Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[OldschoolPenholder]

pgpg,

Found my earlier post.

My regular club is a NYC Dept of Parks recreation center. It's members only - no visitor's fee.

RC's club is walking distance from #7 train. My new club is walking distance, but a bit further than RC's. Although there is a free transfer to Q17 or Q27 buses... get off Cherry Ave. and walk 1.5 blocks.

And if you want to follow in the footsteps of Der_Echte and NextLevel and a few other TTDers, NYSIC is the club to visit for the history of previous GoonSquad Missions.

I neglected to post below, two other clubs in Queens I know of:

http://www.pingpongny.com/

The Korean club of a previous GoonSquad Mission... Der had the members in stitches speaking Korean to them and entertaining them!

Coach Li's club (I've never been here, only heard of this) - walking distance from #7 train - tad further out:

http://www.nyittc.com/

---------

If you can make it earlier in the day, I will do my best to get time off from Family to meet you and request 9 points And if i can go, i may be able to pick you up at the last stop in Flushing. I would offer to pick you up in Manhattan, however, please know that the traffic from Queens to Manhattan and then back to Queens would be up to 2 hours, depending on where in Manhattan you are.

Hope this helps!

I go to a rec center in queens (https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/recreationcenters/Q401), it's 3 subway stations from home, no matter how tired i am from TT, 98% of the time i walk home. Takes ~25 mins. Extra exercise for body as well as willpower lol

------------

1. The new club is out of your way ... it's in Flushing. It's about a 10 mins walk after you get off the last stop of the #7 train.

https://liloebertt.com/

2. Also, in Flushing there is also Robert Chen's club - i've yet to check this club out, i think it's also about a 10 mins if not lesser after you get off the subway.

http://aacct.org/ny/index.php

3. This club is a little further out, 42andbackpains goes there, it was the site of a few GoonSquad missions!

http://indoorsportsny.com/

 

[AndySmith]

This is a really enjoyable match. Shinozuka looks like the real deal - very clean technique.

 

[songdavid98]

pgpg,

Found my earlier post.

My regular club is a NYC Dept of Parks recreation center. It's members only - no visitor's fee.

RC's club is walking distance from #7 train. My new club is walking distance, but a bit further than RC's. Although there is a free transfer to Q17 or Q27 buses... get off Cherry Ave. and walk 1.5 blocks.

And if you want to follow in the footsteps of Der_Echte and NextLevel and a few other TTDers, NYSIC is the club to visit for the history of previous GoonSquad Missions.

I neglected to post below, two other clubs in Queens I know of:

http://www.pingpongny.com/

The Korean club of a previous GoonSquad Mission... Der had the members in stitches speaking Korean to them and entertaining them!

Coach Li's club (I've never been here, only heard of this) - walking distance from #7 train - tad further out:

http://www.nyittc.com/

---------

If you can make it earlier in the day, I will do my best to get time off from Family to meet you and request 9 points And if i can go, i may be able to pick you up at the last stop in Flushing. I would offer to pick you up in Manhattan, however, please know that the traffic from Queens to Manhattan and then back to Queens would be up to 2 hours, depending on where in Manhattan you are.

Hope this helps!

Wait, your new club is the old CCCF? It got turned into a rec center? Can you give me details? If it's a good club, I might show up (since it's a 7 minute walk from my house)

I've been playing at NYISC on Saturdays lately, but if anyone in Flushing wants to practice with me on weekends, tell me!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Wait, your new club is the old CCCF? It got turned into a rec center? Can you give me details? If it's a good club, I might show up (since it's a 7 minute walk from my house)

I've been playing at NYISC on Saturdays lately, but if anyone in Flushing wants to practice with me on weekends, tell me!

Sorry for the mixup.

My current club, Lost Battalion in Rego Park is a rec center.

My new club is what used to be CCCF i believe, I didn't know of it, until after it closed and reopened, is not a rec center, that is it is not a NYC Dept of Parks rec ctr.

https://liloebertt.com/

7 tables: one of which is on one side, enclosed with a robot; on the other side of the floor are 2 tables enclosed. 4 in the open middle of the floor. A little small, but I joined on the Membership special, not sure if it's still in effect though, $90 for 3 months - open 8am-11pm, 7 days a week. For now, I can only go 1x a week there.

Would love to practice with you but for now, weekends are family days, groceries, laundry, chauffeur, etc.

Hope this helps!

