Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[ajtatosmano2]

The best shoes for abnormal slick floors are tennis shoes made for warehouse workers.

A few years ago, a club used the wrong wax to do the floors. The water trick wouldn't work and the floors got slicker as you played with white powder from wax showing. I found a pair of warehouse soft sole shoes that were not affected by the conditions. Tennis or table tennis shoes didn't solve the problem.

You mean badminton shoes?

 

[Loopadoop]

You mean badminton shoes?

I don't know about those.

I meant tennis shoes that are designed for work in a warehouse. The slick surface doesn't bother them.

 

[ajtatosmano2]

I don't know about those.

I meant tennis shoes that are designed for work in a warehouse. The slick surface doesn't bother them.

Tennis shoes designed for working? Probably language barrier, but I don't get it.

 

[Der_Echte]

Very old Americans call any shoes that look like athletic shoes "Tennis Shoes".

Basically, some shoes that do not resemble boots. Perhaps he is thinking of the "Converse" simple shoes that were popular 50 yrs ago and have regained popularity.

Inserting a pic into the post and/or a hyperlink to the website selling them would be a help though.

 

[Der_Echte]

Spent a week in Los Angeles causing trouble. Too many damned days in a row with next to no sleep and full out TT, it took a toll on the last day and today. I would have to drive 2 hrs with traffic to see my LA TT friends and 1+ to get back. That meant no to little sleep. Old peoples need their sleeps.

Drove up to Swan TTC in Bay Area to brew cappuccinos and play TT. I checked both blocks, but it looks like I needed another day of sleep.

Got a team tourney today, it is 3 AM, got back a couple hrs ago. Gunna be a fun one today it looks like.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

Played a team tournament today.

Bad omen from the start as our top player caught cold and had to withdraw.

in our group of 3 there was a very weak team against whom we cruised.

Then we played the top team. I think we'd have beaten them if our #1 was here. Our best player today won his single but it was more difficult than expected. Then we played doubles but that was the first time we played together and it didn't work at all. Our styles are a bit different and we didn't understand each other. We lacked confidence and trust in each other. On the other side of the table there were 2 good players not making a lot of mistakes. We were wiped 0-3, and it was a pitiful performance on my side.

Then i played singles against a PH with short pips. The style that I despise, but i had a very good win this Thursday in a mini-tournament against a player of the same style which I believe was quite stronger than todays' guy. But I was very nervous from the start, lost the first set easily, My BH receive was horrible again today despite the coaching I received and last Thursday's game. As the match progressed, i got a bit better at receiving and started doing good 3rd ball attacks but it was too late and lost 9 and 9 the 2nd and 3rd. I was down 7-10 and saved 2 match points with style. At 9-10 i make a good 3rd ball attack but he blocks it with the edge or this finger, the ball bounces just behind the net, its a strange trajectory, im a bit surprised, its a bit high but i can see its loaded with backspin, i decide not to go for the hit but just try to push it back softly, but it dies in the net... No luck for me today. a very disappointing performance. Obviously i was not determined enough in the 1st set, and not relaxed enough to produce my best play. Team is down 1-3 :-( [tbh I believed our next player had absolutely no chance in the last match, that perhaps affected my fighting spirit as well]

It was the first time we played together and I haven't been paying much attention to this guy playing before, so I don't know his level for sure, but I believe I was the favourite to win and the result and my level of play on this match are really awful.


We play in the tournament for 2nd placed teams, against a very good veteran team. Our top player loses 1-3 to a very good BS defender, our next player loses 0-3 his match, a bit of a disappointment, we head in doubles against a pair of this veteran defender and a hitter. any ball which is a bit high is immediately punished by a flat hit. Both my partner and I don't play well. I can also understand why he lost against the defender. The guy defends with Tenergy both BH and FH but a defensive blade. With the same motion he is mixing underspin and no-spin chop. Sometimes i want to push back his chop but the ball pops up !! its a no-spin chop and thats an easy kill for the opponent....

We lose it 0-3 and it was going from bad to worse during that match...

