Daily Table Tennis Chit Chat

[Shuki]

Saturday's tournament went well. 4th in the open, 4th in the U2000, 4th in my age group. My training partner got 3rd in my age group . But he didn't get out of his RR for 2000 or open.

I came to a realization.

I had begun to think that I play better when I toy with my opponents, just playing the game for fun. And then I had started thinking, if I just focus, I can play to a much higher level playing a more aggressive game and not playing for fun. This too wasn't the case.

What I found, I started my match with the high focus, try-hard playstyle. Which worked for a good little while, but then became less successful as my opponent adjusted. I then, mid match started "messing around" playing for fun, going for different types of shots. Chops, Loops, mostly just getting the ball on the table and having fun. This became successful until it too was adjusted to and I started getting attacked too hard. Then once this happened I changed back to my focused attacking style which was successful again.

It wasn't that I was just better when I mess around trying to read my opponent, or better when I focus on my shots, it was that my opponent wasn't adjusted to what was coming next.

 

[NextLevel]

So my body has been telling me for a while now that it refuses to take the beating of playing a phsyical style. I have started to listen to it a little. My compromise is to try to play a more spin and touch based game. Fewer crazy third balls, mostly spinny shots and blocks.

The adjustment is tough but I am making it. Table tennis is fun again to be honest as trying to move so fast probably was unncessary and placed more pressure on my game than necessary. Trying out T05 as it will enable me to get spin with shorter strokes, since Hexer is a more Chinese style rubber in terms of stroke size. OF course, the flip side of this is that I have to be much more active when blocking as T05 despises passive blocks.

I did some counterhitting and third ball practice. My backhand third ball sucks and I will rebuild it.

 

[laistrogian]

So my body has been telling me for a while now that it refuses to take the beating of playing a phsyical style. I have started to listen to it a little. My compromise is to try to play a more spin and touch based game. Fewer crazy third balls, mostly spinny shots and blocks.

The adjustment is tough but I am making it. Table tennis is fun again to be honest as trying to move so fast probably was unncessary and placed more pressure on my game than necessary. Trying out T05 as it will enable me to get spin with shorter strokes, since Hexer is a more Chinese style rubber in terms of stroke size. OF course, the flip side of this is that I have to be much more active when blocking as T05 despises passive blocks.

I did some counterhitting and third ball practice. My backhand third ball sucks and I will rebuild it.

Tenergy 80 perhaps? T64 is probably one of the best rubbers when it comes to passive block, but lacks spin for P-ball

Frankly these days I'm used to closing the angle so much on my FH if I use other rubbers than tenergy the ball jumps to net lol

 

[NextLevel]

Tenergy 80 perhaps? T64 is probably one of the best rubbers when it comes to passive block, but lacks spin for P-ball

Frankly these days I'm used to closing the angle so much on my FH if I use other rubbers than tenergy the ball jumps to net lol

Maybe Mizutani, CCY and ZJK have switched to T80 but at least one of them, if my memory serves me right, still uses T64. In the end, just pick what you like and practice, practice, practice.

 

[NextLevel]

So I played again today and played decently - the focus is still the same - spinning more and moving less violently.

My spin is getting really good again. I haven't tried Hexer in a while, but it might be done. Everyone says the T05 spin is more, though Hexer blocks better. I just have to stop passive blocking.

I also hit into some balls too much. What I am realizing is that I can use T05 to do a bad stroke but a stroke that works for me since I am trying to develop strokes that take advantage of my hand speed and keep the shoulder out of play.

So it is going to be the Eternity VPS +T05 unless I can figure out Hexer again. And I might lose another bet for switching rubber. And since Evolution EL-S is coming soon, I can't bet again.

 

[Der_Echte]

It is more peaceful and easier to train in Philly when the Philly Goon Squad goes on those seek and destroy Carl Missions.

Ur knees gotta luv ur new style in a while.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[Boogar]

Hey there guys
Unfortunately i lost my smartphone ... and we had no internet for four days.
Now i am in Victoriaville in Canada. Does anybody know of some places to play nearby?

 

[chuckjordan2]

@boogar. I believe that's in Quebec,. Try http://www.tennisdetable.ca.

It's been since the 1970s since I was in Canada (hockey eh?)

 

[Boogar]

@boogar. I believe that's in Quebec,. Try http://www.tennisdetable.ca.

It's been since the 1970s since I was in Canada (hockey eh?)

THanks. Jea i alrdy found a club in Drummondville. Its about 40 minutes away by car.
Anyone playing in Drummondville?
Maybe i should make a thread about it.

 

[NextLevel]

Practiced a lot yesterday. Probably a little too much practice. I posted some of the videos publicly. I really need to fix my banana flick.

 

[NextLevel]

So last week, I forgot my camera for the Tuesday league. I played league on Saturday but fewer higher rated players come. The one who came didn't want to test his skills against mine, so we both largely beat up in everyone else and then went home.

Playing more especially and using Tenergy 05 in part has brought some steadiness. I just need to keep form and avoid injury since my body is now pretty fragile. I didn't train or play on Sunday or Monday just to rest my body.

Played the league yesterday. I had a bad loss at the end of last week and had I not lost that match, I would have been in group 1 with the 2000-2250 players. So I was one of only 2 2000+ players in group 2 and the top seed. The one benefit was that I got a rematch vs my opponent who gave me a bad loss. Unfortunately I didn't set up my camera and failed to record that match. I did win in 4 sets. After that I went on to win and record all my matches playing in my new less tense style. It is going to be interesting to see whether I feel the need to unnaturally up the anti when I face the better players next week.

