear as a player.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

I had a few technique issues which she has shown me how to iron out, and so I know where to go from here.

OK Yecats, i will accept no less than 10 points from you now when we play!!!

But seriously, excellent you have had that opportunity to train with an olympian/world champ/42x champ of her country! WOW!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Oh really?!!! I am so sorry, i thought it is that general thread talking about anything of TT and can ask questions, but if you say so then ok, i will start a thread about it, thanks and sorry again.

No worries ... your question will have a wider audience if you made your own thread. Someone who knows the answer will probably see it and can help as not all members check this daily chit chat thread.

 

[Yecats Encerwal]

OK Yecats, i will accept no less than 10 points from you now when we play!!!

But seriously, excellent you have had that opportunity to train with an olympian/world champ/42x champ of her country! WOW!

I am grateful for the opportunities I have and I try to make the most of them!

I appreciate the fact that not everyone is as fortunate to get these opportunities... I am very lucky!

 

[Jirrex]

When I read the posts and watch the video's in this thread, I realize how lucky some of you are. Nice training facilities and having the opportunity to work with great coaches.

Currently I'm a member of a club that's very casual. Most members come to there for 'free play', and aren't much into training drills. Their main goal is to blow off some steam after a hard day of work, nothing wrong with that of course. And it's only open once a week. I'm considering to join another club as well, because I want to progress faster.

 

[Yecats Encerwal]

When I read the posts and watch the video's in this thread, I realize how lucky some of you are. Nice training facilities and having the opportunity to work with great coaches.

Currently I'm a member of a club that's very casual. Most members come to there for 'free play', and aren't much into training drills. Their main goal is to blow off some steam after a hard day of work, nothing wrong with that of course. And it's only open once a week. I'm considering to join another club as well, because I want to progress faster.

Your right in that there is nothing wrong with casual play, however it becomes a problem when one player in the club really wants to improve and no one else is that interested.

I am lucky in that my club really promotes improvement and offers these opportunities to aspiring players but I appreciate not everyone so lucky.

Perhaps joining another club would be good for you, improving fast is hard when playing once a week. I try to play at least 4 times a week for a couple hours at a time, but wish I could do more. It would be good for you to perhaps enter a league or some tournaments too if possible.

Remember, there is no such thing as winning and losing, just winning and learning!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Last night... disappointed that my order for a black longpips ox came in as a red sheet. Posted pic a few posts above.

Monday night, i was playing well enough when i was lucky to be able to hit with a ~1900-2000 SH who started lobbing to me. No issues/complaints about the Nexy Amazon/MX-P setup when it comes to smashing and punching/blocking. i smashed to my heart's content.

I have had mental baggage with my looping though with it from time to time. At times it felt too light, in which case i added on a temporary short pips on the back to try the weight out. Initially when i did this, my hand hurt. This week slight frustration with looping, i have put on/take off the SP throughout the night. Hand didn't hurt, but i didn't hit with the SP on all night.

Will note that the added weight felt good on pure blocks... don't recall how i felt about the weight on punching though. smashing though, i was a little off at times with the added weight.

Tues night and last night, no difference, still looping on/off... all mental i'm sure

Although i will note, i was hitting with J both tues and weds... didn't remember to check his rubber, but guessing it's chinese, and incoming ball seems to die out perhaps throwing off when/where i pick it up to loop. Glad he is ok with me missing so much. He advises me to relax and he knows i will block all night for him and let him work his strokes. So last night, he blocked for me and tell me don't worry, relax, keep trying to loop.

Thurs-Sun - family days, time off from TT, hopeful the respite will clear my head and looking forward to Monday night to get back at it.

Thank you TTD CCers!

an aside, my arch nemesis, K, defensive SH with intermittent attacks... lost to him all the time so far, had posted a video of one of our matches sometime ago ... last night, because J had next, we played a match. In the past, both K and I have had good practices ... although i lose to him in a match, he knows i'm a big challenge for him when my game is on ... he just plays steady and 50/50 i will lose the point on 3rd or 5th when i attack for example ... but prior to losing the point, generally i'm controlling the ball and moving him side to side, despite him being 60 yrs old, he chooses to play defensive and has good enough footwork to get to the ball... that and well he's way away from the table ... but frustrating to be clearly in the driver's seat controlling the ball/tempo and picking my spots when to attack

Before i left, he mentioned to me that my smashes were much better with the Avalox P700/DHS H3 ... my loops when i make them are much better with the Nexy Amazon/MX-P.

Not boasting or trash talking, but the younger me would have a field day with K's defensive game.

K asked me last week, "How do you know you improved?" ... i did not answer him as it may sound like bragging or something ... last night he asked again... i answered, "When i make my 3rd ball punches down the line consistently and when i win the points i'm clearly controlling." He definitely knew my answer before i answered, but K and I have had good chats on TT in general as well as specific techniques etc. In his way, he's helping me improve and as I improve i force him to adapt to my game and he improves ... iron sharpens iron.