We went to the shower much earlier than expected. It was a really sh*t tournament for us. Not much to be happy about.
:-(

 

[Loopadoop]

Very old Americans call any shoes that look like athletic shoes "Tennis Shoes".

Basically, some shoes that do not resemble boots. Perhaps he is thinking of the "Converse" simple shoes that were popular 50 yrs ago and have regained popularity.

Inserting a pic into the post and/or a hyperlink to the website selling them would be a help though.

Here is an example: Athletic shoe

https://www.dsw.com/en/us/product/reebok-work-n-cushion-2.0-work-shoe---mens/396258?activeColor=000

 

[ajtatosmano2]

Here is an example: Athletic shoe

https://www.dsw.com/en/us/product/reebok-work-n-cushion-2.0-work-shoe---mens/396258?activeColor=000

Thanks, now I knowwhat did you mean. By the way, badminton shoes said to have more grip than TT and tennis shoes.

 

[Loopadoop]

Thanks, now I knowwhat did you mean. By the way, badminton shoes said to have more grip than TT and tennis shoes.

Did you check out the picture there of the bottom sole pattern, one of the best you will ever see to control slipping.

 

[Der_Echte]

Just like TWI did, I also had a teams tourney at the local Chinese TT club today. Our team made it to 3rd place, mostly, because I did not perform to my normal standard in one of the doubles games. I went 5-0 in singles and 4-1 in doubles. Our team mates had doubts why I selected who to play where, but they quickly learned why I did what I did and why it worked, we went 4-0 in group and qualified directly to Semi-finals. Many teams had out of town or out of club ringers.. that was all good for me, more targets to shoot at was my attitude.

Excuse disclaimer: I had been wore out all week before the week playing tt nearly every day for hours on end, then did a trip to LA for a class training for work, which I got 100% in everything, but really, all I did was drive 2 hrs to a club and ball out every night past midnight, get back to motel after 1 AM or 2 AM and get up at 6 AM daily... It waz gunna catch up to me sometime. I lacked some movement and it cost our team a doubles match once, that is all it took to fail.

All in all, I had a decent attitude about losing, usually I am a very sore loser, when I wear a uniform, I expect to perform and win, even if logically it is not always possible.

At least I made some group happy and I surely DID get a chance to cheer everyone playing on other teams (sometimes in our matches vs them) when they made power shots of FH for winners.

Our team got USD $50... haha, that was our entry fee, so we competed, kicked azz, got our ass kicked and got photos for free.

Aren't TT players a uniquely crazy crowd for what they define as having fun? Well, we had more than our chance at fun.

 

[yoass]

Put in about 5 hours of practice, first with a few young childeren as a sparring partner in consistency drills. Keeps surprising me how useful these simple things remain. Took me a few decades to learn, but now I think I've really come to terms with the fact that regardless of the level of your partner, there's always something useful to be learned, to focus on.

Upped the level after that with a team partner whose abilities are on the rise, focused on sharpening his over-the-table and second position loops, the switch between positions, and the basic footwork for larger movement and small position adjustments in two dimensions. For me, I was focused on blocks for a while, staying close to the table; employing anything between very active and very passive blocks, throwing in a few chop blocks. It's amazing how effective a passive block with very soft hands can be... and then I switched to counterlooping away from the table, seeking variation in spin and speed. When that settled in, random placement drills (usually immediate kills). After a while the success rate of countering these went up as well. By then we were quite worn out.

So after a little break we played a little singles tournament; one strong win, one close win, one close loss even though playing strongly due to formidable resistance. Then, a few doubles matches, for which we really turned up the focus level; pretty sharp serves and receives.

I cooled down after that doing an hour of consistency and placement drills against a young player, that needed to try some adjustments to BH counter and his FH topspin. Combinable goals, so I thought. And so it went.

All in all, a good day. As I'm getting older not all days are good days, but as things go this was one of them and I enjoyed it immensely.