 

[songdavid98]

Sorry for the mixup.

My current club, Lost Battalion in Rego Park is a rec center.

My new club is what used to be CCCF i believe, I didn't know of it, until after it closed and reopened, is not a rec center, that is it is not a NYC Dept of Parks rec ctr.

https://liloebertt.com/

7 tables: one of which is on one side, enclosed with a robot; on the other side of the floor are 2 tables enclosed. 4 in the open middle of the floor. A little small, but I joined on the Membership special, not sure if it's still in effect though, $90 for 3 months - open 8am-11pm, 7 days a week. For now, I can only go 1x a week there.

Would love to practice with you but for now, weekends are family days, groceries, laundry, chauffeur, etc.

Hope this helps!

Checking out the website. That's definitely the old CCCF. Also, I find it nice that Rick (Rick Lewis, I believe?) is give out free lessons there.

I guess I'll be sticking to NYISC for now. I've found that there usually isn't much floor space for me in CCCF.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Checking out the website. That's definitely the old CCCF. Also, I find it nice that Rick (Rick Lewis, I believe?) is give out free lessons there.

I guess I'll be sticking to NYISC for now. I've found that there usually isn't much floor space for me in CCCF.

i like the layout of NYISC - nice and spacious.

yeah liloebertt is a little small... set up similar to the Korean Club. roughly about the same size too.

 

[42andbackpains]

SD98 and OSP, i will be at the club Thurs 3-7, Fri 3-7 and Sat 12-7. My endeavor to play as much table tennis has pushed my 46 year old body to the edge. I have been going to the club about 5 out of 7 days for almost 3 weeks. Even with 8 hours of sleep last night, i still feel tired. So i will rest today, may just go to the club to just stretch and do some light exercise. As i have a lesson on Saturday, i will throttle down for the rest of the week.

Played a Japanese penhold style player on Sunday and i was whipped 0-3. Its not that i couldn't rally with him, i just couldn't read his serves well. His serving motion looked the same and the spin would be all varied. By the 3rd game, i was beginning to read it better. But it was too late. I just need to log more match play to get my mental and tactics game stronger.

Practiced with Pingpongholic10 one evening for about a 1 hour, he is was over my level. Couldn't really block his forehand loops with my fh. Did a little better blocking his bh loops with my bh. More things to work on.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

SD98 and OSP, i will be at the club Thurs 3-7, Fri 3-7 and Sat 12-7.

Been wanting to join you on Saturdays, but so far haven't been able to. If you continue to go Thurs nights, I may skip LB and join you one night.

My endeavor to play as much table tennis has pushed my 46 year old body to the edge. I have been going to the club about 5 out of 7 days for almost 3 weeks. Even with 8 hours of sleep last night, i still feel tired.

"46andtired" man, i can remember us back in the 80's, play half a day Friday and full days on Sat/Sun and not feel a thing lol

after some time off from TT in the summer due to going for driving practice with my eldest daughter, i've finally getting used to TT 3x/week. although yeah, 53 yr old body is slower to recover LOL

So i will rest today, may just go to the club to just stretch and do some light exercise. As i have a lesson on Saturday, i will throttle down for the rest of the week.

Played a Japanese penhold style player on Sunday and i was whipped 0-3. Its not that i couldn't rally with him, i just couldn't read his serves well. His serving motion looked the same and the spin would be all varied. By the 3rd game, i was beginning to read it better. But it was too late. I just need to log more match play to get my mental and tactics game stronger.

HA! I see through your ruse to weasle out of spotting me 9 points!

Practiced with Pingpongholic10 one evening for about a 1 hour, he is was over my level. Couldn't really block his forehand loops with my fh. Did a little better blocking his bh loops with my bh. More things to work on.

PPH is 5 levels above me!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Last night, i hit with a gentleman recovering from an injury. He is 3 or 4 levels above me. i know the advice i was given here was to meet the ball earlier. I am still working on it, but years of muscle memory is tough for me to overcome. Hitting with me, i can see he meets the ball earlier and the ball comes back fast! My reset still is slow. Thanked him for his time. Loads to still work on.

Hit with a lady next. Wanted to just hit with her and practice. She is a steady blocker/returner. I've hit with her sometime ago and we both had fun practicing. I blocked for her FH and was ready to work my FH and she'll block, when someone called next on the table. Club jammed last night... she wanted to play a match. I haven't played matches all that much in the past year. Trying to get used to my current setup, finally get used to it on strokes, but my serves and matchplay are non-existent with it. Lost 3 straight fairly easily. Still need to relax.