Thanked him for his time and games.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Currently I'm a member of a club that's very casual. Most members come to there for 'free play', and aren't much into training drills. Their main goal is to blow off some steam after a hard day of work

Although i call the place where i play a 'club', it is really a NYC Dept of Parks Recreation Center ... not a true TT club... our area is right next to the weight room, Olympic lifting area, stationary bikes area... so there is a lot of traffic as well as noise from the dropped weights from the Oly lifters.

I think we have a 50/50 mix or 60/40 mix of members who come to play to blow off steam. As it's a NYC facility, Seniors (62+ yrs old) pay $25/year. Non-seniors pay $100/year. Because of that, we have many seniors playing. And they are not the casual 1000 players, the seniors that play in my 'club' are 1500 or 1600+ ... they play vigorously as if they were 20!

However, there are some tables on the side, where generally it's training only ... see if your club has a table for training only... or mention to your partner, you just want to practice.

But yeah if you want to progress faster, you need more than 1x a week.

Good luck in your TT training Jirrex!

 

[Jirrex]

There are actually three people that want to improve, but sometimes, when it's more crowded, there are actually not enough tables to play 1 vs 1 and we're forced to do doubles at some tables.

I also play once a week at my friend's place, and then we do training drills. It has its limitations when it comes to space though. For me, entering a league at this moment would be a no-go, because of the lack of training possibilites.

That last sentence, definitely something to keep in my mind

Your right in that there is nothing wrong with casual play, however it becomes a problem when one player in the club really wants to improve and no one else is that interested.

I am lucky in that my club really promotes improvement and offers these opportunities to aspiring players but I appreciate not everyone so lucky.

Perhaps joining another club would be good for you, improving fast is hard when playing once a week. I try to play at least 4 times a week for a couple hours at a time, but wish I could do more. It would be good for you to perhaps enter a league or some tournaments too if possible.

Remember, there is no such thing as winning and losing, just winning and learning!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Remember, there is no such thing as winning and losing, just winning and learning!

Excellent Yecats!

I say something similar and add that one only truly 'Loses' if they didn't learn anything from their 'loss' as losses are learning opportunities. It provides feedback. Your partner is showing you the holes in your game, your partner 'teaches' you.

If one is serious about improving and doesn't analyze why they 'lost' then they truly "Lost".

 

[TareqPhoto]

Ok, if it is about playing or improving or whatever here, then what some members do if they can't find any nearby clubs? there is one club in my city but they are not in good situation at all, one coach who is always busy training with kids only and not for long time, and only 2 tables there and using only 1 as main, they have spare tables but the room is very small that barely can accommodate 2 with only 1 table has enough space somehow.

So, if i want to improve and there is no club near me and i have to drive far but i can't or don't want to go far, then what is the best option?

I bought a table, and i am in a meetup group who are really interested in to play TT only as you said to blow off steam, and they are not much into improving because they live in a city where there are clubs or one club around to go for improving but they don't go, and i really don't know if hiring a coach to come will be more expensive for me then going to him in a far club, but if the situation doesn't allow me to go for training more often, what is the solution then?

Hope one day someone of you coming my country then i would like to play with him, you are welcome.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

So, if i want to improve and there is no club near me and i have to drive far but i can't or don't want to go far, then what is the best option?

One option is "shadow" - visualize the ball/table/opponent and do your strokes ... best to have a mirror so you can check your form. Or do it in front of your table.

Mod UpSideDownCarl has some vids... will edit in this post when i find them.

Good luck in your TT training. HTH!

EDIT: check this thread out for the shadowing and other tips:

https://www.tabletennisdaily.co.uk/...-Quality-and-Fundamentals&highlight=shadowing

 

[Archosaurus]

Lately I've been occasionally producing shots that are far, far beyond my normal spin level. I have no idea how apart from it feeling different and feeling more body being used more rapidly.

I've come to the conclusion that it has something to do with timing, and a lot to do with racket head speed. However I can't reproduce those shots at will, so I've come up with a solution that seems to help.

I do self hitting, but I stand near the side of the table, bounce the ball so that it bounces once on the table then goes half-long, and try to brush loop the ball with max power from below the table.

This ensures that I need to have good contact for it to come on the table and I force myself to have good racket head speed. I have an urge to change my blade angle to be more closed for safety or to not do a full swing, but I'm fighting it and not caring if the ball goes out.

If I screw it up, the ball flies way off. Occasionally when I do hit it, it'll have quite good spin because I force myself to generate a lot of racket head speed. Most of the time I miss it, and my results vary.