 

[NextLevel]

In Houston for the Columbus Day weekend. No racket but I figured it would make no sense bring in Houston without seeing Baal. So I sent him a PM and he agreed to meet me at his club despite his recovering from a long cycling race the day before. He also lent me a racket since I didn't have one. Got tortured during hitting by his off the bounce style with Karis controlled wide angles. Great guy, will definitely go back to his club again. But for now; back to the reality of work.

 

[suds79]

Cultivating a sense of team among your club.

Just curious, do any of you feel like the club where you attend they do a good job of this? Is it important or helpful at all?

I have this thought that while our club members practice & compete hard to beat one another during club nights, really we're all trying to get better and I think it would be cool if there was a since of team or unity when we either have several members go to local tournaments or if we're hosting an event.

Every now and then, I'll see some video from over in China, I'm guessing these are team events, where players are playing and actively have their 4-6 of their club mates cheering & encouraging them on watching the match. Even coaching them in timeouts when necessary. Sometimes it'a easier to see tactical errors or strengths from the outside looking in vs in the thick of battle yourself. This might be a pipe dream but I think it would be cool if our club also had that sense of unity. Sure there's nothing wrong with wanting yourself to personally do well but for several club members also have a secondary goal of "we as a collective, cleaned up at this event" Would be neat. I feel as it is now, we just go to events and everybody largely just does their own thing.

Table tennis singles is largely an isolated game. I get that. But do any of you attend clubs that cultivate this sense of unity or sense of team. Legitimately wanting the club or team to represent as well almost as much as we want ourselves to do well personally? If so, how do they do it? Is there any advantage to it? Is it meaningless? etc.

Just curious if any of you have thoughts.

 

[ttmonster]

I think three likes in the space of a minute is new record ... any pictures to share NL ?

BTW, Der_echte came down with his coffee machine to our Club this saturday and we had a blast playing doubles ... then we went to modest korean bbq and surprised the waitresses with our appetite ... I think they are still talking about the caucasian guy who speaks fluent korean and stands in the middle of the restaurant to demonstrate optimal Backhand Technique .... and the indian guy who tried to eat korean food that is normally shoved in with a spoon with chopsticks .... LOL ....

In Houston for the Columbus Day weekend. No racket but I figured it would make no sense bring in Houston without seeing Baal. So I sent him a PM and he agreed to meet me at his club despite his recovering from a long cycling race the day before. He also lent me a racket since I didn't have one. Got tortured during hitting by his off the bounce style with Karis controlled wide angles. Great guy, will definitely go back to his club again. But for now; back to the reality of work.

 

[NextLevel]

I think three likes in the space of a minute is new record ... any pictures to share NL ?

BTW, Der_echte came down with his coffee machine to our Club this saturday and we had a blast playing doubles ... then we went to modest korean bbq and surprised the waitresses with our appetite ... I think they are still talking about the caucasian guy who speaks fluent korean and stands in the middle of the restaurant to demonstrate optimal Backhand Technique .... and the indian guy who tried to eat korean food that is normally shoved in with a spoon with chopsticks .... LOL ....

I travelled extremely light and my impression is that Baal is a fairly private person even if very affable so I wasn't going to take anything. I didn't even have my knee braces so I was lucky that Baal's club had wooden floors. Even then, today is not a cakewalk...

 

[pgpg]

Cultivating a sense of team among your club.

Just curious, do any of you feel like the club where you attend they do a good job of this? Is it important or helpful at all?

I have this thought that while our club members practice & compete hard to beat one another during club nights, really we're all trying to get better and I think it would be cool if there was a since of team or unity when we either have several members go to local tournaments or if we're hosting an event.

Every now and then, I'll see some video from over in China, I'm guessing these are team events, where players are playing and actively have their 4-6 of their club mates cheering & encouraging them on watching the match. Even coaching them in timeouts when necessary. Sometimes it'a easier to see tactical errors or strengths from the outside looking in vs in the thick of battle yourself. This might be a pipe dream but I think it would be cool if our club also had that sense of unity. Sure there's nothing wrong with wanting yourself to personally do well but for several club members also have a secondary goal of "we as a collective, cleaned up at this event" Would be neat. I feel as it is now, we just go to events and everybody largely just does their own thing.