Saw my friend Mark Berg and waited to see if i have a chance to play him. We chatted as we waited but it was getting late so i called it a night and walked home.

Going to the new club tonight.

 

[Nuke Skywalker]

I have decided to switch to more Nigerian technique (which could mean a variety of things). In this case though I think it is clearer if you watch matches like this - it is probably already to some degree a part of me but I will add it more especially on the forehand. It's really funny how I with my bad athleticism sometimes swing at the ball like these guys without even knowing it. But I think the technique is very simple and fits my mindset of circles and wristy spin play.

https://youtu.be/woXrXofDfq8

This women's match was also interesting. I found it funny that none of the commentators found the inability of the girl in yellow to open with her backhand worth commenting on. They kept criticizing her aggressiveness but that was not a problem to me as her opponent kept smashing her openers.

https://youtu.be/nkCkjX6Bf0g

In any case, I hope you find Nigerian TT somewhat entertaining.

INTERESTING. Can you tell me what quality to look for that makes it "Nigerian technique?" Is it the circles and wristy movement that you mentioned? My backhand is all about circles and wristy/whippy technique, but I cannot make that translate to my forehand.

 

[NextLevel]

INTERESTING. Can you tell me what quality to look for that makes it "Nigerian technique?" Is it the circles and wristy movement that you mentioned? My backhand is all about circles and wristy/whippy technique, but I cannot make that translate to my forehand.

That Nigerians are doing it?

If you compare the forehands in that video to say, Aruna, you see that Aruna, even with his Nigerian idiosyncracies, is more refined. Nigerians tend to use grips that let you get extra effect from pronating the wrist. They rarely use full backands and tend to use old-school counterhit blocks. They push with a larger wrist movement to impart spin on the ball. It's almost as if they have not been influenced seriously by any changes in TT technique that came in the 2000s - you don't see any banana flicks. A lot of play is forehand oriented.

As for the technique, most of it on the forehand is based on spiraling the ball with large wrist movement. And even the counters are often smashes with an extreme helicopter principle underlying them.

The forehand counter hit is a mini loop for some players. The backhand counterhit, you see the classic closing of the wrist, which is not what modern China influenced backhands do.

I am not a fan of the backhand action but the forehand I can work with.

 

[Nuke Skywalker]

Haha, I get that it’s because Nigerians are doing it. I was asking about the specific idiosyncrasies...which you answered perfectly. I never noticed what you mentioned before (and I play with several West Africans 3 of which are Nigerian).
But now that you mentioned it, I totally see it.

I feel like certain cultures have prevalent strokes or aesthetics. Of course, it’s never everyone. I find that many of the Indians I play against have similar style, which often includes a very cocked wrist. Also, all of the indians I play tend to have at least one (effective) oddball, unconventional, basement serve (scoop from the forehand serve, sideswipe serve, windshield wiper, etc)

Don’t get me started on Americans, lol!

 

[NextLevel]

Haha, I get that it’s because Nigerians are doing it. I was asking about the specific idiosyncrasies...which you answered perfectly. I never noticed what you mentioned before (and I play with several West Africans 3 of which are Nigerian).
But now that you mentioned it, I totally see it.

I feel like certain cultures have prevalent strokes or aesthetics. Of course, it’s never everyone. I find that many of the Indians I play against have similar style, which often includes a very cocked wrist. Also, all of the indians I play tend to have at least one (effective) oddball, unconventional, basement serve (scoop from the forehand serve, sideswipe serve, windshield wiper, etc)

Don’t get me started on Americans, lol!

Lets just say I know a coach who stereotypes a lot of techniques (and strengths and deficiencies) from a lot of countries.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Last night was my first time ever using a TT robot. I didn't know how to program it ... it was comical! Balls flying at me left and right superfast, and I kept pausing it to try to adjust settings. Finally, i hit reset to default settings and then the robot fed me steady balls to my FH. Worked on trying to meet the ball earlier. Was cool and fun.

Also hit briefly with my friend who is a coach. I've been able to hit with him on and off briefly past few weeks and his advice for me, in addition to meeting the ball earlier, is to switch rubbers and try a carbon racket. He believes my current setup is way too fast for me. After months of slowly getting used to the tensor rubbers on blocks & FH and helping me self-learn a little RPB, in the back of my mind I realized that I can't use the American Hinoki/Tenergy to its maximum advantages.