It's a crapshoot right now, but I think it will help me improve, because over time I believe my body will start to put 2 and 2 together as to what's going on during the shots that go on the table with a lot of spin.

I can generate racket head speed, but the question is touch and timing. This drill's purpose is to teach myself the touch and timing for "ballsy" high spin shots like real loops. In other words, I'm putting the big boy pants on and trying to really up my brushing and go away from hitting.

Thoughts?

 

[Jirrex]

Where I play isn't a true club either, they don't have a dedicated table tennis hall. It is shared with local associations like the theatre club.

It seems you have a nice amount of people that are willing to improve. Having people around that are higher level than yourself is also desirable. I've noticed that you learn a lot more from the games you lose.

How many days a week your club is open? $100 / year seems really cheap to me anyway, I pay more and the club is open only once a week.

Btw, it's always interesting to read your stories

Although i call the place where i play a 'club', it is really a NYC Dept of Parks Recreation Center ... not a true TT club... our area is right next to the weight room, Olympic lifting area, stationary bikes area... so there is a lot of traffic as well as noise from the dropped weights from the Oly lifters.

I think we have a 50/50 mix or 60/40 mix of members who come to play to blow off steam. As it's a NYC facility, Seniors (62+ yrs old) pay $25/year. Non-seniors pay $100/year. Because of that, we have many seniors playing. And they are not the casual 1000 players, the seniors that play in my 'club' are 1500 or 1600+ ... they play vigorously as if they were 20!

However, there are some tables on the side, where generally it's training only ... see if your club has a table for training only... or mention to your partner, you just want to practice.

But yeah if you want to progress faster, you need more than 1x a week.

Good luck in your TT training Jirrex!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

How many days a week your club is open? $100 / year seems really cheap to me anyway, I pay more and the club is open only once a week.

100 a year is awesome! My old club, i thought was cheap at $20 a month but then i found out about this club. The recreation center is closed Sundays. And there are schedules for different activities throughout the day. TT generally starts 4:30 Mon-Thurs. Think Weds it starts 5 or 5:30 though. I get there after work generally 5-6 and it closes 9:30pm. Friday nights are Teenagers only. 18 and over the membership fee is 100/year. for <18yrs old, it's free... never went on Friday, but my understanding is that it's full. May be NYC's way of getting teens off the streets and doing something productive and out of trouble. Sat's i think it's 1-5pm. Never go on Sat's, i spend time with my family.

Btw, it's always interesting to read your stories

I am honored! Thank you!!

 

[NextLevel]

Getting better at TT without the right kind of environment is tough. It can take 3 years to see the right kind of improvement even in a proper environment. I sometimes have suggestions but I don't want to downplay the obstacles. It's best to travel to a good camp or something and spend extended time training and recording yourself so you know what you should be doing. Find a camp that had a respected coach in that the coach improves players, not that the coach is a high level player. The two are not always the same more often than not.

 

[Nuke Skywalker]

From my last blog entry...

VKM/P-1R 1.0mm/Reflectoid 1.0mm continues to be the best setup I've had in a while. I feel confident and secure: one can't ask for more. On reason is that pushing inverted style with P-1R then twiddling and pushing inverted with the Reflectoid allows me to virtually keep the stroke aesthetically the same (Same angle, same racket speed, same follow through), and it's fooling a LOT of people into netting or sending balls long when they either push or loop. This is a real weapon for me...which as a classical defender I really could use. The same can be said of BH chops with the Reflectoid, same aesthetics. Thankfully, I am far more comfortable chopping with inverted on the BH side now as well thanks to my double inverted chopping experiment. I do this far more often, making me far less predictable.

1mm Reflectoid (aka the 'Toid)
My attack is even more consistent with the 'toid...the 10% or so of the time that I do it. It's always a surprise, and people aren't expecting it. ONLY thing I'm having trouble with is generating enough speed for fast serves, or fast and long underspin serves. On chops, I don't even think about that the bat angle or speed or whatever, I just chop with reckless abandon...and I'm more deadly and consistent for it.
Yes, it bottoms out but the difference here is that when it does, it is predictable. I rarely get a surprise ball that goes into the net when I'm not expecting it, that's because it almost always bottoms out.... Loose grip will keep that from happening unless I'm blocking a smash. But the take home message here is that because always bottoms out, I can develop my stroke with that as the norm, and when I don't want it to bottom out, I'm in control. With TSP Trip-Chop, I didn't feel in control because when it bottomed out, it felt random.
So, I'm very happy with this change...and honestly don't see myself straying from this for a while, which is great because Reflectoid is hella cheap.

Bye Bye OX for good...probably

Yesterday I flirted with DG OX one last time, and I have to say, i think I'm done with OX for good. Warmed up with John Olsen a ~2000 player (great guy) and he really just felt like it was too harmless and predictable in chops....no variation. He wasn't even trying hard to loop them back....he gave the spin he wanted and got the spin back he wanted.