I was really happy with how I played and after some bad experiments recently, my forehand looked much better technically. But my backhand was the real champ. I took one step back and looped with it pretty well. Will see how effective this is over time.

 

[Boogar]

Sounds great NL, always a pleasure to read about your progress!

As for me i finally got to play for the second time on this trip. We visited Montreal yesterday. While others were out sightseeing I found myself a club. http://www.echottc.com/en/index.html this one here.
I played against three people there, one of em had an awesome backhand topspin and sidespin forehand and he liked to hide his serves. The matches were close but i won two and let one be a remis at the end
I feel like I'm ready for another Princeton league now gonna get my revenge against Robert with his 1800 points !

The next stop is going to be in Boston the 23. playing with pgpg! Looking forward to this!

In the meantime I will do some bed serve training

 

[NextLevel]

I feel like I'm ready for another Princeton league now gonna get my revenge against Robert with his 1800 points !

Robert is ready to defend those points too .

 

[Der_Echte]

If you were there in late August I woulda showed up Boogar.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

[Gene Tuttle]

Drove the 120 miles to Lubbock today for one of my twice weekly practices against real people rather than a robot. I played against a player that seldom plays here (usually plays at the college where I cannot get inside to play until I take a course in the Fall)and has really spinny serves and really loads up his pushes making them difficult to loop. I was trying a new racquet and rubber that are both more all round rather than offensive + as I am loosing too many points to unforced errors and low percentage play. I need to work the opponent around until I get an opening rather than going for reckless kill shots that do not connect enough. Using my keep the ball in play strategy I got 4 of 8 games off of him and really only lost one to his play while giving away the other three. In the past I would usually lose 9 of 10. I did not stick to my strategy during three games and had him come back from down 4 or more points due to my lack of consistency which is what I have had happen during my last couple of tournaments. I lose focus and try for low percentage shots rather than working the ball around until I get a real opening. Its sad that out of the game I like to think I am a somewhat intelligent guy but in a game I seem to lose all ability to stick with a plan... I am getting better at it but after some games I think WTF happened? Did I just lose my mind? I will practice my serves and backhand tomorrow after my A.M. walk then bike ride for cardio(thanks Der Echte).

 

[Archosaurus]

Robert is ready to defend those points too .

3:14, you didn't deserve that.

Someone needs to tell him that even table tennis umpires will fault you for serving so much outside of the white line.

 

[JeffM]

Here is my practice session from yesterday. I feel my backhand is in control, but not too happy with forehand. Just doesn't feel right, something is wrong with it. Oh yeah, after some modification of the collection net, it is awesome for practice now.

 

[Archosaurus]

Here is my practice session from yesterday. I feel my backhand is in control, but not too happy with forehand. Just doesn't feel right, something is wrong with it. Oh yeah, after some modification of the collection net, it is awesome for practice now.

Your forehand is most likely a lot better than mine, so take this with a grain of salt, but it looks like you're not really extending the hip/pushing off the ground with the back leg. Maybe because of the kind of balls the robot is feeding you?

 

[NextLevel]

Those robot balls are pretty short even if they do come off the table and you are taking them pretty early, which is easier for the backhand to do with a loop and harder for the forehand given how you are doing it.

The one thing I will stress is that when using a robot, one has to be careful that one doesn't overdo the swinging as people tend to swing more unnaturally and harder at balls from robots which can cause repetitive use injuries.

The second thing is to find ways of making the ball more natural. Take it later and off the table. Swing at one ball over two or three seconds. Don't do more than 1 ball per second unless you are blocking. And don't try to swing as hard as you can.

Finally, always try to find time to practice against no spin or light spin balls. They teach your technique the most if you learn to spin them properly and add spin to them.

 

[JeffM]

Your forehand is most likely a lot better than mine, so take this with a grain of salt, but it looks like you're not really extending the hip/pushing off the ground with the back leg. Maybe because of the kind of balls the robot is feeding you?

Thanks Archosaurus, I was inclined to blame it on the kind of balls the robot is feeding me, but I just thought if there is more to it. I will focus more with the legs more next time, but I wonder if the balls were too short which causes me to feel more awkward with the hips involved.

Those robot balls are pretty short even if they do come off the table and you are taking them pretty early, which is easier for the backhand to do with a loop and harder for the forehand given how you are doing it.

The one thing I will stress is that when using a robot, one has to be careful that one doesn't overdo the swinging as people tend to swing more unnaturally and harder at balls from robots which can cause repetitive use injuries.

The second thing is to find ways of making the ball more natural. Take it later and off the table. Swing at one ball over two or three seconds. Don't do more than 1 ball per second unless you are blocking. And don't try to swing as hard as you can.

Finally, always try to find time to practice against no spin or light spin balls. They teach your technique the most if you learn to spin them properly and add spin to them.

Thanks NL, so it has to do with the robot balls yeah the balls were quite short, which doesn't make it easy for how I want to hit my usual forehand shots.
I will be careful of the swing next time and reduce the ball frequency. With no spin / light spin balls, I am guessing I will just take the ball later which will drop lower and longer, and hopefully the light spin will die off, so that I can practice more of my looping.
I also took your advice from last time about hitting slower at the beginning