I was able to use it to learn a little basic SH, mostly the BH stroke and now have an inkling on RPB. I sanded the wings minimally, hesitant to "ruin" the blade by sanding it a lot more for comfort. I was hesitant to cut into the back of the handle to have a little groove to facilitate my grip. The racket is smaller in shape which allowed me to use it with 2 inverted rubbers and hopefully my wrist/hand is stronger for it.

For now, I'll go back to the Nexy Amazon. An old friend gave me his used & beatup Butterfly Taksim carbon blade to play around with. Will slap on a rubber and try it out.

 

[JeffM]

Been a while since I last posted an update. I'm posting today as I finally have a full weekend where I don't have to work.

Played TT at the uni club ytd. As uni is beginning for them, there is now a greater number of people turning up, which is a good thing.

Although I twisted my knee 6 weeks ago, I have been playing tt once a week for the 3 weeks. Ytd, my knee feels fine, it still looked a bit swollen than the other knee, but functionally, it seems to be fine, no pain.
I practiced FH counterhitting with uncle for 30 min, and then some looping for another 20 min.
Then I tried to help him a bit with bh, as he still hasn't quite figured out how to hit bh properly. He is from the past times where each point basically ends after the 3rd ball, so he has never really worked on a bh. But he still haven't found the feeling yet for bh.

Then I played some doubles.
Perhaps with the way the receiver stands on the forehand side, I have alot of opportunity to practice banana flick. I had alot of success yesterday, to which I was surprised myself. Flicking diagonally and straight down the line, when the ball lands, it is quite satisfying.
I also had some good bh loop against backspin balls.

Some may remember I started using the Timo Boll ALC 7 weeks ago, and I had alot of trouble getting used to it, especially in counterhitting. Now I feel much better after adapting to the blade, so I can finally compare it with carbonado 145. FH H3 neo, BH tenergy 05.

I can produce more speed with Carbonado in counterhitting and looping, but looping with TB ALC has more spin. I also feel the TB ALC gives me more control with my loops, as I was able to choose to brush the ball so thinly upward that the ball goes super slow and short but it is loaded with topspin. Backhand with tenergy 05 feels really good with TB ALC. Doing banana flicks on light backspin / no spin balls is very good. Looping backspin balls with backhand also feels easier. I still need to work on fh looping of backspin balls to produce a bit more speed.

I think I will be sticking with TB ALC.

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

Hi guys. Haven't been posting much lately.
I lost a bit of motivation these times, a bit less time training, bad results in tournaments, caught a long lasting cold...
But I slowly recovered and started running again and getting a little back in form

If I try to reflect of my TT evolution in the last year's, well despite a lot of (one to one) coaching, not too much result. I think all the strokes have improved to some extent and that I'm more consistent in rallies but serve/receive/3rd ball is still not consistent especially under pressure (end of sets or when trailing).

My footwork is getting slower as well, maybe it's my main weakness. And I'm naturally too lazy..Ah well...

I have a question for you guys. Yesterday I went to the TT facility but my usual buddies weren't there. So I decided to have a run. When I came back to the TT room after that, there was a group of 7 youngsters playing together so one left alone and I asked him to play with him but he declined, so I left ( not much regrets anyway those 7 were all below me)

I'm happy I had this run but I'm wondering because this kind of things often happen: if I'm alone should I go to the TT club and hope to find partners and if not just go for a run or muscle training else should I go to a place a bit further out and try to book a coach for an hour ?

And if my partner's aren't here even if I find a guy to play, no guarantee on his level or his willingness to do drills...

I like to hit the ball and stay two hours or more at the club, but its frustrating to go there and not being able to have a good session.

 

[songdavid98]

Hi guys. Haven't been posting much lately.
I lost a bit of motivation these times, a bit less time training, bad results in tournaments, caught a long lasting cold...
But I slowly recovered and started running again and getting a little back in form

If I try to reflect of my TT evolution in the last year's, well despite a lot of (one to one) coaching, not too much result. I think all the strokes have improved to some extent and that I'm more consistent in rallies but serve/receive/3rd ball is still not consistent especially under pressure (end of sets or when trailing).

My footwork is getting slower as well, maybe it's my main weakness. And I'm naturally too lazy..Ah well...