Table tennis singles is largely an isolated game. I get that. But do any of you attend clubs that cultivate this sense of unity or sense of team. Legitimately wanting the club or team to represent as well almost as much as we want ourselves to do well personally? If so, how do they do it? Is there any advantage to it? Is it meaningless? etc.

Just curious if any of you have thoughts.

Competition format is critical here: a lot more cheering and involvement in team events, for obvious reasons: your teammate performance directly impacts you, and you are there all the time, next to the court. There is some in singles - I was cheered on/coached by my clubmates when we happened to be at the same tournament, but it is less likely to happen, almost by chance.

It also does not help when you only have a single club in town - very difficult to develop intense rivalry against some club 200 miles away (random number just to illustrate situation in the US).

 

[Ilia Minkin]

Cultivating a sense of team among your club.

Just curious, do any of you feel like the club where you attend they do a good job of this? Is it important or helpful at all?

I have this thought that while our club members practice & compete hard to beat one another during club nights, really we're all trying to get better and I think it would be cool if there was a since of team or unity when we either have several members go to local tournaments or if we're hosting an event.

Every now and then, I'll see some video from over in China, I'm guessing these are team events, where players are playing and actively have their 4-6 of their club mates cheering & encouraging them on watching the match. Even coaching them in timeouts when necessary. Sometimes it'a easier to see tactical errors or strengths from the outside looking in vs in the thick of battle yourself. This might be a pipe dream but I think it would be cool if our club also had that sense of unity. Sure there's nothing wrong with wanting yourself to personally do well but for several club members also have a secondary goal of "we as a collective, cleaned up at this event" Would be neat. I feel as it is now, we just go to events and everybody largely just does their own thing.

Table tennis singles is largely an isolated game. I get that. But do any of you attend clubs that cultivate this sense of unity or sense of team. Legitimately wanting the club or team to represent as well almost as much as we want ourselves to do well personally? If so, how do they do it? Is there any advantage to it? Is it meaningless? etc.

Just curious if any of you have thoughts.

I don't know if it is possible to cultivate the team spirit at the club's scale. I personally try to develop good relationships with my practice partners, and when we go out to a tourney together, we support each other. That should be definitely possible.

 

[Suga D]

Got tortured during hitting by his off the bounce style with Karis controlled wide angles. Great guy, will definitely go back to his club again. But for now; back to the reality of work.

Sounds awesome.
I think i know what you mean. Baal really can chase one around the table.
[Emoji2]
So much fun playing with him. Hope i get to play him soon again, but probably not before next summer.

But my friend should show up in the next time and hopefully gonna represent some Rhein-Main tabletennis (*edited)
[Emoji12]

 

[Der_Echte]

Competition format is critical here: a lot more cheering and involvement in team events, for obvious reasons: your teammate performance directly impacts you, and you are there all the time, next to the court. There is some in singles - I was cheered on/coached by my clubmates when we happened to be at the same tournament, but it is less likely to happen, almost by chance.

It also does not help when you only have a single club in town - very difficult to develop intense rivalry against some club 200 miles away (random number just to illustrate situation in the US).

To add fuel to the fire, it is especially disappointing that the city is easily over 1 million strong with LOTS of foreigners.

 

[yoass]

Cultivating a sense of team among your club.

Just curious, do any of you feel like the club where you attend they do a good job of this? Is it important or helpful at all?

In reverse: yes, very important, and helpful. If you're not sticking together, you're not there for each other, that's not a club at all. People and their needs vary, but feeling supported is important for many players. When playing I enter a special zone and don't particularly notice or care for outside noise, but I have been scolded (and rightly so, I now think) by players that wanted a rowdy opposing crowd countered by audible and visible signs of support.

The club being mine (organisationally, but that comes with a feeling of responsibility at gut level) I consider it my task to enforce that cohesion and fuel it. I do so by expecting it explicitly from the teams; I expect commitment from the team captains, and I actively work hard offering encouragement and incentives when I think somebody should step up to the plate and make a show of effort to embrace the team.