FH LP Chopping
I have decided to add another twist to my game. I've long thought about it, and never was able to make it work, and that's FH chopping with the LPs. Since twiddling is a strength of mine, I felt this was a viable idea.
One gaping whole in my game is dealing with spinny players that make VERY spinny balls, with little to no pace to my FH. That ball sometimes rainbows, sometimes doesn't, but always dips quickly off the table after the bounce making me have to move toward the table and try to do something with it. Almost always I have to lob, fish, or do one of those wiggly wobblers as NL called them. There is one player in particular who has a wicked loop with lots of spin who I cannot negotiate on the FH side with inverted. I have no problems on the LP side, of course. Last night I twiddled and FH LP chopped quite a bit. Worked well.
First, I chopped with inverted first to "calibrate my sights" so to speak. Then I changed to LPs to compare. First thing I noticed is, the balls tend to go toward my FH if I chopped them with the LPs. So to adjust, I have to chop toward opposite side of the table a bit (my BH) to get them to land where I wanted them. After getting comfortable I twiddled one inverted/one LP chop, or two and two. This worked well, and I was immediately to use it during a game. Not well, many of those chops landed.

I think I will continue to incorporate LP chopping and twiddling on the FH side in practice and hopefully in the distant future it will be completely natural to me.

Practice practice.

 

[Der_Echte]

John Olsen is a solid and consistent player. Very good to train with. Duke Nuke em Skywalker already knows but say for everyone.

It is important to have a player to train with who is sound and consistent.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[TareqPhoto]

Well, last year and still in this year i only paid for membership for a club and this payment is excluding training, last year i was not thinking about improving, i was only thinking about having fun and play, later last year and this year i felt that i want to keep playing but i wanted to improve then, but my situations prevented me to go for training, i mean i didn't want to pay for training while i already paid for membership, so i was thinking if the membership is expired then i won't renew, but instead i pay for training only.

There are 2 main coaches for training in that club, but there are more coaches but i think they are for kids and girls, so i am ending up with 2 coaches to choose anyway, both has great skilled and experience, many members are improved significantly, but as i said before, paying more or separated isn't in my mind yet, also the club is far and i don't go there even to play only, so for training i will not be there more often, and those coaches are mostly busy, it is me to match their timing not the opposite, so i really don't know when they are free for me while i am free too.

Now i bought a table, next plan is to buy a robot so i can keep training with it at home daily, it won't make me high level or super player, but it can help me keep my track for balls, at least if i keep training with robot and trying to minimize my mistakes then it will help me to fining my games, and i know i have to do different strokes, FH, BH, chop, loop,..etc, and if i can keep in track with robot for a while then it will make me get used to TT, so even if i go have training sessions with coaches it will help me to save time in learning, actually the coach i always talk/ask told me the robot will teach me everything, didn't explain how everything, but his quick answer giving me the idea that the robot will keep my mind into table tennis.

Today [or yesterday our time] i went to out town's club because there are games as our country league [TT league], and it was the youth category, and they played against another club, and all the players lost all their games against that club, 2 of them are training with the coach there in about 3-4 days per week, so even their training never helped them, and they were training for almost 2 or 3 years, and when i played with them i beaten them, so either i am good enough or their training was a waste, what do you think?

The coach in this local club asked me to join the men category and play in the league, i told him i am not good and i don't have any training, he said doesn't matter, just play, get experience, and it may improve you playing games against different clubs players, not sure if i really accept or not.

 

[Archosaurus]

Played my gym teacher today. I'd played him before, in the past, so I knew what to expect. I demolished him 1st game, but he beat me 8 - 2 in sets afterwards.

He's a blocker with good touch who can redirect fast shots into wide angles easily and has very spinny short serves that force me to push them if I want consistency. I kept netting them with my flick until I adjusted it, so I opted to push short preferably. He also gave me some variance, and I had to deal with reading serves as long or short and pushing/looping/flicking them accordingly.

He played overall better than I did, and I found out A LOT of faults in my game that I can go about fixing, namely to do with footwork and recovery, but I'm very satisfied that I managed to play my looping game to it's current potential. I managed to perform consecutive loops while being moved from my backhand into my wide forehand and back into my backhand. Of course, I missed quite a bit, but at my normal level I should not be able to play as well as I did in the first place. I kept having huge recovery issues early on, but I made it better near the end. I still need to make my recovery faster and footwork more accurate and active.


Overall it was a good experience, and I don't even care about my results. All that matters is that I got some concrete examples of what I need to improve and why. My shot quality was sufficient, but my movement and recovery was not as good as I'd like. I know what I need to do, so I'll work on them.