I have a question for you guys. Yesterday I went to the TT facility but my usual buddies weren't there. So I decided to have a run. When I came back to the TT room after that, there was a group of 7 youngsters playing together so one left alone and I asked him to play with him but he declined, so I left ( not much regrets anyway those 7 were all below me)

I'm happy I had this run but I'm wondering because this kind of things often happen: if I'm alone should I go to the TT club and hope to find partners and if not just go for a run or muscle training else should I go to a place a bit further out and try to book a coach for an hour ?

And if my partner's aren't here even if I find a guy to play, no guarantee on his level or his willingness to do drills...

I like to hit the ball and stay two hours or more at the club, but its frustrating to go there and not being able to have a good session.

I normally go to a club with no partner. I just find somebody to practice with. I remember when I first started, no one really wanted to practice with me, so all I did was practice my serve (my service experience from then carries on till this day). Practice your old serves, new serve variations, or try out completely new serves.
If I have to practice with someone that isn't that good, that's still alright. In that case, I will practice my footwork (do forehand only, or backhand only), or just experiment with different techniques (like add body rotation) and different types of shots (off the bounce).

It does suck if there's no partners to do good practice with, but no matter what, I can find something to do.

 

[suds79]

If I have to practice with someone that isn't that good, that's still alright. In that case, I will practice my footwork (do forehand only, or backhand only), or just experiment with different techniques

+1

I think there's value in playing new people because as long as they can keep the ball on the table okay, in my experience they're usually people who hit fast enough but with very little spin. Hitting against these type of balls I just don't feel like you get to practice against all that often very more experienced players with spiny FHs & BHs.

So I like the opportunity to practice my loop for no-spin (or light spin) balls. Feel it somewhat helps prepare me for whenever I play a weird player at a tournament or perhaps run into a say a hardbat player.

I guess practice is what you make of it. Can always focus on things to work on yourself.

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

I have a question for you guys.
...

if I'm alone should I go to the TT club and hope to find partners and if not just go for a run or muscle training else should I go to a place a bit further out and try to book a coach for an hour ?

Welcome back to this thread Sir!

I think the answer to your question is based on your focus. I am looking for exercise first mostly, but yes, I would like to improve. I am ok with hitting with any partner despite level because I'm looking for a workout. With lower level partners I work to be consistent and let them groove their strokes. With partners my level or above, I still work on being steady and let them work their strokes first and then I work mine. As I am still finding my strokes/game after coming back to TT after 30+ yrs, I have loads to work on even on basics.

I've also joined a new club and many of the members don't know me. Only 3 know me because one of the coaches there introduced me to them. Sometimes my friends can't make it but luckily for me, I can either work with the robot or practice serves if no one wants to hit with me. With my regular club, it is very rare to have a table to myself and just practice serves as there are many members. At my new club, I show up and as it's new (well, reopenend), there are not many members there yet. If I stayed later or show up earlier, it may be jammed.

Regardless, good luck in your training!

 

[OldschoolPenholder]

Welcome back Si-hing!

Although I twisted my knee 6 weeks ago, I have been playing tt once a week for the 3 weeks. Ytd, my knee feels fine, it still looked a bit swollen than the other knee, but functionally, it seems to be fine, no pain.

Good to hear you are not pushing it but are testing it!

... I have alot of opportunity to practice banana flick. I had alot of success yesterday, to which I was surprised myself. Flicking diagonally and straight down the line, when the ball lands, it is quite satisfying.
I also had some good bh loop against backspin balls.

Some may remember I started using the Timo Boll ALC 7 weeks ago, and I had alot of trouble getting used to it, especially in counterhitting. Now I feel much better after adapting to the blade, so I can finally compare it with carbonado 145. FH H3 neo, BH tenergy 05.

I can produce more speed with Carbonado in counterhitting and looping, but looping with TB ALC has more spin. I also feel the TB ALC gives me more control with my loops, as I was able to choose to brush the ball so thinly upward that the ball goes super slow and short but it is loaded with topspin. Backhand with tenergy 05 feels really good with TB ALC. Doing banana flicks on light backspin / no spin balls is very good. Looping backspin balls with backhand also feels easier. I still need to work on fh looping of backspin balls to produce a bit more speed.

I think I will be sticking with TB ALC.

You know what I'm going to say, right?

Congratulations on your new setup and getting used to it! You know what you are doing, you are experienced enough, I'm confident you will be FH looping in not time with your TB ALC!